With their final pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions selected Eastern Michigan defensive end, Pat O’Connor. It’s the second defensive lineman the Lions acquired in the draft, and while he may not be a known commodity, O’Connor was very successful last season at E.M.U.
Pat O’Connor – Eastern Michigan
Position: Defensive End
Size: 6-foot-4, 270 lbs
Why He Makes Sense For Detroit: The local kid was someone the Lions obviously liked when they saw him work out in Ann Arbor. Although he was projected as a possible undrafted free agent, O’Connor has a good motor and the Lions felt he was worthy of their final draft pick.
Last season, he had 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss for Eastern Michigan. In 2016, the Lions got decent production out of Anthony Zettel, a late-round pick out of Penn State. O’Connor adds depth that Detroit sorely needs along their defensive front. Even if he doesn’t make an impact right away, with a few seasons to develop, he could be a contributor down the line.
“The 6-foot-4, 277-pounder logged pro day results of 17 bench press reps, a 31.5-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 9-foot-6,” Tony Pauline told Rotoworld.
Watch highlights of O’Connor at Eastern Michigan below.
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