4 biggest draft steals in Detroit Lions history

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 2, 1994: Linebacker Chris Spielman #54 of the Detroit Lions waits for the snap as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeat the Detroit Lions in an NFL football game 24-14 on October 2, 1994 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) /

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Credit: Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images /

4. DB Lem Barney

With the 34th overall pick in the 1967 draft, the Lions landed Barney out of Jackson State. He played all 11 seasons of his NFL career in Detroit, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year with seven Pro Bowl selections and two First Team All-Pro nods.

Barney is second in Lions history with 56 interceptions, and he earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

3. K Eddie Murray

The 166th overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft out of Tulane, Murray then held down the placekicking job for the Lions for the next 12 seasons before being replaced by some incoming rookie named Jason Hanson starting in 1992 (who was also a rough candidate for this list, but as a second-round pick didn’t quite make it).

Murray is the second all-time leading scorer in Lions’ history (1,113 points), behind only Hanson of course. He also kicked in Detroit’s last postseason victory, going 5-for-5 on extra points and making his only field goal attempt in the 38-6 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 5, 1992. Some might lament a kicker as a draft steal, but Murray belongs here on this list.

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