5 players Detroit Lions should be watching in the 2023 Senior Bowl

1. Washington State LB Daiyan Henley

Even in a COVID-19 impacted and transfer portal-tilted era, and as outlined by Ben Raven of MLive, Henley had quite a unique path in college.

"Henley, a six-year player who played a handful of positions between Nevada and Washington State, has excelled since finding his home at linebacker. And he’s also one of the more intriguing prospects at this year’s college football showcase for your Detroit Lions."

Henley played four seasons at Nevada with time at wide receiver, kick returner, both safety spots and in the slot. He became a linebacker in 2020, and in 2021 he had 94 tackles and four interceptions for the Wolfpack. He moved on to Washington State in 2022, finishing with 106 tackles (12 tackles for loss), four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Henley drew particular praise for his work in coverage during Senior Bowl practice week against higher level competition. That’s an area the Lions can certainly use help in, all-around and at the linebacker level. And it’s not as if Henley is a slouch or a liability against the run.

Henley may be firmly on the Lions (and others) radar now, if he wasn’t already, as a possible Day 2 pick. How he takes a strong practice week into the game will be worth watching.