After a tumble down draft boards, the Detroit Lions managed to snag edge rusher Anthony Lucas on the UDFA market following the draft itself.
Lucas, a former Trojan who went from a draft darling entering college to an extremely underperforming defender, is someone that the Lions are likely hoping to get a lot more out of than he gave to USC in his final year with the program.
Three sacks through 12 games played was never going to be enough to get Lucas on the radar of any team in the draft, but clearly, the Lions think there's more to gain from him.
CBS Sports' Josh Edwards recently compiled a list of UDFAs that could surprise fans ahead of the season, and Lucas was named as the one to watch for the Lions. Edwards wrote of the defender:
"Lucas was a member of 247Sports' Freaks List out of high school. He has prototypical size and length, and there was significant buzz when he transferred from Texas A&M following the 2022 season. Lucas had three collegiate sacks and never reached that potential, but perhaps Detroit can tap into that opposite Aidan Hutchinson."
Lucas could crash depth chart under the right circumstances
Detroit is set on the EDGE1 front - Aidan Hutchinson is obviously the head of that snake, while Derrick Moore and D.J. Wonnum can likely split reps next to Hutchinson (or with Hutchinson) to add fresh legs to the mix throughout the season.
Lucas can still fill a need, especially if the Lions feel that he could work better up the middle of their defensive line rather than on the edge. He has experience playing DT, and is a decent run-stopper. Throwing an athletic player like Lucas into gaps alongside Alim McNeill or Tyleik Williams could help Detroit to establish dominance against stronger rushers.
NFL Draft Buzz's profile of Lucas from prior to the draft paints a decent picture of what Detroit is likely anticipating from the UDFA:
"Lucas is a prospect whose physical profile and year-over-year improvement tell a more interesting story than his counting stats. The frame is real: 6-6 with a seven-foot wingspan, good functional movement, and enough weight to hold up on early downs. His pass rush grades climbed meaningfully from his freshman year through his senior season, and the 2025 tape showed a player who was finally starting to put his tools together consistently. The problem is that 'starting to put it together' as a senior leaves a lot of projection on the table, and three career sacks is a number that raises eyebrows no matter how you frame it."
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A former top recruit has to have something left to offer to a team like the Lions, who are basically wiping the chalkboard and beginning at square one as it pertains to their EDGE2 depth. If Wonnum doesn't offer enough for Detroit, then don't be surprised to see Lucas tapped to lineup with Moore in certain sequences.
The good thing about a low-risk, high-reward signing like Wonnum is that the Lions don't have to worry about appearing foolish for having doled out very little money for a potential Al-Quadin Muhammad replacement. Lucas factors into the formula for Detroit, as they can use as many looks as possible to determine their best path forward at the EDGE2 spot.
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