ALLEN PARK — The Lions added another piece to the offensive line puzzle by drafting tackle Tyrell Crosby (Oregon) in the fifth round with the 153rd overall pick.
Crosby, who is 6-5 and 309 pounds, played all games at left tackle as a senior but could move to right tackle in the NFL.
Crosby did not allow a sack in 2017 after missing most of the previous season with a broken foot. NFLDraftScout.com had him as the sixth-best tackle and 58th best prospect.
“As an O-lineman, you never want your running back, quarterback or just anybody with the ball or teammate in general to get hit by anyone,” Crosby said in a conference call on Saturday. “To know that I kept our quarterback safe throughout the entire year is a tremendous achievement in my opinion. Getting named top PAC-12 lineman of the year voted by the defensive linemen, it’s humbling knowing that your peers think that highly of you.”
In 2017, he allowed only three QB hurries, according to Pro Football Focus — tied for the lowest pressure rate allowed by any offensive tackle at the Senior Bowl.
Pro Football Weekly had him rated as the 35th best prospect in the draft. He was all Pac-12 as a senior.
Most experts expected him to go higher than the fifth round.
“I didn’t expect (to wait), but honestly, at the end of the day I’m now a professional football player. So, things happen in life and you really just, at the end of the day you realize how grateful you are, especially looking back at how small of a percentage of college players make it to where I made it today,” Crosby said. “Things happen and I might have gone later than I expected. At the end of the day I’m excited to be a Lion.”
He tweeted that he celebrated by going to Chipotle. He’s not getting down on himself on falling to the fifth round.
“It’s frustrating just because my personal opinion, I think I’m the best, well, one of the best offensive tackles from the 2018 draft. But, though it kind of sucks, at the same time it’s just an awesome feeling to know that I’m a part of such a great organization with great history,” Crosby said. “Wherever I went, I ended up in Detroit and I’m so thankful for it.”
(Photo courtesy of Oregon)
Lance Zierlein’s prospect overview on NFL.com: “Evaluators may stick with Crosby at right tackle in the pros, but his issues with hip tightness and gaining enough ground to the edge in pass protection may force a move inside to guard sooner rather than later. Crosby has technical issues to smooth out, but he will appeal to teams who covet size, length and strength as he puts big checkmarks in those boxes. Crosby is a bulldozer who can generate good movement in the run game, but he lacks the body control for desired consistency at tackle or guard. He has NFL starting talent but he may have a limited ceiling.”
Zierlein projected him as a second- or third-round pick.
He’s from Henderson, Nev., the same hometown as Lions safety Miles Killebrew but they went to different high schools.
“Tremendous amount of respect for him and what he’s done, especially going to high school a 10-minute drive from him,” Crosby said. “When he got drafted, him coming from a small school like SUU (Southern Utah), honestly it was awesome for me to see just because he’s a public school kid from this area.”
Inside offensive lineman Frank Ragnow was the Lions’ first-round pick. Other draft picks so far: Running back Kerryon Johnson in second round, S Tracy Walker in third round and DE Da’Shawn Hand in fourth round.
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