ALLEN PARK — Wide receiver Antoine Green, who played at North Carolina, was drafted in the seventh round by the Lions on Saturday. He was the eighth and final pick for Detroit and the first wide receiver drafted by the Lions.
He’s a vertical specialist averaging 18.6 yards per catch. He’s explosive with a background in sprinting and long-jump/triple-jump.
“My strengths as a player I’m good at stretching the field, I can read a defense pretty well, find the zone, do whatever I have to do to get open, I’ve got a big body and good hands and my playmaking ability is what’s special about me,’’ Green said in a Zoom interview.
He will join the Lions’ wide receiver group which includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, veteran Marvin Jones Jr., Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond.
“Joining an established offense with Jared Goff and the rest of the guys, it’s definitely exciting for me because I want to contribute to that and put on a show what I can do and ultimately win games,’’ Green said.
For the Tar Heels he played as a true freshman but didn’t take over a full-time role until 2021. Last season he was a third-team All-ACC selection (43 catches for 798 yards and seven TDs).
He was limited to nine games with a collarbone injury.
His NFL.com pre-draft notes included: “Green’s size and deep-ball success make him a more intriguing Day 3 prospect than the overall production and skill set might suggest. Like most vertical specialists, he’s not going to shake man coverage on intermediate routes, but he has decent hands and consistently finds himself overtaking deep coverage with his build-up speed. He might find himself fighting for a spot on a practice squad or the back end of a roster.’’
Green played at Florida’s Rockledge High School.
2023 Lions draft
RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama, first round (12th overall)
LB Jack Campbell, Iowa, first round (18th overall)
TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa, second round (34th overall)
DB Brian Branch, Alabama, second round (45th overall)
QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, third round (68th overall)
DL Brodric Martin, Western Kentucky, third round (96th overall)
OL Colby Sorsdal, William & Mary, fifth round (152nd overall)
WR Antoine Green, North Carolina, seventh round (219th overall)
Lions Lowdown 