Tag: Tennessee

Lions add pair of defensive tackles in final 2 rounds of draft

ALLEN PARK — The Lions wrapped up the 2026 NFL draft by selecting a pair of defensive tackles — Skyler Gill-Howard in the sixth round (205th) and Tyre West in the seventh (222nd) on Saturday.

GM Brad Holmes said he likes their ability to apply pressure as sub-rushers.

Gill-Howard, 6-8 and 280 pounds, played at Texas Tech his senior year after starting collegiate career at Northern Illinois. In 2025 he started the first six games (13 tackles, 2.5 TFLs with 0.5 sacks, INT-returned for TD, PBU) and then missed the second half of the year with an ankle injury. In his junior year at Northern Illinois he played in a dozen games with one start.

He has only played on the defensive line since 2022.

“I feel like I’m a great player with no ceiling, meaning that I can improve each and every year in whatever aspect I need to. I feel I can go out and make an impact immediately or do what the team needs me to do, it doesn’t matter. There’s still a long way to go.’’

The Lions hat he was wearing during a Zoom call came from his grandfather who is a big Lions fan and was wearing it at the draft party. It was the only hate in the room. “It was meant to be,’’ Gill-Howard said.

“Gill-Howard is a relentless defensive lineman who has climbed from the Division II level to a starting role in the Big 12,’’ per CBS Sports analysis. “Despite being undersized for the interior, he plays with incredible energy and leverages his wrestling background to overpower larger blockers.’’

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein said: “He needs to major in disruption and chaos to find a long-term home as a rotational, upfield tackle.’’

In the seventh round, the Lions drafted Tyre West, who started just five games in four seasons at Tennessee.

Zierlein wrote: “West’s snap and start counts are unusually low for a draftable prospect. He has the bone thickness of an interior defender, but a chunk of his collegiate reps came at 5-technique and even-front defensive end. He’s a solid athlete with good quickness but below-average hand usage. He appears capable of sinking and anchoring but will be tested against interior double teams on the next level. West’s ability to pressure the pocket could earn him an opportunity at the next level.’’

Lions draft QB Hendon Hooker in 3rd round; he’s coming off torn ACL

ALLEN PARK — The Lions moved down in the third round on Friday and selected 25-year-old quarterback Hendon Hooker who played at Tennessee.

It’s likely Hooker dropped down the draft board because he’s coming off an ACL tear that occurred on Nov. 19. Jared Goff is the Lions’ starter but they needed to add a quarterback along with Goff and Nate Sudfeld.

Hooker said he’s looking forward to working with Goff and learning from him.

“I’ll be a sponge, come in and learn every nuance of how to be a pro. Just admire him,” Hooker said on Friday night. “He’s been in the league for a long time and he’s been doing a great job of developing every year…and that’s all you can ask for.”

Hooker, who is 6-foot-3 and 217, was an early Heisman favorite in 2022, eventually winning SEC Offensive Player of the Year and being named a third-team Associated Press All-American. He threw for 3,135 yards (229-329-69.6%) and 27 scores (against just two interceptions) and rushed for 430 yards (104 carries, 4.1 per) and five touchdowns in 11 starts before he suffered a torn left ACL that ended his season.

He said he’s taking his knee rehab day by day and didn’t give a projected date on when he could return to the field. “When I’m ready to rock ‘n’ roll it’s going to be a site to see,” said Hooker who met with the team in Allen Park during the pre-draft process.

Hooker has a long-time connection with Lions GM Brad Holmes who played with his dad, Alan, at North Carolina A&T.

At Tennessee, Hooker led the nation’s top offense with an FBS-best 9.53 yards per pass attempt. He also ranked second in pass efficiency (175.5) and seventh in completion percentage in 2022 and set Tennessee records by throwing 261 passes without an interception and recording a touchdown pass in 20 straight games.

Hooker started his college career at Virginia Tech and took over the quarterback role at Tennessee in 2021.

Hooker’s NFL.com draft prospect bio reads: “Hooker’s age and ACL tear will be starting points for many draft conversations, but the most important question to be answered is whether he can thrive outside of the Tennessee offense. Hooker was frequently a half-field reader, which means he could lean on spacing, speed and/or route combinations to make life easier. He’s more accurate outside the numbers than between the hashes and his deep ball placement was much more uneven than expected. However, Hooker plays with excellent poise and footwork as a pocket passer. He will make quarterback coaches and play-callers happy with his adherence to keeping plays on schedule. He’s still showing signs of improvement and growth at the position, and his ability to hurt teams with his legs creates opportunities to help his offense outside of what he does in the pocket. His recovery from the ACL tear will require monitoring, but he has the talent to become a starter in a timing-based, spread offense.’’