Detroit’s defensive line is getting some reinforcements.
The Lions moved up in the sixth round with Houston, giving the Texans picks 205 and 249 to select LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo.
Wingo battled a lower-body injury that allowed him to play in only eight games this past season but still had 25 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
He’s a sturdy and powerfully built interior defender who had 46 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks in 14 games (13 starts) for LSU in 2022.
How strong is Wingo? He set high school squat records, according to The Athletic. He’s got a nice combination of power and quick feet that allows him to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage more often than not. He ran the 40 in 4.85 seconds with a 1.63 10-yard split at the NFL Scouting Combine at 284 pounds.
He was also a team captain for LSU, which says a lot about his mental makeup and leadership qualities. He rehabbed to return for LSU’s bowl game, something not a lot of prospects headed to the NFL do.
He’s a three-down interior defender who averaged 55 defensive snaps per game over his two seasons at LSU.
The Lions had a need at defensive tackle with some unproven depth behind starters Alim McNeill and the newly acquired DJ Reader. The Lions are hoping Brodric Martin can take a big leap in development in Year 2 and be part of the rotation inside. They’re also hoping a healthy Levi Onwuzurike can give them some production along the interior. but there is certainly room to add another player like Wingo to the mix to compete for playing time and add competition to the room.
