Detroit Lions select Kentucky defensive end Josh Paschal in second round of NFL draft
A day after adding one of the draft’s premier pass rushers, the Detroit Lions got more help for their defensive front Friday.
The Lions took Kentucky defensive end Josh Paschal with the 14th pick of the second round Friday, No. 46 overall.
Paschal joins a defense that allowed the second most points in the NFL last season and ranked 27th in sack rate.
JAMESON WILLIAMS: Aidan Hutchinson and I will turn Lions around
JEFF SEIDEL: Lions getting two game changers in NFL draft Round 1 is a breath of fresh air
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started Round 2 on Friday by taking Houston defensive lineman Logan Hall, and the Green Bay Packers, using the Lions’ original second-round pick after a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, followed with North Dakota State receiver Christian Watson at No. 34.
The Lions traded the 32nd, 34th and 66th choices in the draft to the Vikings to move up to No. 12 and take wide receiver Jameson Williams on Thursday. The Lions also received the second-round pick they used on Paschal in the deal.
MITCH ALBOM: Lions luck out with Aidan Hutchinson, press their luck with Jameson Williams
GRADES: What they're saying about the Lions' picks in Round 1
Lions general manager Brad Holmes said Thursday he was "ecstatic" with his first-round haul. Hutchinson should be a Day 1 starter at defensive end, where he immediately bolsters a pass rush that struggled to generate consistent pressure last year. Williams is rehabbing from a torn ACL, but was considered one of the top vertical threats in the draft.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions select Kentucky DE Josh Paschal in NFL draft 2nd round
