The Detroit Lions have selected Brodric Martin with the 96th overall pick.
The Detroit Lions have selected Western Kentucky DT Brodric Martin with the 96th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Lions acquired the pick via a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. The Lions gave up picks 122, 139, and 168 to move up to pick 96.
My grade: B
This seems like another one of those picks where Brad Holmes locked in on a guy and decided to go and get him, and I’m all for that. Martin is a beefy, run-stuffing nose tackle who fits a very similar profile to Isaiah Buggs, who the Lions just re-signed to fill their interior.
This pick gives the Lions depth at the position beyond just Buggs, and will help keep them both fresh. It also frees up Alim McNeill to spend more time playing at the three technique, where he had the most success at last season.
It looks expensive for the Lions to give up what they did for Martin, but I don’t have a problem with it. The Lions roster is not what it was in years past; if the Lions walked away from day three with five new players, a good chunk of them would not have made the final 53-man roster. Instead, the Lions honed in on a guy who fills a specific role that they know is important to the success of their defense.
Martin certainly doesn’t test as an elite athlete with a RAS of 2.14, but that’s to be expected of a nose tackle. You’re drafting him for his beef and size on the interior, not for his pass rushing skills or his agility.
We’re at the point in the draft where players are filling niche roles; you’re probably not getting a starter or instant significant contributor on a roster as deep as that of the Lions. That being said, I’m all for the Lions getting their guy and getting some necessary depth.
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