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The Detroit Lions had a busy Tuesday, as they brought in three players for pre-draft visits. Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o headlined the group, and Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce and UMass running back Mike Cox also stopped by to visit with the Lions.
Te'o's visit raised some eyebrows, as expected. The Lions don't have a need at middle linebacker, and Te'o certainly isn't an option for the No. 5 pick. He wouldn't even be a realistic option unless the Lions traded down to the end of the first round. I suppose he could fall to the 36th overall pick, but even then, he doesn't make much sense for the Lions.
So why did the Lions bring him in for a visit? I think Ed Werder is on to something:
Manti Te'o visited Lions, Chargers next. Te'o not likely a Lion without a trade down but maybe prepping for him to be Bear or Viking
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) April 9, 2013
Moving on, Kelce is a pretty intriguing player because of what he did at Cincinnati. Last season, he had 45 receptions, 722 yards and 8 touchdowns for the Bearcats. Those are pretty nice numbers, and the Lions are making it clear that they are interested in drafting a tight end this year. Kelce is actually the third tight end to visit the Lions in advance of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Cox, the other visitor on Tuesday, has an interesting background. He finished his career at UMass after spending his first four years of college at Michigan. He didn't get a chance to play at Michigan, so he decided to transfer and spend his final season in his home state with the Minutemen. At UMass, he rushed for 710 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2012.