2014 NFL Draft results: Lions pick Nate Freese

With their eighth pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and the 229th overall selection, the Detroit Lions have selected Boston College kicker Nate Freese. This pick was acquired earlier on Saturday from the Dallas Cowboys in a trade that involved the Lions moving down 12 spots in the fifth round.

Freese was the only kicker who visited the Lions before the draft. This was much like the situation at punter last year. Sam Martin was the only punter who visited the Lions in the lead-up to the draft, and he ended up being picked in the fifth round.

By taking Freese in the seventh round this year, the Lions are getting an extremely accurate kicker. He made all 20 of his field goal attempts last season, and he only missed two field goals in his final two years in college. He did miss a few extra points over the years, but for field goals, he finished his career at Boston College with 70 makes on 81 attempts. That's good for 86.4%, and he had a career long of 52 yards.

Interestingly, Freese also can punt. He once booted a 67-yarder at Boston College, so if the Lions are ever in a situation where Martin suffers an injury, they will have a very capable replacement ready to go in Freese.

What are your thoughts on this pick?