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With their fourth pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and the 113th overall selection, the Detroit Lions have selected Auburn defensive tackle Gabe Wright. The Lions traded away their 2016 third-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to secure this selection.
Going into the final day of the draft, there was a lot of speculation that the Lions might make a move like this. I figured the Lions would trade up from the fifth round to make a deal like this happen, but they simply swapped their third-round pick in 2016 for Philadelphia's fourth-round pick this year. With a third-round compensatory pick likely coming the Lions' way next year for the loss of Ndamukong Suh, the Lions clearly felt comfortable parting with their third-round selection.
As for Wright, he was actually projected to be a second- or third-round pick by NFL.com. At Auburn, he recorded 86 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, two pass defenses and one forced fumble over four seasons. Last year specifically, Wright had 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack.
With the Lions moving into the fourth round to get Wright, they have now addressed their need for additional depth at defensive tackle. Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker will likely start for the Lions, but Wright should at least be a rotational player as a rookie.
What are your thoughts on this pick?