Watch: Detroit Lions cornerback Chase Lucas’ college highlights

With their final selection of the 2022 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions used pick 237 to select cornerback Chase Lucas out of Arizona State University.

He arrived at Arizona State way back in 2016, redshirting his first year on campus. From there, Lucas’ game took off, spending time under NFL legend and current Sun Devils’ head coach, Herm Edwards. Then, in 2019, Edwards’ added another veteran defensive mind to his staff, this time in the form of long-time NFL coach Marvin Lewis. Not a bad duo to lean on for a young cornerback like Lucas, who is still learning the position.

With COVID shortening the 2020 college football season, Lucas opted to return to Arizona State in 2021 as a sixth-year senior. He served as team captain for the Sun Devils - logging 34 total tackles, and six pass break-ups during his final collegiate season.

As a 25-year-old rookie, Lucas is in an interesting position. Ultimately, he is a seventh-round pick being added to a secondary room that currently has more questions than it does answers. Where will Jeff Okudah be at in his recovery process by the time the season begins? Same question goes for Jerry Jacobs? Will someone like Mike Hughes be able to revive his career in Detroit?

Questions abound in the defensive backfield, but one spot people are beginning to look at Lucas being a potential fit for is the nickel cornerback position. Lucas doesn’t possess elite long speed, but he does have good short area quickness and understands what is happening in front of him. And one starting position that seems particularly unsettled, at least for now, is the slot cornerback position.

Initially, Lucas will likely have to earn playing time via special teams. But if we are talking about defensive snaps, excelling in the slot appears to be his quickest path to playing time as a rookie.

Let’s start our look at Lucas by taking a look at a video put together by the Lions.

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