The Detroit Lions have a grand total of seven picks in the 2024 NFL draft, with one of them coming in the fifth round at No. 164 overall.
It has been quite awhile since the Lions last had that pick, with nearly 60 years passing since they drafted from their 2024 fifth-round spot. The franchise has owned the selection a total of three times.
The first time came in 1951, when the Lions drafted tackle Lee Wittmer out of Detroit Mercy. Detroit then had the pick over a decade later and selected Winona State center, Gale Sprute, in 1962.
The next and last time Detroit was on the clock with the 164th pick was in 1966. The Lions took linebacker Jack O’Billovich out of Oregon State.
What do all three of those players have in common? They did not play a single snap for the Lions. O’Billovich did end up going to the CFL, where he played a single game for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1967.
Let’s hope general manager Brad Holmes has more success with the pick this time around.
