2023 NFL Draft: A look into Detroit Lions' newest players
(CBS DETROIT) - The 2023 NFL draft concluded Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. As the city of Detroit is now in preparation for hosting next year's draft, the city is also gearing up for a team with new faces this season.
Here's a recap of who was selected in this year's draft.
Round 1
The Lions started its pick with Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs as the No. 12 overall pick in the first round Thursday night. The team was expected to have its first pick in the No. 6 spot, which originally belonged to the Los Angeles Rams as part of the trade that led to Matthew Stafford going to the west coast. But the Lions traded it with the Arizona Cardinals.
At 5 feet 9 inches tall and 199 pounds, Gibbs was a third-team all-conference running back and a second-team kick returner in 2021. The following year, he transferred from Georgia Tech to Alabama, gaining second-team All-SEC honors and third-team Associated Press All-American honors.
He was the second running back selected in the first 12 picks with Bijan Robinson going to the Atlanta Falcons.
For the No. 18 overall pick, the Lions selected linebacker Jack Campbell. The senior from Iowa, standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 249 pounds, played 11 games as a reserve during his freshman year. As a junior, he gained third-team All-Big Ten Conference and Hawkeye's Defensive Most Valuable Player award.
Campbell starred again for Iowa in 2022 with 128 tackles, 5.5 for loss in 13 starts. He also won the Dick Butkus Award, becoming the nation's linebacker. He won the first-team Associated Press All-American and Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year.
Round 2
On Friday, the team started the second round by drafting another Hawkeye, tight end Sam LaPorta.
LaPorta's career took off in high school, catching the second-most touchdown passes in the state of Illinois history. During his time with the Hawkeyes, he played 12 games during his freshman year and was an honorable mention of the All-Big Ten Conference selection the following year.
In 2020, he led the team with 27 receptions, 271 years and one touchdown in eight games.
LaPorta, standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 245 pounds, led Iowa again in 2022, winning the Big Ten Tight End of the Year award and setting the school record for tight ends with 153 career receptions.
For its fourth pick of the draft, Detroit walked away with defensive back Brian Branch, making him the second player from Alabama after Gibbs.
The Georgia native was a top-five safety prospect out of Sandy Creek High School. In his freshman year at Alabama, he played 12 games with starts, 27 tackles and two interceptions. The following year, he played in all 15 games, starting seven times and leading the team with nine pass breakups.
Branch obtained the second-team Associated Press All-American as a junior, starting all 13 games.
Round 3
With the vision to further build its offense, the Lions selected Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, joining Jared Goff and Nate Sudfeld.
At 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 217 pounds, Hooker initially signed with Virginia Tech, playing six games as a reserve his freshman year. In 2019, he set a record of 124 completions without an interception and started in seven of eight games in 2020 before he took his talents to Tennessee.
During the 2021 season with Tennessee football, he ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision for pass efficiency and fourth with 9.72 yards per attempt. He also threw 140 completions without an interception, and in 2022, he was an early Heisman Trophy favorite.
He won SEC Offensive Player of the Year and was named a third-team Associated Press All-American.
Toward the end of the night, the Lions took a different course, trading pick Nos. 122, 139 and 168 for the 96th pick overall. For its second pick in the third round, the team selected Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin.
Standing at a massive 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 337 pounds, Martin initially signed with North Alabama and was redshirted in the 2017 season before playing 10 games in 2018. He transferred to Western Kentucky in 2021, playing all 14 games with one start, making 31 tackles, 4.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks.
He earned the honorable mention for All-Conference USA as a senior.
Round 5
After not having any picks in the fourth round, the Lions selected William & Mary offensive tackle Colby Sorsdal as the 152nd overall pick (No. 17 in round 5).
The Pennsylvania native, weighing 301 pounds and standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, was a five-year starter while in high school. He was a starter in his freshman year at William & Mary, playing 10 games. After taking a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic, Sorsdol returned as a starter in the 2021 spring season, playing in all three games.
He earned a third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association as well as first-team Football Championship Subdivision All-American and All-CAA notice.
Round 7
The Lions selected North Carolina wide receiver Antonine Green as its final pick of the 2023 draft. Green, who was the second pick in round 7 (219th overall), was selected after the Lions traded D'Andre Swift to Philadelphia for the Eagles' fourth-round pick in 2025, as well as the seventh-round pick this season.
Green, a Florida native standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 199 pounds, played five games his freshman year in 2018.
He started three times in 2019 and 2020 collectively, before earning the full-time spot. He was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2022.
