After trading back to pick 188, the Lions drafted hybrid safety/linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez out of Oklahoma State.
While a little undersized to play inside linebacker in the NFL, he should provide ample depth at the position behind Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes this season.
His skills in coverage might be better than most of the inside linebackers on the roster and he should be able to beat out players such as Josh Woods, Anthony Pittman, and Tavante Beckett for one of the top depth roles.
While he may not make much of a difference against the run, he could be an asset when Detroit needs to cover running backs and tight ends. His speed and agility alone can make up for his lack of size.
While he is surely not going to start anytime soon, he should be a valuable contributor on special teams right away and his positional versatility could land him a role as a defensive Swiss-army knife in Aaron Glenn’s scheme.
