With the 229th pick in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Nose Tackle PJ Johnson from Arizona.
The Lions spend most of the draft adding defensive talent and the final missing piece on my needs board that they had yet to fill was a reserve nose tackle who could push John Atkins for the honor of backing up Damon Harrison. Johnson (6-4, 323-pounds) fills that final piece of the puzzle.
The Lions liked Johnson enough that they brought him in for a top-30 visit, but he is still developing instincts and his overall skill set. He can 2-gap and Arizona used him at all three spots in their three-man front, showing he is athletic enough to play at the 5-technique and strong enough to anchor the 0-technique.
Johnson and Atkins battling it out in training camp for a reserve nose tackle spot will be a contest that die-hard football fans will crave.
