Detroit Lions promote local player, former SVSU star

Former Saginaw Valley State University star Trevor Nowaske officially joined his hometown NFL team on Thursday, but will have to wait for his first NFL action.

The Detroit Lions promoted the former Salem High School standout from the practice squad on Thursday, waiving running back Devine Ozigbo.

Nowaske will have to wait an extra week due to the bye week, but the former Salem High School star waited until Thursday during the NFL draft and the first half of the NFL season, when the Lions promoted him from the practice squad.

The former SVSU linebacker is expected to make his NFL debut on Sunday, November 12th in San Diego.

During the preseason, the undrafted free agent recorded seven tackles and one pass defense in three games.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker went undrafted, but at his NFL Pro Day at the Legacy Center in Brighton, Nowaske ran the 40-yard dash twice in 4.50 seconds. His broad jump was 10 feet, 2 inches.

Nowaske’s RAS, or Relative Athletic Score, was 9.85 on a scale of 0 to 10. The RAS calculates the metrics of a potential NFL draft pick and summarizes them into one number. In the history of RAS testing since 1987, Nowaske ranks 38th out of 2,503 linebackers tested with a score of 9.85.

In his final season at SVSU, Nowaske had 98 tackles in 11 games, including 9.5 tackles for a loss. He also intercepted four passes and parried seven more. In 44 career games, Nowaske recorded 232 tackles, including 20 tackles for loss, as well as 5.5 sacks and five interceptions.

 

Detroit Lions 2024 Draft Watch: 8 players to keep an eye on in Week 10

This week’s Detroit Lions draft watch focuses on a half-dozen games that include a possible future solution at SAM linebacker, a battle between top players and a deeper look at five interior offensive linemen.

Let’s take a closer look at this week’s players that Lions fans should keep an eye on.

LSU (14) at Alabama (8)

Chris Braswell, EDGE/SAM, Alabama (Senior)

An excerpt from The Athletic’s mid-season top 50 ($):

“If you look at Alabama’s front seven to see Dallas Turner, Braswell (9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles) will inevitably disappear from the screen. There’s some tightness when he goes around the corner, but Braswell is able to slam his hands into blockers, convert his speed into power, and collapse the pocket in a variety of ways.

“Energetic players like Braswell typically find sustainable roles in the NFL.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

Braswell is Alabama’s “JACK” pass-rushing linebacker, and although he spends most of his time in the box, he has 37 coverage snaps this season – just over 10% of his total, according to PFF. He would be a good option for the Lions’ “SAM” linebacker role, which has become increasingly important this season.

There are still some parts of Braswell’s game that need improvement – 2023 is his only season as a starter – which could cause him to slip into the Lions’ projected draft range, but he is full of size, athleticism and potential the first round.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU (Junior)

6-foot-4, 205 pounds

An excerpt from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon’s article on Thomas as a draft riser:

“Thomas has always had good size and speed, but he appears to have added more muscle to his 205-pound frame. It helped him through the contact and gave him better balance. He has always had good ball tracking and strong hands, but Thomas has added more polish and attention to detail to his game. (…) Thomas was more consistent when working break-in routes from his typical outside positioning. It quickly detects coverage and finds weak spots between zones and interior coverage brackets.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

Thomas is LSU’s wide receiver opposite projected first-round pick Malik Nabers – who we profiled earlier this year – and his growth this season likely puts him in the conversation for the first round as well. If a team is specifically looking for a WR-X, he should be in the top 5 of that style receiver in this class.

Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama (Redshirt Sophomore)

6-foot-0, 196 pounds

An excerpt from The Athletic’s mid-season top 50 ($):

“While he may not gain as much notoriety as teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry, Arnold (40 tackles, one INT, six passes defended) has played well this season and has NFL starting-level attributes himself.

“At 6-foot-10 and 195 pounds, he has quick, controlled footwork in his pedals and transitions to stay on top of routes. He could also be the most competitive corner in the draft.

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

If you’re a top-100 cornerback, you’ll likely be on the Lions’ radar, and Thomas looks like he’ll fit the bill of a top-50 cornerback. Along with Kool-Aid McKinstry – who we profiled earlier this year – Arnold will have a tough task ahead of him this week as he tries to defend Thomas and Nabers. How each of these four prospects perform will play a big role in their draft evaluations.

Kansas State (23) and Texas (7)

Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State (Senior)

6-foot-3 1⁄2331 pounds

An excerpt from Beebe’s profile by Kyle Crabbs of Anthon Sports:

“Beebe has the strength and physique to be an effective player in close combat. I believe he is ideally suited to a vertical run game, whether inside the zone or in gap systems, to promote aggressiveness and redefine the line of scrimmage. His versatility may be touted as a plus in college, but I see him as a pure interior player in the professional game.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

I profiled Beebe before the 2023 draft, where he was one of my highest-ranked guard prospects for the Lions, and after returning to school for another year of polishing, he’s only gotten better. What makes Beebe such a good candidate is his positional versatility (he’s started at every position on the offensive line except center), his experience in a gap scheme (approximately two-thirds of Kansas State’s 300-plus rushing attempts came from one gap blocking scheme), and his tenacity as a run defender. He uses his hands well and executes a variety of techniques with NFL proficiency, making him a plug-and-play guard.

Ohio State (1) at Rutgers

Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State (Junior)

6-foot-4, 320 pounds

An excerpt from Anthon Sports’ Kyle Crabbs’ profile on Jackson:

“Jackson has all the tools. He’s a sufficient athlete with strong push in the run game and a strong anchor to get past inside rushers. Given the lack of quality linemen across the NFL, this should provide a lower bound for his value, taking him fairly early in the draft. However, his continued fundamental maturation and instinct for a changing picture post-snap will determine the ceiling of his draft stock.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

The Lions prefer their offensive linemen to be athletes who can pull out and get out in front of their running backs, and as you can see in the video above, Jackson is a smooth mover. As a two-year starter at left guard for Ohio State, the big question will be: Will he leave for the NFL or stay there until his senior year?

Purdue at Michigan (3)

Zak Zinter, G, Michigan (Senior)

6-foot-5 1⁄2322 pounds

An excerpt from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s preseason IOL To-Watch list ($):

“Zinter meets many of the criteria NFL teams look for in a guard prospect. He moves well on his feet for mirroring in small spaces or using his reach as a dresser. He places great emphasis on his technique and is clearly intelligent at staying one step ahead and collaborating with his neighbor. And Zinter uses his long arms to apply pressure on contact, both in the running game and in pass defense.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

Like Kansas State, the Wolverines are a strong gap-blocking team (approximately 60% of their offensive line blocking schemes focus on gaps), and like Beebe, Zinter is the top candidate on their offensive line. Zinter, who has played at Michigan for three and a half years, is a key reason his offensive line has won the Joe Moore Award each of the last two seasons and could be on its way to a third straight award in 2023. A team captain with a mediocre streak, Zinter would fit perfectly into the Lions line and their locker room.

Washington (5) at USC (20)

Troy Fautanu, T/G, Washington (Redshirt Junior)

6-foot-4, 319 pounds

An excerpt from Fautanu’s profile by Kyle Crabbs of Anthon Sports:

“Fautanu offers the type of play that will help him in the transition to the professional game. He is a tenacious and relentless blocker who looks to take down reps and ground defenders. This, coupled with his athleticism and effective length, should allow him a role in just about every offensive unit and scheme of attack across the league. His versatility will be his biggest asset to his evaluation.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

While Fautanu is a dynamic pass protector at left tackle for the Huskies, his size and movement skills could make him a guard for multiple NFL teams. For the Lions, he would certainly excel inside with emergency tackle range.

Oregon State (16) at Colorado

Taliese Fuaga, OT/G, Oregon State (Redshirt Junior)

6-foot-6, 334 pounds

An excerpt from Anthon Sports’ Kyle Crabbs’ Fuaga profile:

“Fuaga is an absolute terror in the running game, and if you’re planning on signing him because he plays on the right side of the offensive line, it’s time to wake up to the new NFL – you need good tackles on both sides.” Fuaga has the ability to launch power, and with an NFL body, powerful punch and heavy anchor, I expect him to live up to that potential.”

 

How he would fit with the Lions:

If you like Halapoulivaati Vaitai, then Fuaga is the player to watch out for in this draft class. His initial punch is devastating and can absolutely floor defenders with his power. Like Fautanu, some teams will look to him while others will want to keep him at right tackle. The Lions would certainly like to have him inside early in his career, with the possibility of moving him outside to tackle as an injury replacement, and with the possibility of moving him outside at tackle later in his career .