Detroit Lions rookie Josh Paschal thinks of himself as a big defensive end.
The Lions used a second-round pick on Paschal in this year's NFL Draft because they think he's a versatile player who can play on the edge and move inside in certain situations. That's exactly how Paschal said he's being used early on.
"I think I fit as a big defensive end," Paschal said during rookie minicamp. "That's what we're called. I feel like I can play across the front, but particularly on the edge, and kick inside for the run game, I can do that too. I'll help be a versatile piece on the defense."
Paschal measured 6-foot-3 and 268 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, but says he's around 275 right now. He's a terrific athlete for his size, running the 40 in 4.77 and also recording a 37.5-inch vertical with a 10'3" broad jump. He's quick off the ball. He attacked gaps and got into the backfield as a second-team All-SEC performer a year ago for Kentucky.
Paschal is a crafty defender who finished his collegiate career No. 3 in school history with 37.0 tackles for loss (tied with Bud Dupree, who has 42.5 sacks in seven NFL seasons).
Paschal played in a 3-4 scheme at Kentucky, but they moved into a four-man front often, he said. The Lions are an attacking 4-3 front this year under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and defensive line coach Todd Wash.
"That means to go," Paschal said of the front he's getting coached to play in Detroit. "For the 3-4 front at Kentucky it was more react attack. You would read the blocks first, but here, you're just attacking."
The Lions were more of a read and react front last year, but they've changed up their schemes and want to attack more. Paschal said he's going to have fun playing in this scheme, and thinks he can make a lot of plays in it.
Also a three-year captain for the Wildcats, Paschal is a terrific leader.
"It's pretty rare," he said of being a three-year captain at Kentucky. "I was the only one from Kentucky to do that, but it was more of me learning from other leaders throughout my time at Kentucky. Throughout my life I've been blessed to be around great leaders and I just picked up on that and a lot of people are helping me become that leader that I am."
View photos from offseason workouts on Thursday, May 19, 2022.
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34), Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40), Detroit Lions defensive end Jashon Cornell (96) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions nose tackle Alim McNeill (54) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (21) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschal (93) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety DeShon Elliott (5) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (59) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Saivion Smith (19) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Cedric Boswell (35) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (59) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Board (49) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions outside linebacker Charles Harris (53) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback AJ Parker (41) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (59) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Levi Onwuzurike (91) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Josh Paschal (93) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Bruce Hector (92) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions nose tackle Alim McNeill (54) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive end Levi Onwuzurike (91) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Jermaine Waller (42) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Josh Woods (51) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton (50) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Will Harris (25) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Will Harris (25) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety JuJu Hughes (33) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
A morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye (24) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Mike Hughes (23) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety DeShon Elliott (5), Detroit Lions cornerback Bobby Price (27), Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (21), Detroit Lions safety Will Harris (25), and Detroit Lions safety C.J. Moore (38) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Saivion Smith (19) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety DeShon Elliott (5) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety C.J. Moore (38) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Brady Breeze (15) during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during a morning workout at the Lions training facility in Allen Park, MI on May 19, 2022. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
His teammates at Kentucky saw how Pascal carried himself through his cancer diagnosis in 2018, when he had to push himself through treatment, but was also still an encouraging leader on the team.
It's a pretty strong veteran defensive line room in Detroit with Michael Brockers, Romeo Okwara, Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, Julian Okwara, John Penisini and others. There are veteran players Paschal can learn from early on his career.
