Michigan connection: Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin learned to play football at a young age. He said one of his big early football influences came from his uncle, Steve King, who played alongside Charles Woodson and Ty Law at Michigan in the mid-1990s. Nubin is a versatile safety who should come off the board Day 2 as a player with nine interceptions over the last two seasons.
LaPorta love: Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, a potential top 10 pick this year, said he and the Georgia tight ends would watch film of Lions Pro Bowl rookie tight end Sam LaPorta this season.
"We watched a bunch of film of him at Georgia. Study and see what he does good. It was awesome to watch a rookie tight end come in and ball out," Bowers said. "He does a lot of the little things well; route running-wise. He just gets open. That's what you've got to do."
Bowers has a chance to be an instant impact player like LaPorta.
Word of the day: For the group of safeties that talked Thursday morning the word of the day was versatility. The NFL game has changed over the years and teams value safeties that do a lot of different things and line up in different spots. Teams are on the lookout for players who can play safety and nickel corner and maybe some corner, if needed. Georgia's Javon Bullard, Nubin and Miami's Kamren Kinchens, three of the top safeties in this class, all talked Thursday about versatility being a big part of their game and how it's been a big topic of conversation with teams in the interview process. The Lions could add another safety in this draft at some point.
Injury update: Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean is an athletic freak with ball skills who most draft analysts believe is a lock in the first round. He fractured his fibula mid-November and had surgery. He's been rehabbing since, and said he started running full speed last week. He hopes to work out at some point before the draft in April.
Branch love: Oregon safety Evan Williams had a big shoutout for Lions rookie defensive back Brian Branch.
"Definitely as a rookie this year, I think Brian Branch was somebody that popped on film for me," Williams said. "I think guys like that that have a lot of variability and how you can plug and play them in the defense, those are guys that are going to be on the field most of the time. I think Brian Branch and Antoine Winfield are some of the best to do it."
High praise for the Lions rookie.
Man of many sports: Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott played six different sports in high school – football, hockey, baseball, golf, tennis and track. He lettered in all six. Apparently, he was a pretty good hockey player. He said he holds his high school conference record for goals scored, but the football side of him made the penalty box a familiar destination. He said he's second all-time in the conference in penalty minutes.
Big man: Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat measured in at 6-foot-4.5 and 366 pounds. He is a massive human being who was part of a terrific tackle duo for the Longhorns alongside Byron Murphy II. Sweat is an interesting prospect because of his size and production – 45 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss. He was adamant Wednesday morning he was going to run the 40-yard dash in under 5.0. We'll see later today if that's the case or not. If he does, his stock could take off.
"A lot of y'all going to be like (facial expression of shock) when I run this 40," Sweat said. "I'm going to shock a lot of y'all."
View photos of Detroit Lions players at the NFL Scouting Combine.
California's Tyson Alualu runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Florida linebacker Alex Anzalone runs the 40 yard dash during the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, March 5, 2017 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Florida linebacker Alex Anzalone runs a drill during the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, March 5, 2017 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Miami kicker Mike Badgley runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama defensive back Brian Branch runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
University of Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looks on at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on February 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Johnny Vy)
Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Charleston defensive lineman John Cominsky runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State offensive lineman Taylor Decker runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Rice punter Jack Fox runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Baylor offensive lineman Connor Galvin runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Florida defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Florida defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Monday, March 4, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Michigan offensive lineman Graham Glasgow runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
California quarterback Jared Goff runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
California quarterback Jared Goff performs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
North Carolina wide receiver Antoine Green runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Boston College defensive back Will Harris runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Missouri defensive end Charles Harris runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Ohio State guard Jonah Jackson runs a drill during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Mississippi defensive lineman Benito Jones runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Notre Dame defensive back Brandon Joseph runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Illinois defensive back Kerby Joseph runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
North Carolina State running back Bam Knight (21) participates in a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 4, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arizona State defensive back Chase Lucas participates in a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa State running back David Montgomery runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Notre Dame defensive lineman Romeo Okwara performs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Kentucky defensive lineman Joshua Paschal runs during a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Tennessee linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas A&M wide receiver Josh Reynolds runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine Saturday, March 4, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (28) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Arkansas offensive tackle Dan Skipper competes in a drill at the 2017 NFL football scouting combine Friday, March 3, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
Central Florida wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Tennessee defensive back Cameron Sutton runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas Christian offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai runs the 40-yard dash during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Georgia Southern defensive back Kindle Vildor runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Footwork is key: Football players cross train from different sports all the time. Washington edge rusher Bralen Trice said he watches a tennis star when he wants to see good footwork.
"I think Roger Federer's footwork is crazy," he said. "Just growing up watching him, Olympics, stuff like that, all the tournaments that he was in, just a crazy athlete. One of the best."
