Despite losing All-Pro defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to free agency, and several other needs along their defensive line, the Detroit Lions opted to wait until Day Three of the 2018 NFL Draft to address their D-Line. And they selected a single rookie to do so. That defender was Alabama’s Da’Shawn Hand.
Touted as a possible Day Two selection, Hand fell to the Lions in the fourth round, 114th overall. Detroit actually traded a 2019 third-round pick to the New England Patriots in order to pick the 22-year old defender.
During his time at Alabama, Hand was only a one-year starter.