When the Detroit Lions selected Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin, it surprised a lot of people. It’s not that the Lions didn’t need a nose tackle—general manager Brad Holmes had made it pretty clear they wanted someone to loosen the high-snap burden from Isaiah Buggs. It’s that Martin was viewed by many in the media as a late-round prospect.
Turns out Martin was pretty surprised by the selection, too. Expecting to get drafted on Day 3, Martin was in a Tuscaloosa hotel with his mom, setting up for the party on Saturday. He had stepped away and got some dinner at the rooftop restaurant of the hotel.