The Lions Rolled The Dice On USC’s Anthony Lucas
The Lions had a solid draft, but their undrafted free agent haul might be just as interesting. Anthony Lucas, the USC edge rusher they picked up, has a legitimate shot at making the 53-man roster. That’s not something you can say about most UDFAs.
When you want to know about a prospect, you go to someone who’s watched him up close. So I reached out to Los Angeles Times USC beat writer Ryan Kartje to get the real story on Lucas.
All The Tools, Never Quite Put It Together
The scouting report on Lucas is frustratingly familiar. He’s got the physical gifts that make you stop and take notice. Kartje put it perfectly: “When you see Lucas up close, you don’t need to be a scouting expert to understand how much potential he has. He somehow looks bigger than his measurables suggest.”
But here’s the catch. “He has never quite put it all together on the field,” Kartje said. “Some of that is due to ill-timed injuries. But he always seemed on the verge of a breakout and never quite got there.”
Sound familiar, Lions fans? We’ve been here before with prospects who had all the measurables and none of the production.
Run Stopper First, Pass Rusher Maybe
Lucas’s best skill right now is setting the edge against the run. That’s where he’ll make his immediate impact if he makes the roster. The pass rush? That’s the million-dollar question.
“I think he’s capable of both. But he hasn’t shown the consistency with his pass rush. Especially when it comes to finishing,” Kartje explained. The numbers back that up: Lucas had 23 pressures last season and hit the quarterback 11 times, but only managed three sacks.
With good coaching, someone might unlock Lucas’s pass rush potential. He’s never going to be Aidan Hutchinson, but he doesn’t need to be.
The Care Factor Question
Draft analyst Dane Brugler mentioned Lucas could be something if the “care factor stays high.” That’s code for wondering if he takes plays off. Kartje’s take was more nuanced: “Sometimes, he may have come off as a quieter and more aloof personality. But by the end of his time at USC, Lucas seemed to be pretty vocal on USC’s defense.”
Quiet doesn’t mean lazy. And honestly, after watching some of the motor-mouth busts we’ve had over the years, maybe quiet isn’t the worst thing.
Why He Fell
Of all the Lions’ UDFAs, Lucas was the only one who should have been drafted based on his ranking. So why wasn’t he? “I’m sure the injury concerns and the lack of high-level production don’t help,” Kartje said. “I still think Lucas deserved to be drafted, if only as a bet on potential.”
The question is whether he can be more than just a good college run defender. If he can, he’ll be worth the investment. If he can’t, well, that’s why he’s a UDFA and not a draft pick.
Brad Holmes has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to finding value in unexpected places. Is Lucas another diamond in the rough or just another guy with tools who never figured out how to use them? Drop your prediction below.
