Taken 41st overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2021 NFL draft, expectations were high for defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike. He left the University of Washington after his junior year, displaying excellent athleticism and power that NFL scouts and executives love to talk about. He had so much to like that general manager Brad Holmes was initially inclined to trade up for Onwuzurike, before deciding to stay put and allowing events to unfold as they may.
But like with so many other rookies that came before him, not everything went according to plan once Onwuzurike arrived in Detroit.