The Detroit Lions continued to add to the defensive side of the ball on Day 2 of the draft, selecting Illinois safety Kerby Joseph with pick No. 97 in the third round.
Joseph began his college career at Illinois as a defensive back but after two years as a reserve, coaches tried switching him to wide receiver—a position he played in high school. The switch to offense didn’t last long and he eventually flipped back to safety and earned a starting role in 2021.
“My senior season I feel like I took in a lot more extra effort,” Joseph told the Lions media in his post-selection Zoom call.