By Michael Stets
ALLEN PARK–With two picks in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Lions selected Arkansas defensive end Jeremiah Ledbetter at No. 205 and Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya at No.215.
General manager Bob Quinn waited until day three of the draft to pull the trigger on a defensive linemen, grabbing the 6-foot-3, 280-pounder, who totaled 49 tackles, 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble in his senior season for the Razorbacks.
“I’ve been in contact with the Lions the last couple days,” said Ledbetter, explaining the pre-draft process in a conference call with local media. “At the NFL Combine, getting to know the Defensive Line Coach Kris Kocurek, and just getting to know the program. I know this is a long process for me and it’s been a tough one and I’m just glad I’m a Detroit Lion now. I’m just blessed.”
Ledbetter, whose father played running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the early 80s, says he can play defensive end or defensive tackle. The Orlando, Fla. native will likely be worked into the rotation on the defensive line that features several defensive end including fifth-year starter Ziggy Ansah, Kerry Hyder, Anthony Zettel, and Cornelius Washington, who came over from Chicago on a two-year deal at the beginning of his offseason.
“I feel like it’s going to take a little bit of time for me, getting to know my teammates first and getting to know their playbook,” Ledbetter. “When that’s done I feel like I can get that, I feel like I can make a standing, rotational player in the defensive line.”
Kaaya, the all-time leading passer in Hurricanes history with 9.968 passing yards, finished his junior season with 3,532 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
After working out for five teams before the draft and fielding a few calls from teams willing to sign him as a rookie free agent if he didn’t get his name called, the Los Angeles, Calif. native was confident he’d earn a chance to play in the league regardless.
“While I had different expectations going into this, my ultimate expectation was that I would ultimately get a shot to play in the National Football League,” Kaaya said. “Just get an opportunity. For me, it didn’t matter which round that came in. Fortunately, the Lions saw something in me and are taking a chance with me. I’m not really promised anything right now. All I know that I will be promised is an opportunity to come in and put my head down and just go to work.”
Kaaya did not work out for the Lions prior to the draft, and when asked about Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, he drew some laughs by revealing during his High School years he used to play as Stafford in the video game “John Madden’s Football.”
The current backup quarterback on the team is Jake Rudock, who was taken in the sixth round in 2016. Kaaya was asked if anyone spoke to him about competing with Rudock for the No.2 job behind Stafford.
“No, they have not,” he said. “Pretty much the only thing that they’ve said, ‘Hey, you’re getting an opportunity to just come in and work and put your head down and grind.’ Nothing is promised right now. There’s nothing along those lines. For me it’s just about proving myself to the staff and just learning and getting better and learning about all the other things later on.”
One more interesting note on Kaaya: his mother his Angela Means Kaaya, who played Felecia in the 1995 comedy “Friday.” She was on the receiving end of the famous line “Bye Felecia,” which is now an oft-repeated phrase in pop culture.
“I’ve seen it a couple times,” said Kaaya. “I’m not like the biggest fan. I don’t watch it all the time. I mean, I’ve seen it a couple times and it’s pretty interesting.”