By Michael Stets
ALLEN PARK–With their second fourth-round selection of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Lions went with offense and grabbed Toledo tight end Michael Roberts with pick No.127 on Saturday afternoon.
Roberts, a 2016 John Mackey Award candidate, scored 16 touchdowns last season and proved to be a huge redzone threat for the Golden Rockets. He is the second offensive player from the MAC to be taken by the Lions in this draft, joining Northern Illinois wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who was drafted in round three on Friday.
Roberts said “it was amazing” to be drafted by the Lions.
“I think my mom is still actually crying downstairs, he said to reporters in a conference call. “It was a long time [coming]. It’s something that I worked towards. It’s just great to see it all pay off.”
To be able to support his mother means a great deal to him.
“Since I started my journey it’s always been about my mother and my grandma and supporting them,” said Roberts, who reeled in 45 catches in 2016. “Even though I don’t get the chance to really support my grandmother, it’s still a dream to support my mother.”
After losing his grandmother to cancer when he was 17, Roberts also lost his brother Cameron a couple of months later to an accidental shooting. He called it the hardest time period in his life to deal to deal with.
Asked how he traversed through that difficult time period, he replied,” “The same way I get through everything. I just put my head down and work. There’s nothing that can prepare you for such events. You know, you just have to – I used that energy, that negative energy and that hurt, but I just kind of directed it in a positive light to not only graduate college, but finish high school.”
The 6-foot-5, 270-pounder, who was named first-team All-MAC in 2016, was asked to described his style of play.
“It’s very passionate, I play with a lot of passion,” he said. “This game is my life. I’m very resilient. I get better as the game goes. I never really run out of energy. I just love what I do.”
With Robert’s size and scoring ability in the redzone, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter may want to deploy more two-tight end sets in 2017 to have Roberts and Eric Ebron on the field at the same time.
“I’ve been a fan of Eric Ebron, you know, since he was back in N.C. I’ve watched him closely while he was in college, I watched him while he was in Detroit. You know, great athlete. I’m very excited to work with him.”