6:31 p.m. ET
Eric Woodyard ESPN
Hall of Famer Deion Sanders’ first NFL draft pick as college head coach will begin his career at the Motor City.
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes drafted HBCU linebacker James Houston IV of Jackson State, 217th overall, in the sixth round. Holmes, an HBCU graduate from North Carolina A&T, spoke throughout the year about giving these players a chance.
He was true to his word and Houston is grateful for the opportunity.
“I’m just so happy they picked me for the election,” Houston said. “Everything that happened last year and everything that happened in college, all of that is out the window. I come in to work hard and try to make this organization better.”
Houston – nicknamed “Da Problem” – dominated last season with 16.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss. He spent three seasons as an inside linebacker with the Florida Gators, where he had 100 tackles, 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles before making the switch last year.
Houston said he had no contact with the Lions prior to his call-up. He was the first Jackson State player selected since 2008 and the third HBCU player selected in that draft, alongside Joshua Williams of Fayetteville State (Kansas City Chiefs) and Decobie Durant of South Carolina State (Los Angeles rams).
Detroit has not selected an HBCU product since 2013. Houston also becomes Jackson State’s second-highest pick by the Lions, joining Hall of Fame defenseman Lem Barney, who was drafted in the second round of the 1967 draft.
“Obviously having Deion to go there was a big factor. Of course, being an HBCU, that’s what drew me there as well, and all my family, we come from HBCUs, and everyone from my immediate family and my extended family went to HBCUs,” Houston said. “It was something that I wanted to experience and it just felt like the right timing.
“Knowing myself and Coach Prime, we all had the same ambitions and motivation to start this thing and I can’t be more excited to be his first nominee in the NFL.”