On Thursday, 24th April, while the NFL world was glued to their screens, holding their breath for the league’s biggest night, one of the Detroit Lions’ stars was nowhere to be found near the draft buzz. The first round of the draft was chaotic. Travis Hunter’s shocking scoop by the Jaguars and Abdul Carter being snagged by the Giants came as a surprise to most draftniks. But where was Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown?

The answer is easy. He was chilling at the NBA courtside, soaking in buckets instead of picks- Now, that’s a pretty clear sign that Draft Round 1 just doesn’t excite him much. The Sun God prioritized NBA nights over draft nights on Thursday. With the Detroit Pistons battling the New York Knicks at home and the NFL draft kicking off, Ra let his followers in on a little personal secret. His Instagram story showed him at the hardwood enjoying the game. He captioned it as “Day 3 of the draft, the best day anyway.” Well, that makes it apparent. He isn’t just dodging day 1, he’s skipping day 2 as well. For Amon-Ra, only day three is “fun to watch” because he believes that is where the real stories are born. Still wondering why the Lions’ wide receiver thinks that way? Because that’s the day his own NFL story began.

Back in 2021, Brown was picked on Day 3 by the Detroit Lions, a team he once publicly announced that he didn’t want to join. “If you told me, ‘You are going to Detroit,’ I’d be like, ‘Damn. I don’t know,” he admitted. But fast forward to 2025, and Detroit is exactly what has given Amon-Ra St. Brown an identity. In the 2024 season alone, Amon hauled in 115 receptions, 1,263 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns, and an average of 11.0 yards per catch.

But Brown’s outlook has since changed. “I don’t think I’d be able to do what I’ve done on any other team,” he said, crediting the fans, the city, and the franchise for his rise. Now the respect is mutual. Last year, Amon-Ra St. Brown locked in a $120 million contract extension for over four years with the Lions. That’s superstar money for a player who once questioned being part of the Motor City movement. Brown’s message is clear. Day three built him, so that’s the only day that matters for him.

So while he watched the hardwood heat up in Detroit, the Lions were busy making moves on the draft board.

Can Dan Campbell’s vision change Super Bowl history for the Lions?

In 2024, Dan Campbell’s squad overcame a wave of late-season injuries. The Lions knew their defense needed a savior. This Thursday, with the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Detroit went all in on the Ohio State defensive tackle, Tyleik Williams, a name not plastered across every mock draft, but one that stood tall on the Lions’ boards. The Lions weren’t chasing trends or drafting for headlines. They were looking for a perfect fit for their team. And Williams? He fits “like a glove,” according to GM Brad Holmes.

Williams is the first-ever first-round pick from Prince William County. He racked up 136 tackles, 11.5 sacks, and 28 tackles for loss in his college career, quietly anchoring one of the best defensive lines in football and helping Ohio State win a national title this January. But what intrigued the football fanatics was his being a cinephile.

On a Zoom call with a local media outlet, William shared, “My (football) IQ comes from watching a lot of film.” His ability to read offenses in real time made him stand out, and that comes from films as well. He added, “I would say I’m a film junkie trying to gain that advantage. I pick up a lot of things that offensive lines try to do and relay that information to the defense, and put us in a great spot.” Williams wasn’t a flashy pick. He was a smart one.

Lions’ fans have lately embraced the term, Infracaninophiles, tough word, right? But it’s more disheartening to resonate with its meaning. The word means lovers of the underdog, and for decades, Lions Nation wore that label. But times are changing. Who knows, maybe Detroit’s newest pick will change history, and Lombardi might not be just a dream anymore.