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Detroit Lions trade up, take Utah's do-it-all Sione Vaki in Round 4 of NFL draft
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- Detroit Lions trade up, take Utah's do-it-all Sione Vaki in Round 4 of NFL draft
The Detroit Lions entered Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft with none of the day's first 63 picks. They left with two players in the fourth round.
Minutes after trading a 2025 third-round pick to the New York Jets for the right to select developmental offensive tackle Giovanni Manu at Pick No. 126 , Lions general manager Brad Holmes swung a second deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to take Utah running back Sione Vaki at Pick No. 132.
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The Lions gave up Picks 164 and 201 in Rounds 5 and 6, plus a fourth-round choice in 2025 in the deal. They also acquired Pick No. 210 in the seventh round.
Vaki had two sacks, an interception and 51 tackles in 12 starts at safety last season, and scored two touchdowns on offense as a fill-in running back and wildcat quarterback.
INSTANT: Detroit Lions draft grade: Sione Vaki's two-way appeal still a reach for Brad Holmes
While several teams viewed him as a safety, Vaki said he met with the Lions' offensive staff on his pre-draft visit to the Detroit and the team sees him as a running back.
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"I'm going to play wherever they need me to play," he said.
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The Lions ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing last season and return starting running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery . Vaki projects as a special teams contributor who will compete for backup snaps on offense with Craig Reynolds.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions trade up for Utah's Sione Vaki in Round 4 of NFL draft
