Getty ESPN's Mina Kimes during an event in 2015.
The Detroit Lions just had one of the most interesting drafts of 2022, and already, hype has been flowing in from every corner of the internet about what the team did.
From the first picks to the last, the Lions have managed to gain plenty of praise for their approach and their work, so much so that analysts are looking at their draft weeks later and still seeing things that impress them in a big way.
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ESPN’s Mina Kimes is one such person who sees that to be the case, and she might have a favorite new player in Detroit linebacker James Houston. As Kimes tweeted, she was impressed by Houston’s now-infamous nickname “Da Problem,” and thinks it might be one of the best she’s seen for an edge rusher.
Revisiting the Lions draft ahead of this week’s pod and this might be one of the best nicknames for a pass rusher I’ve ever encountered
“Revisiting the Lions draft ahead of this week’s pod and this might be one of the best nicknames for a pass rusher I’ve ever encountered,” Kimes tweeted.
Houston, one of Deion Sanders’ top players at Jackson State, comes packing some serious edge rush potential. His 16.5 sacks last season is part of the reason he earned this nickname that Kimes now considers legendary.
Kimes Loved Detroit’s 2022 NFL Draft Overall
It wasn’t just Kimes pointing out on Twitter that she appreciated Houston’s nickname as a sixth-round pick, but sharing love for the entire Detroit draft as a whole. The analyst went down the list of plenty of selections on The Mina Kimes Show Featuring Lenny podcast and talked about why she believes the Lions had one of the most impressive drafts this year. For her, it starts with Aidan Hutchinson up front.
“I’ve said this, I think he is kind of unfairly viewed as a lower-ceiling prospect. I think his athleticism actually raises that a bit. Undeniably the highest floor edge rusher,” Kimes explained on the podcast about Hutchinson.
In terms of Detroit’s bold deal for Jameson Williams, some have wondered about the move. Kimes is a quick believer in it thanks to the talent the wideout brings.
“I was fine with this for two reasons. One, I think he’s an absolute superstar. He’s my favorite wide receiver in the draft. Two, they didn’t give up any 2023 picks. They just traded up inside this draft. And also, this is a team that knows they’re not winning the Super Bowl this year. Take the best dude and have him be a cornerstone of the franchise, I feel like for both these players,” she said.
Kimes also appreciated a pair of Detroit’s other middle-round picks in defensive lineman Josh Paschal and safety Kerby Joseph.
“Paschal’s a guy I didn’t get to until very close to the draft because he started getting that round one hype a bit. I really like him. I especially like him opposite Hutchinson. Very different types of players. He actually, I’ll say, is the higher-ceiling guy. Another higher-ceiling guy is Kerby Joseph, the safety out of Illinois. Again, I would describe him as pretty developmental. I don’t think he starts day one, but there is a lot there in terms of size, athleticism, speed. That’s just a really interesting pick.”
As a whole, it’s safe to say Kimes loved everything the Lions did in the draft and thinks of the team as on the rise upward in the near future. That’s the good news as it relates to where the Lions are at and have been in recent years.
“I just look at this rebuild in Detroit, the way they’ve already got their offensive line in place, defensive line is rounding out, and I just love it,” she said.
High praise, indeed.
Houston’s College Stats & Highlights
In terms of Houston himself, he might also become a player on Kimes’ radar in time from this class given his play on the field. It isn’t just fun and games with Houston’s name that the Lions will be getting. He’s a monster of a player, and has put up stats while playing college football. Last season, Houston put up 70 tackles, 24.5 tackles for-loss, 7 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions and 1 defensive touchdown to go with 16.5 sacks. Houston played at Florida in 2020 and put up 37 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble. It’s safe to say his career took off when he played for Sanders.
Houston was also a first-team All-SWAC player, a STATS FCS All-American and an FCS Coaches All-American last year. On the field, he packs a punch as the highlights show:
It’s easy to see what kind of a problem Houston has been when he has been on the field and playing in a big way. As Kimes now knows, he has a fun nickname, but could quickly become a serious player on a rising team in the Motor City.
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ESPN Analyst Praises Lions’ Draft, Gushes Over Prospect’s Nickname