James Houston

ANALYSIS
After spending the first nine games of the season on the practice squad, the sixth-round rookie out of Jackson State burst onto the scene by recording five sacks in his first four games. Thanks to a monster three-sack effort in week 17 against Chicago, Houston ultimately finished second among all rookies in sacks (behind teammate Aidan Hutchinson) by season's end despite playing just seven games. Entering his first offseason and with more QB takedowns than games played, Houston figures to be in store for a key role on the Lions defense in 2023.