After three of the top cornerbacks in the draft went off the board, the Detroit Lions decided to address their aging offensive line with the No. 23 overall pick, selecting o-lineman Riley Reiff out of Iowa. Reiff is a big body at 6-foot-6 and over 300 pounds, and figures to be a left tackle who will eventually replace 34-year-old Jeff Backus, although he is considered versatile.
Shortly after being drafted, the Detroit Lions tweeted what number Reiff will wear:
Reiff will wear #71 for the #Lions. #lionsdraft
— Detroit Lions (@DetroitLionsNFL) April 27, 2012
That's the number four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Alex Karras wore during his 12 seasons with the Lions in the 50s and 60s. Karras was also out of Iowa. I wonder if Reiff was aware of this.
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