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After tragedy strikes, Lions fan Anthony Zettel drafted by Detroit
Kyle Meinke | [email protected] By Kyle Meinke | [email protected]
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on May 04, 2016 at 4:59 AM, updated May 04, 2016 at 5:00 AM
ALLEN PARK — Anthony Zettel is a Michigan kid. He hails from West Branch, about two-and-a-half hours north of Detroit.
And like so many other kids who grow up in this state, his father took him to Lions games.
Then Zettel got older. Got really good himself. Lots of colleges wanted him, and he chose to play on the defensive line at Penn State. There, he got even better.
And now he's in the NFL. And of the 32 teams that could have chosen him, it was the home-state Lions — his father's favorite team — that took him in the sixth round.
It's the kind of stuff movies are made of. Only this story doesn't have the happy ending.
Zettel's father never got to see his son drafted.
He died in September of cancer. He was 46.
"He'd be really happy and proud of me," Zettel said. "Words really can't express how happy and proud he would be of me. Just go back home and be a Lion, you know?"
Zettel played defensive tackle at Penn State, though Lions GM Bob Quinn says he's a little small to play there right now in Detroit. He'll like contribute at defensive end, if anywhere, initially.
And that suits the Lions, who have more depth issue at end than tackle anyway.
But long-term, the club raves about Zettel's versatility to move up and down the line in Teryl Austin's scheme.
"He played defensive tackle for Penn State, which he's a little bit undersized to play defensive tackle, so I think he'll probably play both positions for us," Quinn said. "We're going to put him out there, probably start him at defensive end, but you know, we're going to us multiple fronts this year like we always have.
"That's one of his key characteristics, is his versatility, and one of the reasons why we took him."
Versatility and Zettel go hand in hand. This is a guy who set the Division II shot-put record in Michigan in track and field. Who tackled a tree. Who led Penn State in interceptions, from the defensive lineman. Who danced to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for a college assignment.
"I basically just did the video instead of the three-page paper," he said. "Like any other person would do."
But on the football field is where Zettel has really starred. His best season probably was in 2014, when he had 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three picks.
He rolled up that production while splitting his time on the outside, as he'll do with Detroit.
Zettel was a little less productive after moving inside full time last season, with 47 tackles, 11 for loss, four sacks and six pass breakups.
He actually played one of his best games on the day after his father's death, notching a team-high seven tackles, one fumble recovery, a half-sack and a broken up pass against San Diego State.
Penn State won 37-21.
"I don't think it really affected me too much on the field, because when I'm on the field, I zone out and play football, you know?" Zettel said. "But it definitely affected me in my life."
Kyle Meinke | [email protected] By Kyle Meinke | [email protected]
Follow on Twitter
on May 04, 2016 at 4:59 AM, updated May 04, 2016 at 5:00 AM
ALLEN PARK — Anthony Zettel is a Michigan kid. He hails from West Branch, about two-and-a-half hours north of Detroit.
And like so many other kids who grow up in this state, his father took him to Lions games.
Then Zettel got older. Got really good himself. Lots of colleges wanted him, and he chose to play on the defensive line at Penn State. There, he got even better.
And now he's in the NFL. And of the 32 teams that could have chosen him, it was the home-state Lions — his father's favorite team — that took him in the sixth round.
It's the kind of stuff movies are made of. Only this story doesn't have the happy ending.
Zettel's father never got to see his son drafted.
He died in September of cancer. He was 46.
"He'd be really happy and proud of me," Zettel said. "Words really can't express how happy and proud he would be of me. Just go back home and be a Lion, you know?"
Zettel played defensive tackle at Penn State, though Lions GM Bob Quinn says he's a little small to play there right now in Detroit. He'll like contribute at defensive end, if anywhere, initially.
And that suits the Lions, who have more depth issue at end than tackle anyway.
But long-term, the club raves about Zettel's versatility to move up and down the line in Teryl Austin's scheme.
"He played defensive tackle for Penn State, which he's a little bit undersized to play defensive tackle, so I think he'll probably play both positions for us," Quinn said. "We're going to put him out there, probably start him at defensive end, but you know, we're going to us multiple fronts this year like we always have.
"That's one of his key characteristics, is his versatility, and one of the reasons why we took him."
Versatility and Zettel go hand in hand. This is a guy who set the Division II shot-put record in Michigan in track and field. Who tackled a tree. Who led Penn State in interceptions, from the defensive lineman. Who danced to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for a college assignment.
"I basically just did the video instead of the three-page paper," he said. "Like any other person would do."
But on the football field is where Zettel has really starred. His best season probably was in 2014, when he had 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three picks.
He rolled up that production while splitting his time on the outside, as he'll do with Detroit.
Zettel was a little less productive after moving inside full time last season, with 47 tackles, 11 for loss, four sacks and six pass breakups.
He actually played one of his best games on the day after his father's death, notching a team-high seven tackles, one fumble recovery, a half-sack and a broken up pass against San Diego State.
Penn State won 37-21.
"I don't think it really affected me too much on the field, because when I'm on the field, I zone out and play football, you know?" Zettel said. "But it definitely affected me in my life."
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