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ANN ARBOR (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 18 points, leading No. 3 Michigan in a 90-80 win over No. 8 Michigan State on Sunday to give the Big Ten champions a 15th straight conference win.

The Wolverines (29-2, 19-1 Big Ten) head to the conference tournament, hoping to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before shooting for the school’s second national championship and first since 1989

The Spartans (25-6, 15-5) were swept by their rivals in the regular season, but might get a third shot against them in a week at the Big Ten Tournament final.

Lendeborg, a preseason All-America selection, was the best player on the court for the second time in the series.

The UAB transfer was 8 of 12 from the field, matched a career high with five 3-pointers, had three assists and also made winning plays at the other end of the court.

After Jeremy Fears Jr. made a jumper to pull Michigan State within three points with 3:47 left, Lendeborg made a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to start a 10-2 run that sealed the victory.

Fears had 22 points and nine assists, Jaxon Kohler matched a career high with 23 points and Carson Cooper added 19 points.

Fears drew attention for another kick toward an opponent’s groin. He was called for a technical after a video review showed he swung his right leg backward and into Elliot Cadeau.

When the Wolverines won the first matchup earlier this season, Fears appeared to intentionally trip Lendeborg and Michigan coach Dusty May said there were several dangerous plays in the game.

Up next

Michigan State: Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday.

Michigan: Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday.

Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan fired their basketball coaches on the same day, parting ways with former assistants under Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.

Eastern Michigan announced the school and coach Stan Heath agreed to part ways on Sunday. Western Michigan athletic director Dan Bartholomae said Dwayne Stephens, a Ferndale native, would not return to coach the Broncos next season.

The Eagles and Broncos were both 10-21 overall and 4-14 in the Mid-American Conference this season, tying Northern Illinois for last place.

Heath and Stephens were previously assistants for the Spartans. Stephens also played for the program.

Heath, a former Eastern Michigan player, had a 57-99 record over four seasons with the Eagles. Stephens was 42-84 over four seasons.

Heath was previously the coach at Kent State, leading that MAC program to the Elite Eight in 2002. He also guided Arkansas to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2007 and did the same at South Florida in 2012.

Stephens was on Izzo’s staff for 19 seasons, including the last decade as an associate head coach. He has coached in six Final Fours, including 2003 when he was an assistant for Tom Crean at Marquette. Stephens also was an assistant at Oakland University.

By Ansar Khan, Tribune News Service

The Detroit Red Wings made a pitch for Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers, but it appears he’s not willing to waive his no-trade clause.

Now they must turn their attention elsewhere.

Acquiring a second-pair defenseman, preferably a right-shooter, by Friday’s trade deadline is a priority.

The Red Wings need someone to pair with Ben Chiarot, enabling them to move rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka down to the third pairing, where he’ll face fewer difficult matchups.

Here are nine possibilities, with age and contract status after this season:

Justin Faulk, St. Louis (age 33, one year at $6.5 million): A solid two-way player who might be at the top of the Red Wings’ wish list. Problem is, several teams are in on him, elevating the cost. He has a partial no-trade list.

Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey (age 32, two years at a $9 million AAV): He’s one of the more offensively dynamic defensemen who might be moved. He has a no- movement clause.

Nick Jensen, Ottawa (age 35, unrestricted free agent): The former Red Wing is a serviceable stay-at-home defender.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia (age 31, one year at $5.1 million): Speaking of having played for a lot of bad clubs, this longtime Sabres and Flyers stay-at-home defender has appeared in 798 regular season games and no playoff games.

Luke Schenn, Winnipeg (age 36, unrestricted free agent): Physical defenseman has played for nine teams in 18 NHL seasons and could be on the move again.

Braden Schneider, N.Y. Rangers (age 24, restricted free agent): This young, physical, shutdown defender, drafted 19th overall in 2020 won’t come cheap as an impending RFA. The Rangers have no urgency to move him now.

Logan Stanley, Winnipeg (age 27, unrestricted free agent): Even though he shoots left, this 6-7 defender experiencing his best season might be the Red Wings’ most realistic trade target. He’ll be moved if the Jets can’t re-sign him this week.

MacKenzie Weegar, Calgary (age 32, five years at a $6.25 million AAV): He scored 20 goals in 2023-24, but that was an outlier, as he’s mostly valued for his defense. That’s a huge contract to assume for a player that age, however. He has a full no-trade clause.

Zach Whitecloud, Calgary (age 29, two years at a $2.75 million AAV): Traded from Vegas to Calgary on Jan. 18 in the Rasmus Andersson deal, Whitecloud could be on the move again.

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Jacob Richman, Tribune News Service

The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers had two thrilling matchups over the past week, splitting the results and offering a sneak peak of what could be a matchup in this year’s playoffs.

The home team won each game as the Pistons were victorious in overtime at Little Caesars Arena on Friday before the Cavaliers survived a late comeback from Detroit at Rocket Arena.

Both matchups have featured intense play, but off the court the Cavaliers drew some attention as cleveland.com reported an anonymous Cleveland player said after Friday’s game that the Pistons “aren’t in our class.”

The words caught some attention on social media after the game and before Tuesday’s matchup, coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked for his response.

The second-year Pistons coach didn’t need many words to react.

“I have no response,” Bickerstaff said. “If you mean it, don’t say it anonymously.”

It’s no surprise that a playoff caliber team like Cleveland — or Detroit for that matter — would have plenty of confidence in their ability to compete.

The Pistons (45-15) firmly believe the Eastern Conference runs through them right now as they’ve held tight to the top spot since early November. But the Cavaliers (39-24) have now backed up some of their words by winning the rematch with a returning James Harden.

To suggest the two teams are separated by a considerable margin is hard to give much credence, given they split the regular-season series 2-2 and the past two games have come down to the very end.

There are no more regular-season meeting for the Central Division foes, so if there’s going to be more to this saga, it’s going to come in the playoffs.

With the Pistons holding the No. 1 seed and Cleveland currently the No. 4, a second-round playoff matchup would be in the cards if the first round went chalk.

It’s hard to think of a better way to decide which team is a class above than a playoff series.

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Detroit Lions have had a busy week, making multiple roster moves that have shaken up their plans for free agency.

On Monday, the team traded veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks, then released center Graham Glasgow. As a result, the team has added some cap space and could be more active in free agency.

While there are conflicting reports about how exactly general manager Brad Holmes plans to attack free agency, the Lions could certainly benefit from adding experienced talent in areas of need prior to the NFL draft.

While the team may not be in position to make a massive move, there are certainly marginal mid-tier players who could have big roles on the team’s 2026 roster.

Here are six potential free agent targets for the Lions when free agency begins next week, ranked by potential impact in 2026 and beyond.

6. S Jalen Thompson

The Lions have some uncertainty at the safety position due to injuries, as Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are both nursing significant injuries. While both could wind up returning to form, at this stage of the offseason there’s no guarantee that they’ll be ready to go by the start of the regular season.

As a result, the Lions should be proactive and go get a veteran capable of starting in the back-half of their defense. Thompson is a seven-year veteran who has spent the duration of his career in Arizona, and has notched nine interceptions in that span. A willing run defender, Thompson would be an effective veteran addition who could provide insurance on a short-term deal.

5. OT Braxton Jones

Having already made an external addition to their interior offensive line by acquiring Scruggs, but could also be looking to add veteran help at tackle. Swing tackle Dan Skipper retired and joined the team’s coaching staff, and this could be a role the Lions look to a veteran to fill.

Enter Jones, who has starter upside but at the very least will be a serviceable depth piece behind Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell. With Decker being hampered by injuries last year, it would be a good investment by Detroit to add a veteran who has 44 starts under their belt like Jones.

4. CB Kader Kohou

Kohou may be a forgotten name amongst fan circles, as he missed all of last season with a knee injury. However, the Lions have pursued players with similar profiles over Holmes’ tenure as head coach, and the Lions have a need for secondary depth.

Amik Robertson, who has been the team’s slot corner for the better part of the last two years, is set to be a free agent. As a result, any addition the team could make would likely need to have some versatility. Kohou’s background is in the slot, as he had predominately played nickel for the Dolphins.

In an ideal world, the Lions are able to get the best out of Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw along with a strong year from D.J. Reed. However, Kohou has some upside at age 27 and could be a nice addition to the mostly young secondary.

3. RB Brian Robinson Jr.

The trade of Montgomery shakes up the Lions’ backfield, and breaks up what had been one of the league’s most prolific duos. As a result, the Lions could be in the market for another back to pair with the dynamic Jahmyr Gibbs.

Robinson is a big-bodied back who has fit nicely in a tandem throughout his career. He was a feature back at times for the Commanders, but was most recently a complimentary piece behind Christian McCaffrey in San Francisco.

In four seasons, Robinson has totaled 662 carries and 2,729 yards. With a career average of 4.1 yards per carry, he’s a big back who can be a nice second option behind Gibbs.

2. EDGE Boye Mafe

Aidan Hutchinson is one of the unquestioned top pass-rushers in the game, but the Lions will need to be sure to add or retain players around him at the position. Both Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport are free agents, and the Lions would be well-suited to look externally.

Mafe doesn’t have eye-popping statistics, but a closer look at his impact for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks indicates that he could fit Detroit’s defense well. He plays with a high motor, and could thrive working opposite of Hutchinson.

1. IOL Cade Mays

Even after acquiring Scruggs, the Lions still have some uncertainty on the interior offensive line. For starters, the release of Glasgow leaves them without a true center. Dan Campbell and company may be inclined to give Tate Ratledge another shot at the position, but Mays seems to be an ideal fit.

Mays started 27 of his 52 appearances over four seasons in Carolina, and impressed in 2025 when given the opportunity to start at the pivot position. The Tennessee product has the chance to blossom in a more consistent role, and the Lions’ current vacancy is the perfect fit for him.

Detroit may be out of the price range on top centers Tyler Linderbaum and Connor McGovern, but a player like Mays is a mid-tier, affordable option with plenty of upside to help stabilize the offensive line.

This article was produced by the staff at Detroit Lions On SI. For more, visit si.com/nfl/lions/onsi

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 11 assists, Tobias Harris scored 23 points and the NBA-leading Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 106-92 on Sunday night for their sixth straight road victory.

The Pistons improved to 45-14, winning for the eighth time in nine games. They have won 10 of 11 on the road and are 21-7 overall away from home.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but also had nine turnovers. Tristan da Silva added 19 points and Desmond Bane had 17, but the Magic shot 30.7% in the second half and experienced a third-quarter collapse for the second time in three nights. They squandered a 19-point lead in less than four minutes in a loss to Houston on Friday night.

After missing their first 15 3-point attempts, the Pistons were down 57-50 at halftime. They moved ahead for the first time on a 3-pointer by Harris midway through the third quarter, and took command with an 11-0 run.

Detroit forward Isaiah Stewart served the final game of a seven-game suspension for an altercation at Charlotte on Feb. 9. Magic guard Anthony Black missed a game for the first time this season, sitting out with a strained right quad.

Up next

Pistons: At Cleveland on Tuesday night.

Magic: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

— By DICK SCANLON, Associated Press

Here are the girls basketball district pairings for Oakland County teams. Postseason play starts this week across the state:

 

DIVISION 1

District 13

(At Howell)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Hartland vs. Brighton, 6 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Milford vs. Fenton, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Howell vs. G1 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 4 at Northville)

District 14

(At South Lyon East)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Walled Lake Western vs. Novi, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Northville vs. South Lyon, 5:30 p.m.

G3: South Lyon East vs. G1 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 4 at Northville)

 

District 22

(At Livonia Stevenson)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Redford Thurston vs. Farmington, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Livonia Stevenson vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Farmington Hills Mercy vs. Livonia Franklin, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 6 at Detroit Renaissance)

 

District 23

(At Southfield A&T)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Warren Fitzgerald vs. Berkley, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Southfield A&T vs. Oak Park, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G3: Detroit Renaissance vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G4: Detroit Mumford vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G5: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 6 at Detroit Renaissance)

 

District 24

(At Bloomfield Hills)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: North Farmington vs. Birmingham Seaholm, 5:30 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Birmingham Groves vs. G1 winner, 5 p.m.

G3: Bloomfield Hills vs. Bloomfield Hills Marian, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 6 at Detroit Renaissance)

 

District 25

(At Lakeland)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Walled Lake Northern vs. Walled Lake Central, 6 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: West Bloomfield vs. Lakeland, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 6 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

Girls basketball postseason preview: A district-by-district look at the 2026 contenders

District 26

(At Oxford)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Lapeer vs. Holly, 6 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Davison vs. G1 winner, 5 p.m.

G3: Oxford vs. Grand Blanc, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

 

District 27

(At Lake Orion HS)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Waterford Kettering vs. Auburn Hills Avondale, 5 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Clarkston vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Lake Orion vs. Rochester Adams, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

 

District 28

(At Utica Eisenhower)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Rochester vs. Utica, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Utica Eisenhower vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Stoney Creek vs. Romeo, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 7 at Davison)

 

District 29

(At Warren Mott)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Warren Cousino vs. Warren Mott, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Troy Athens vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Troy vs. Royal Oak, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 8 at Warren Cousino)

 

————

 

DIVISION 2

District 60

(At Detroit Country Day)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Hazel Park vs. Ferndale University, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Center Line vs. Ferndale, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G3: Detroit Country Day vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G4: Madison Heights Lamphere vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G5: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 15 at Detroit Edison)

 

District 61

(At Warren Regina)

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G1: Warren Regina vs. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Pontiac Notre Dame Prep vs. Macomb Lutheran North, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G3: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 16 at North Branch)

 

District 62

(At Linden)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Ortonville Brandon vs. Flint Kearsley, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Goodrich vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Linden vs. Lake Fenton, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 16 at North Branch)

—————

DIVISION 3

District 85

(At Plymouth Christian)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Detroit Communication Media Arts vs. Westland Universal Learning Academy, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Plymouth Christian Academy vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Wixom St. Catherine vs. Detroit Community, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 22 at Clawson)

 

District 87

(At Madison Heights Bishop foley)

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G1: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 2, Detroit Northwestern 0 (forfeit)

G2: Madison Heights Bishop Foley vs. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 5:30 p.m.

District final Friday, March 6

G3: Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 22 at Clawson)

 

District 88

(At New Haven)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Mount Clemens vs. New Haven,  7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Clawson vs. Royal Oak Shrine, 7 p.m.

District final

Friday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 22 at Clawson)

—————

DIVISION 4

District 123

(At West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish Academy)

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G1: Southfield Christian vs. West Bloomfield FJA, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Lutheran Westland vs. Novi Christian Academy, 7 p.m.

District final

Thursday, March 5

G3: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 31 at Petersburg Summerfield)

 

District 125

(At Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian vs. Burton St. Thomas More Academy, 5:30 p.m.

G2: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes vs. Flint Michigan School for the Deaf, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G3: Clarkston Everest Collegiate vs. G1 winner, 5:30 p.m.

G4: Genesee Christian vs. G2 winner, 7 p.m.

District final Friday, March 6

G5: G3 winner vs. G4 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 32 at Akron-Fairgrove)

 

District 126

(At Marine City Cardinal Mooney)

First round

Monday, March 2

G1: Chesterfield Austin Catholic vs. New Haven Merritt Academy, 7 p.m.

District semifinal

Wednesday, March 4

G2: Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart vs. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 5:30 p.m.

G3: Sterling Heights Parkway Christian vs. G1 winner, 7 p.m.

District finalFriday, March 6

G4: G2 winner vs. G3 winner, 7 p.m.

(Winner advances to Regional 32 at Akron-Fairgrove)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Jaxon Kohler scored a season-high 21 points and Jeremy Fears Jr. added 21 points and nine assists to lead No. 13 Michigan State past Indiana 77-64 on Sunday.

Kur Tang finished with a career-high 18 points, making 6 of 8 from 3-point range — nearly half of the Spartans’ 13 3s. Kohler also grabbed 13 rebounds, his 12th double-double of the season as the Michigan State (24-5, 14-4 Big Ten) won its fourth straight.

The Spartans never trailed in winning at Assembly Hall for just the second time in six trips to complete a road sweep this week. They also won at No. 8 Purdue 76-74 on Thursday. It was coach Tom Izzo’s first trip to Bloomington since he broke the league record for conference wins in February 2025, breaking the mark held by former Hoosiers coach Bob Knight.

Lamar Wilkerson scored 19 of his game-high 29 points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Indiana (17-12, 8-10) from a fourth consecutive loss. Tucker DeVries finished with 20 points and six rebounds, while Sam Alexis added eight points in a game Indiana’s bench players were shut out.

Michigan State used a hot start to take a 14-5 lead, then relied on its long-range flurry to thwart the Hoosiers from mounting serious challenge. The Spartans extended the margin to 39-26 on Teng’s fourth 3 of the game late in the first half.

Indiana managed to cut the halftime deficit to 45-37, then quickly fell into a 52-41 hole early in the second half. The Hoosiers got as close as 54-48 with 13:41 to play, but Teng answered with another 3 and the Spartans went on a 10-3 spurt to rebuild a 67-55 lead.

The Hoosiers never fully recovered.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts Rutgers in its home finale Thursday.

Indiana: Closes out its home schedule Wednesday against Minnesota.

— By MICHAEL MAROT, Associated Press

EAST LANSING (AP) — Jaloni Cambridge scored 33 points, Chance Gray added 21 and No. 13 Ohio State hit a program record 18 3-pointers in a 87-68 win over No. 15 Michigan State on Sunday afternoon in the regular season finale for both teams.

Cambridge shot 12 of 24 from the field and 7 of 12 from beyond the arc, the most she has made from deep all season. Gray shot 7 of 11 from 3-point range.

Elsa Lemilla recorded a double-double for the Buckeyes (24-6, 13-5 Big Ten) with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Kennedy Cambridge put up 10 points.

The Buckeyes had a 15-0 run in the second quarter, putting them up 38-11, and they went into halftime leading 49-26.

The Spartans (22-7, 11-7) were led in scoring by Grace VanSlooten, with 17. Rashunda Jones scored 16 and Ines Sotelo added 11.

Up next

Michigan State: Will be the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. The Spartans play on Thursday.

Ohio State: Can be the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten tournament with a Minnesota loss against Illinois, or the No. 5 seed if Minnesota wins.

By Kory Woods, Tribune News Service

INDIANAPOLIS — Miami’s Keionte Scott didn’t answer if he met with the Detroit Lions at the NFL scouting combine, likely because he missed the start of the question. Still, he shared what it would mean to join Lions defenders Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, a pair many defensive back prospects admire.

“Brian Branch is a guy I’ve watched a lot, too, on tape,” Scott said. “Definitely a guy that’s very versatile, plays the game the right way. So that’d be meaningful to be able to get out there and be with them.”

With Branch and Joseph both dealing with injuries, it’s uncertain when any new Lions defender from this year’s draft will get to play alongside them. The Lions’ secondary is also in flux because of those injuries and possible departures, such as Amik Robertson, who was their main nickelback over the past two seasons.

That makes Scott an interesting candidate.

At 6 feet and 193 pounds, Scott is already bigger than Robertson and more similar in size to Branch. Last year at Miami, he played 756 snaps, with 489 in the slot and 196 at other spots on the field. This kind of versatility should help him in the NFL.

Scott believes this is the key to succeeding as a hybrid defensive back, a role Miami called the “STAR,” where he covered receivers, blitzed, and defended against the run.

“When you look at the position, it’s a very unique position. At times, you’ve got to be a defensive end, you’ve got to be a linebacker, you’ve got to be a safety, you’ve got to be a corner,” Scott said. “So I think it’s just the ability to be a Swiss army knife and be able to do multiple things and also thrive at it. I feel like it’s a key to defenses at times, and I feel like it needs to be evaluated that way.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Scott is a well-rounded nickel defender who could fill in if Branch needs more time to recover.

His 91.2 run defense grade shows he’s strong in the box, and his 87.1 coverage grade proves he can handle coverage duties. While he may not be a pure man-coverage specialist, his balanced skills make him a good fit as a versatile, every-down slot defender.

Last season, Scott recorded 42 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, five passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions. He returned both interceptions for touchdowns.

Scott has a second-round grade and could be a Day 2 option for the Lions, depending on how they handle their other needs in free agency. He’s especially likely if the team adds another second-round pick.

The main concern teams like the Lions could have about Scott is his age.

He’ll be 25 when the NFL season starts, after playing several seasons at Snow and Auburn before his final year at Miami. When asked, Scott said he wasn’t worried about it.

“I’ve heard that going around, but I feel like this game we play now is a win-now game,” Scott said. “And I feel like that takes a lot of the age things away. Some of these teams, some of these coaches don’t have time to wait. So I feel like you evaluate players as they can play the game of football, because if you play this game, it doesn’t matter how old you are…I don’t think age is something that teams should be worried about.

“I know it’s obviously contract-wise, but when you’re in a win-now situation, you get the best guys.”

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.