Grit led Loren Strickland to Detroit and grit earned the UDFA safety a roster spot

Allen Park — There’s no set path to an NFL roster spot, but some are more unconventional than others.

The easy way is to be a five-star recruit out of high school, live up to your potential at a top college in a Power 5 conference and get drafted. Let's call that the Penei Sewell path.

Then there’s the road Loren Strickland took. No stars, no major college offers, playing at a Division-II school before transferring to Ball State as a walk-on. To his credit, he made enough of an impact on special teams his first season with the Cardinals to earn a scholarship and the starting nickel job in 2023.

Typically, that’s where these football journeys end. It’s not what you’d call an NFL-caliber resume. But the Lions found him, signing Strickland as an undrafted rookie. They were intrigued by his athleticism, his versatility and his special teams ability. But most all, they liked the way he had scrapped every step of the way. They liked his grit. And if you haven’t heard by now, this Lions team is all about grit.