Lions prospect profile: Howard Cross III, DT, Notre Dame

[ASFN Admin]

The Detroit Lions have an interesting mix at nose tackle. Veteran DJ Reader is back for one more season, and the Lions also added free agent Roy Lopez from the Cardinals. Brodric Martin enters his third year as a project player with high-level physical attributes, too.

But if the Lions are looking for a longer-term and more unconventional fit, they might find some interest in a player who has a very strong connection to the team.

Howard Cross III, DT, Notre Dame​

Howard Cross might sound like a familiar name for a lot of fans. It certainly will for Dan Campbell, as the Lions head coach played with Cross's father, also named Howard, as tight ends for the New York Giants from 1999-2001. While the elder Cross was a giant tight end for his time at 275 pounds, Howard Cross III is an undersized nose tackle for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

• 6-foot-1, 285 pounds (measured at combine)
• Two-time second-team All-American (2023 and 2024)
• Turns 24 in July

Games watched: Louisville, Texas A&M, Florida State, Indiana, Georgia, Penn State (CFP), Ohio State (CFP)

Positives​

• Great burst off the snap
• Refined hand usage and consistently good pad level in the initial contact
• Very adept at shedding initial blocks and punches from guards and centers, active hands and strong, violent swipes to get free
• Good tackler, doesn't let go or give up his grip
• Smart play recognition and quick reactions for an interior lineman
• Can knife into A-gaps and quickly generate pressure, notably against zone blocking schemes
• Good at angling his chest and clearing his hips through a gap

Negatives​

• Very undersized to play the 0-1 techniques
• Frame appears maxed out
• Played over 95 percent of his college snaps in the A or B gaps (either shoulder of the guard)
• Subpar strength and anchor ability against the run
• Athleticism doesn't last beyond the first 2-3 steps
• Minimal special teams experience for being a projected NFL reserve

Overall​

The allure of adding the son of a valued mentor for head coach Dan Campbell cannot be emphasized enough with Cross. His style of play and highly passionate football IQ are easy fits in Detroit, too. However, Cross is extremely undersized and underpowered to continue playing the deep interior DT/NT role he did at Notre Dame; he's smaller and less stout than 2024 Lions rookie Mekhi Wingo, who played more snaps in a 4i/5T role in Detroit last season than Cross did in six years at Notre Dame. His extreme lack of bulk and strength for the role he played in college make Cross a candidate to be an undrafted free agent. His pedigree and uniqueness as a quickness-based nose could land him in the 6th or 7th rounds.

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions 2025 draft prospect profile for Howard Cross III

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