A year ago, the Lions front office and coaching staff was on an aggressive pursuit through the many college pro-day workouts across the country. They traveled to dozens in hopes of finding the newest young building blocks they could add to the foundation.

By draft day, it was clear one made a bigger impression on them than the others. Detroit came up on the clock in the first and second rounds and both times, it drafted a defensive player out of the University of Florida.

First was Jarrad Davis, a rangy linebacker who brought the instincts and leadership they wanted to build around in the middle of the defense. Next was Teez Tabor, a lengthy cornerback whose ball skills and attitude fit the position, even if his lack of speed made him a long-term project.

Neither were amazing as rookies, but as pieces to mold, they are the start to something. The work is nowhere near done, which begs the question this year: Could Taven Bryan be next?

The defensive tackle is the best prospect out of Florida's talent-rich defense this year. Lions general manager Bob Quinn was spotted checking him out at Florida's Pro Day at the end of last month, where Bryan ran the field drills and had a chance to meet with any team.

The Pro Day was where Quinn met with Davis and Tabor and got a feel for their love of football, as well as how they answered the questions about themselves. Quinn met for more than an hour with Davis there, and he won the Lions over as much with his knowledge of schemes and roles as he did with the insane workouts he posted on the field.

The similarities between Bryan and Davis as prospects are clear: Neither had overwhelming production in the clogged, talent-rich defense the Gators ran. As a result, neither came out of the season as headliners of a draft class. But both have risen with the raw athleticism they were able to test with.

Bryan's is noticeable. He came into the combine at 6 feet 4 inches and 291 pounds and managed to finish second among all defensive linemen in the three-cone drill and fourth in the broad and vertical jumps. Along with 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, he put numbers to the explosive power that sometimes jumped off the tape.

"I feel like if you get off the ball like that, it gives a special opportunity to kind shock the O-lineman, and it causes a little bit of space," Bryan said.

He's marketing those testing numbers, his scheme-versatile size and the flashes on tape because the production was never there. Partly because he was stuck behind another pro prospect in Caleb Brantley, Bryan didn't become a full-time player until this past season. He had six tackles for loss and four sacks, which are noticeable for a lineman who draws double teams but not the game-wrecking play that gets guys noticed early.

That part is different than Davis, who could blame some of his lacking stats on injuries. Bryan comes in healthy, but he has to explain his projection a little more than some others.

Bryan wants to be a player who can do well at so many tasks rather than dominate at a single one. He's built to play inside in a four-man front or at the end spot in a three-man front, where he can ideally hold ground on double teams and beat single teams to the quarterback. That profile should appeal to Matt Patricia, who will run a hybrid defense but who needs better athletes at bigger sizes up front.

After Quinn double-dipped into the Florida defense last year, it's obvious that Bryan will be on the radar with other top defenders for Detroit's first-round pick. Depending on how his meetings with the Lions go, he could be the next piece they look to to retool that side of the ball.