Linebacker Antonio Wilson became the first Lion chosen in the NFL Draft in nine years as he was chosen in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings on April 16.

Wilson, the 6-3, 240 pound four-year letterman from Dallas/Skyline, was the 104th player chosen with the 12th pick of the fourth round and ranked fourth highest on the list of Lion draftees since the NFL-AFL merger in 1966.

A consensus first-team NCAA Division II All-American, Wilson led A&M-Commerce with 124 tackles, nine quarterback sacks and 18 tackles for losses last season.

He was the second highest Division II player selected in the Draft, the third highest non-Division I-A or I-AA player and the top Lone Star Conference player selected.

"I knew he was a good one and being one of the first 12 selected on the second day is a great honor," said Lion head coach Eddie Brister. "The LSC historically produces the top Division II players and it showed again."

West Texas A&M’s Kareem Larrimore was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys five picks behind Wilson at 109 and Texas A&M-Kingsville tight end Giles Cole was selected by Green Bay in the seventh round with the 244 selection. The LSC accounted for three of the five Division II picks. Only eight non-Division I-A or I-AA players were chosen in the Draft.

The highest drafted Lion has been defensive tackle Harvey Martin, who was selected in the third round with the 53th pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 1973.

The New York Jets chose tackle Sam Walton in the third round with the 72nd overall selection in 1968, while receiver Rich Houston was picked in the fourth round as 92nd overall by the New York Giants in 1969.

Wilson joins two other Lions as a fourth rounder and 104th pick. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose defensive end Dwight White at that spot in 1971, while the Kansas City Chiefs selected guard Ron Zwernemann at the position in 1967.

The last Lion selected in the NFL Draft was linebacker Terry Bagsby, who was picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 1991 Draft with the 120th pick.

The Lions have had two free agents play in the NFL since Bagsby’s draft, with Kevin Mathis of the Dallas Cowboys and Curtis Buckley who has played with four teams the last the Washington Redskins.

The Vikings like Wilson’s from the Lions. Minnesota chose Wade Wilson in the eighth round of the 1981 NFL Draft. Wade played 11 seasons with the Vikings before playing eight more seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders. He retired this spring after 19 seasons to become the quarterbacks coach for the Cowboys.