Texas A&M University-Commerce's Ricky Hope has been invited to a free agent workout by the NFL's Detroit Lions.
Hope, who recently earned the Bobby Fox Award for the team's Most
Outstanding Defensive Player, will report to the Lions on Thursday. Among the ties between the Poulan, Georgia native and the Lions is the new assistant defensive line coach, Kris Kocurek, who served as the defensive line coach at A&M-Commerce in 2006.
In 2008, Hope led the Lions with 19.5 tackles for minus 107 yards to set a new school single-season record. He also had 11 sacks for minus 76 yards to set another school record, recorded seven quarterback hurries and forced six fumbles. For his efforts, he earned All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Daktronics, and Don Hansen's Football Gazette and first team all-LSC North Division and LSC North Division Defensive Lineman of the Year.
