As you'd expect with such a late selection, the Detroit Lions haven't had much success with the No. 249 overall pick in the NFL draft in their franchise history.
The first time the Lions were on the clock at No. 249 overall was in 1965, when Detroit drafted quarterback Karl Sweetan out of Wake Forest.
Sweetan spent two seasons with the Lions, appearing in 20 games (16 starts) with the team. He saw his first action in 1966, when he threw for 1,809 yards and four scores to a whopping 14 interceptions while completing 50.8% of his passes. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting.
In 1967, Sweetan once again started in eight of the 10 games he played in, finishing with 908 passing yards and 10 touchdowns to 11 picks. His completion rate fell, with Sweeten connecting on just 41.8% of his throws.
He landed with the New Orleans Saints in 1968, and then went on to play for the Los Angeles Rams for the final two seasons of his career, serving as a backup.
Detroit made its second and last pick at No. 249 overall in 1972, taking Purdue linebacker Jim Teal, who played in 14 contests (one start) for the Lions in 1973, which was the only action he saw during his career.
