By Blessing 
Luke Newman turned heads with his performance at Michigan State’s pro day, showcasing his strength and skill in front of scouts.
The former Michigan State offensive lineman has earned an invitation to the Detroit Lions’ local pro day, set to take place next week at the team’s Allen Park Performance Center. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 315 pounds, Newman made a strong impression during his pro day, particularly with his strength, as he powered through 29 reps on the bench press.
Spartan Shadows highlighted Newman’s journey, noting, “One more Spartan to highlight is interior offensive lineman Luke Newman. He was a one-year Spartan, transferring in from Holy Cross and starting all 12 games for MSU at left guard in 2024. Newman switched to guard for the Spartans after being predominantly a tackle at Hope, and that paid off. During the Shrine Bowl, Newman was asked to work on the interior offensive line, including the center position.”
Newman’s college career began at Holy Cross, where he played from 2020 to 2023 before transferring to Michigan State for the 2024 season. Over his five-year collegiate career, he played in 52 games—40 at Holy Cross and 12 at MSU—while starting 49 consecutive games in his final four seasons. This included 37 starts at left tackle during his time at Holy Cross and 12 at left guard for Michigan State.
In his lone season with the Spartans, Newman started every game at left guard and led the team with 739 offensive snaps. His efforts earned him an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten team, as recognized by both the coaches and the media.
Lions’ Plans for the Offensive Line
As the Lions gear up for the 2025 season, they are expected to experiment with different guard combinations during offseason workouts. Christian Mahogany is likely to get reps at left guard, while Graham Glasgow could slot in at right guard. Detroit has a history of cross-training linemen, valuing versatility on both the offensive and defensive fronts.
“He did most of his college on the right side. I think he can do both, he did both before he got sick with the mono deal. We had him doing both in OTAs, he can play both. It’s a small sample size of the starts that he played,” said Lions general manager Brad Holmes. “They were promising, they were encouraging.
“We do feel like he has starter-level ability, but he is still a young player, so we still need to make sure that he has competition, and it’s part of bringing (Kayode Awosika) back and we’ll still be looking at possibly another veteran to add, and you still have the draft,” Holmes continued. “Not saying it’s always gonna be in the sixth round where we got Mahogany, but you just never know when you’re gonna be able to get one of those guys.”