Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

A Lions draft thread: Relationships

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Through two days of the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions' three draft picks have little in common.

None played in the same time zone as another. None even played in the same conference, as Detroit picked players from the ACC, SEC and independents.

One thing they do have in common -- and it is something that is actually surprising when dealing with athletes in their early 20s -- all three of their picks are either engaged or married. First round pick Eric Ebron proposed to his girlfriend, Brittany Rountree, on Thursday -- she said yes. Second round pick Kyle Van Noy is engaged to a former Miss Utah, Marissa Powell. And third round pick Travis Swanson beat the rest of his class to the altar, marrying the former Emily Holder on March 22.

It is a strange coincidence to have, but maybe there is something to it. After all, listen to how Swanson described his wife when asked if marriage has helped him with football.

"I think the biggest thing that it helped me with is that she is essentially my rock," Swanson said. "If something stressful is happening during the day, I know I can come home to her.

"She knows how to calm me down a bit and tell me everything is OK."

Swanson said the teams who asked him about it all viewed his relationship status as engaged and then married as "positive."

Of course, the draft class isn't the only group with pending wedding plans, as quarterback Matthew Stafford proposed to his longtime girlfriend, former Georgia cheerleader Kelly Hall, earlier this year.

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