No one knew much about the speedy kid from Hawaii when he stepped on to the practice fields at Colorado for the first time in 2004 and immediately began to turn heads with uncanny playmaking, speed and a nose for the football.

Jordon Dizon made his No. 44 jersey instantly recognizable by the time he completed his eligibility in the Independence Bowl in December, and he will have a more difficult time slipping under the radar this summer in the Motor City as he joins a new team at the highest level in the sport.

The Detroit Lions selected Dizon with the 45th overall pick in the second round of the NFL draft Saturday.

Within minutes of the pick, comparisons were already being drawn to former Lions All-Pro linebacker Chris Spielman, who was considered undersized just like Dizon when he was drafted by the Lions from Ohio State in the second round in 1988.

It was the highest a CU player has been picked in the draft since former Buff Tyler Brayton was picked by Oakland in 2003 with the 32nd overall selection.

Former CU tight end Joe Klopfenstein was picked 46th overall by the St. Louis Rams two years ago.

Dizon joins Sean Tufts as the only CU linebackers to be drafted since 1999.

Questions surrounded just how high Dizon would be picked leading up to the draft because of his size.

He is 6-foot and 220 pounds. His overall strength was also a concern.

At the NFL scouting combine in February, Dizon bench pressed 225 pounds only 12 times.

But while is measureables might raise eyebrows in a negative way, his heart and determination once the ball is in play are a rare commodity and characteristics the Lions coveted.

Detroit finished last in the NFL in total defense last season and missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.

The Lions’ defensive coordinator is Joe Barry, a Fairview High School grad who played for Sam Pagano.

Barry’s dad, Mike Barry, was an assistant coach at CU under Bill McCartney.

Dizon left CU ranked as the program’s fourth all-time leading tackler with 440 total stops.

He made 160 of those tackles in a remarkable senior season in which he led the Big 12 Conference in tackling with 160 stops.

Dizon also finished runner-up to Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis for the 2007 Butkus Award.

The last time Colorado had a Butkus Award finalist playing in its defense, Matt Russell won the award and was picked by Detroit in the fourth round of the 1997 draft.

Unlike most draft prospects, Dizon did not take time off from school this spring to focus on preparing for his big day Saturday.

He remained in Boulder to focus on finishing up his degree and graduating next month in order to fulfill a promise he made to his mother.

CU cornerback Terrence Wheatley was later drafted by the New England Patriots with pick No. 62 in the second round.

Several other former CU players could be picked as well, including tackle Tyler Polumbus and running back Hugh Charles.