Going into the April Draft, the Detroit Lions have a ton of early cash at their disposal.
The Lions have the potential to move up in the draft to select a player of their choosing because they have four picks inside the top 100. Brad Holmes, the general manager, could decide to reposition himself and acquire additional picks, though.
I want to examine the scenario in which Holmes decides to hoard Day 2 picks in an attempt to acquire middle-round talent in my most recent mock draft. Here are some possible outcomes and ways the Lions might employ their extra picks.
First Round
Select 29: MERCHANT
The Lions exchange their 29th overall pick for the 43rd and 79th overall picks from the Atlanta Falcons.
Rome Odunze, a wide receiver, gets chosen by the Falcons with the eighth overall choice in this hypothetical scenario. Seeing that they still need a quarterback and that Oregon’s Bo Nix is available, they go back into the first round to select Nix, using his fifth-year option.
The consequence is that Detroit adds significant Day 2 cash while the Falcons advance to select their quarterback of the future.
Phase Two
Pick 43: Florida State’s Brayden Fiske, DT
Fiske demonstrated a great deal of athleticism throughout his on-field testing opportunity, making him one of the greatest winners at the Indianapolis Combine.
After an incredible run at Western Michigan, he demonstrated in his last collegiate season at Florida State that his potential was sustainable. Fiske has the inner ability to be a game-changing pass rusher and run defender.
He would be a desirable addition to Detroit’s front seven because he is agile and versatile enough to play several inside spots.
Pick 61: Washington’s Bralen Trice of EDGE
Trice’s stock has marginally dropped as a result of his lackluster performance at the Combine, which disappointed scouts. Given the importance of edge rushers, he might possibly make it into the first or early second round, but his lack of rush counters and shorter arms put him outside the elite rusher group.
Nevertheless, the Lions might gain from taking a risk on him as he would represent great value at this pick. Detroit needs a guy to step up and take Aidan Hutchinson’s spot, and Trice’s unwavering work ethic fits very well with the team’s defensive philosophy.
Although he will need to improve on some aspects of his technique, his innate talent is rather admirable.
Phase Three
Pick 73: South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette
At the NFL Combine, Legette and a number of other large receivers were interviewed by the Lions. The offense lacks a big-framed wideout because Jameson Williams provides speed and Amon-Ra St. Brown occupies the slot.
Legette, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 219 pounds and ran a sub-four-second 40-yard sprint at the Combine, meets that description. Nevertheless, he wasn’t always the center of attention for the Gamecocks’ offense while in college; prior to 2023, he had only 42 career catches in four seasons.
In his final year of college, he recorded 1,255 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, saving his best performance for last. His quickness makes him a serious contested catch threat, which might be crucial to Ben Johnson’s offense.
Pick 79: South Dakota State’s Mason McCormick, G.
Given that both of their starters may become free agents, the Lions require guard depth. Over the course of the 17-game NFL regular season, injuries can have a significant factor, even if one or both return.
McCormick is a great plug-and-play addition for the Lions’ outstanding offensive line as a result. Detroit is looking for someone with his athleticism and strength in the run game up front.
Even if Detroit keeps its seasoned talent, the Lions would benefit greatly from adding a dependable player like McCormick, since they were forced to rely on Colby Sorsdal and Kayode Awosika to start at various stages during the season.
Pick 92: Missouri’s Kris Abrams-Draine, CB
Out of the two Missouri cornerbacks in this year’s Draft class, Abrams-Draine is the less well-known. Although Abrams-Draine’s physique is garnering attention for him, teammate Ennis Rakestraw Jr. has also had a successful career with the Tigers.
With seven career interceptions, the converted wide receiver excels at playing the ball in the air. In his last season, he scored four touchdowns and received an 89.9 Pro Football Focus coverage grade.
He also has no problem using his body to attack in the run game. He was productive in covering during his career and racked up 138 tackles.
Phase Four
There isn’t a fourth-round pick available for the Lions right now.
Phase Five
Pick 163: Michigan’s AJ Barner, TE
The Lions are set at this position in terms of starting players thanks to Sam LaPorta’s outstanding rookie campaign. Though backup Brock Wright is scheduled to be a restricted free agent, there are still concerns about the depth of the group.
After future professional Colston Loveland at Michigan, Barner was the backup choice, so Detroit could add some much-needed depth there. The Wolverines used a lot of two-tight end players, which gave Barner the chance to demonstrate his versatility as a blocker and receiver.
During his final season as a college, the Indiana transfer caught 22 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown, helping to open up spaces for Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum to run. He would be a valuable backup who could contribute to Detroit’s attack that is focused on runs.
Phase Six
Pick 207: Stanford’s Joshua Karty, K
Karty, Will Reichard, and Harrison Mevis are the three elite kickers available in this year’s Draft.
The Stanford product finished his career 51-for-60, including a career-high 61 in his junior year. In crucial circumstances, Detroit would benefit from Karty’s large leg.
Although Dan Campbell tends to rely on his offense in fourth down scenarios, having a dependable long-distance kicker would provide the club additional alternatives in crucial situations.
Seventh Round
Pick 247: Florida’s Kingsley Eguakun, C
Detroit uses its final Draft pick to secure insurance for the seasoned center, Frank Ragnow, who suffered many injuries during the previous season.
When healthy, Ragnow has performed at an All-Pro level; but, in addition to other problems, he has a persistent toe injury. The Lions added a genuine center and another interior line option in Eguakun, should injuries need a replacement for Ragnow.
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