This is for me, Lions supporters, even though I know the Detroit Lions are currently on the verge of much greater things. The NFL Draft is something I adore. It used to be something I avoided, but these days I’m a little fixated on it. I thought it would be a good idea to release my first mock draft of the year now that college football’s regular season is ended. Most likely, this will be the final one till February. Due to the current format of bowl games, many men who aspire to play professionally are just missing such games, therefore I’m doing it now. The year is over. Now let’s get started with a trade-down.
Trade
About 28 times last year, Brad Holmes hinted at moving down out of the first round. He used it a lot, yet there is some sarcasm in it. He will go ahead and make that a reality this year. This is the transaction that took place.
Lions get: 40th pick and 77th pick
Patriots get: 32nd pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick
The Lions are a team that is largely established right now. Because they aren’t truly draughting for starters anymore, the team has some flexibility to make decisions like these. The purpose of the draft is to add depth to the club and then develop late-arriving players. I wanted to get back into the third round because Detroit gave away their third last year, and that’s what I had in mind with this deal.
40th pick: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
Although I am aware that Lions supporters will eventually desire an edge rusher, I don’t believe there is as urgent a need as it may appear given the players Hutchinson, Smith, Paschal, and Onwuzurike in the near future. Don’t worry, though; it is occurring.
Since this squad still needs a third receiver who can perform all of the duties that Josh Reynolds performed for them, I chose Ayomanor first. Although I think Tim Patrick is fantastic and I appreciate everything he has contributed to the squad, the truth is that he is currently 31 years old. He probably won’t be with this team for long. Ayomanor is the future, but he might get another year in Detroit. He is capable of doing what Reynolds and Patrick could accomplish, but he can do it more effectively and for a longer period of time.
64th pick: Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
You go now. I promised to acquire an edge rusher. Sawyer’s work ethic is similar to Aidan Hutchinson’s, and he has performed admirably for the Buckeyes over the past four years. Please understand that this is a Dan Campbell guy, but it’s not the second coming of Hutch. An attitude-driven team leader. Yes, that is appropriate. Although Sawyer hasn’t recorded many sacks on the field, he has been an excellent run stopper and is under pressure in the pass rush game. This season, he had forty-two of them. Not bad for a second-round selection.
77th pick: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
Look, I know Hendon Hooker is a fan of the Lions. He did fantastic in his last year at Tennessee, so I completely understand. However, there are simply a lot of problems there. The main one is that he hasn’t truly played in an NFL game yet, and he will turn 27 in a few weeks. During certain fourth quarters and a few preseason games against third-stringers, the Lions prevent him from throwing the ball.
All of this comes after the Lions told us during the summer that they might carry three quarterbacks and that they don’t think he’s ready to be the backup. It all boils down to the day before the last cutdowns, really. This team’s future does not lie with Hooker. When his rookie contract expires, he will be thirty. Why wait for the future star when he can be a fantastic backup? With his incredible arm, 21-year-old Dart has the potential to be a dangerous player in this league if used properly. Additionally, he possesses the capacity to move around. He might be prepared to take over this franchise by 2028 if he spends a few years with Campbell, Brunell, and Goff.
131st pick: Jah Joyner, Edge, Minnesota
Here, we’re doubling up on edge rushers. You can never be too deep in the Lions’ gang, even though I like them. This season, we have undoubtedly discovered that. Joyner’s bull rush is simply impossible to contain. This guy, who is 6′ 5 and 265 pounds, can move, but he needs to practise some other techniques. On the clip, all you see are offensive linemen barely surviving. Given that he will be learning with Terrell Williams, the defensive line coach for the Lions, I see promise here.
195th pick: Joshua Gray, Guard, Oregon State
Having some depth in the offensive line is usually beneficial. When Graham Glasgow and/or Kevin Zeitler are finished, Christian Mahogany, who the Lions acquired in April of last year, is anticipated to be in the starting lineup. One man who might be in that other position is Grey. Gray’s ability to play left tackle is another plus. At Oregon State, he started 44 games. Possessing positional diversity is always desirable.
227th pick: Thor Griffith, DT, Louisville
Here, it seems like a bit of a bargain. Although Griffith isn’t a day-two or first-round prospect, he most likely has room to grow. I had to take him because he was here. In addition, he goes by Thor. Although the Lions have a strong combination in DJ Reader and Alim McNeill, as well as Brodric Martin, whom they are trying to develop, more depth is always beneficial. Griffith possesses some pass-rush ability in addition to being a good run-stopper.
247th pick: Power Echols, LB, North Carolina
Linebackers are immensely adored by the Lions. They never stop searching for more. The position that was filled the most out of all the ones this squad added players to this season was linebacker. Another linebacker has joined the team. The player has good sideline-to-sideline speed for run-stopping and some decent coverage abilities. His diminutive size is the issue. He weighs only 225 pounds and is only 6 feet tall. He is being selected in the seventh round as a result.