The Detroit Lions possess one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, yet they are expected to be one of the most intriguing teams to follow in the offseason.
They possess one of the league’s strongest salary cap scenarios and specific areas that require attention.
Facing a necessity at cornerback and possibly on the offensive line, the Lions will have to be active in free agency to address all of their requirements.
Even with a successful free agency period, they may still need to tackle one of these needs in the draft, which is precisely what a recent mock draft suggested.
In Athlon Sports’ most recent mock draft, Luke Easterling anticipated that the Lions would choose Texas A&M edge Nic Scourton with the 28th pick in the NFL Draft.
In 2024, Scourton received All-SEC First Team recognition, although it wasn’t his most prolific season.
Scourton recorded just five sacks during his only season at A&M.
It was an unexpected result following his last season at Purdue. In 2023, he topped the Big Ten with 10 sacks.
Similar to several of the candidates in this year’s draft, Scourton’s value is primarily driven by his potential.
He is a remarkable athlete and achieved notable performance earlier in his college years. He still has a lot of time to keep evolving since he won’t reach 21 until late August.
The Lions were expected to incorporate additional SEC talent in the upcoming round of the mock draft.
Their anticipated second-round selection was Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos. Amos also gained All-SEC accolades, achieving it with even more remarkable statistics.
He permitted rival QBs to complete only 51.6% of their throws directed at him and recorded more interceptions than touchdowns permitted.
Amos seems to be a more secure choice to offset the risk of Scourton in the first round.
If the Lions are able, they should likely explore free agency to secure an edge rusher before targeting one of the potential high-reward selections that will be present toward the end of round one.
If they are unable to, Scourton’s second year is among the top seasons from the prospects who are likely to be available at the close of the first, which might create a compelling duo of him and Amos to complete the lineup.