ESPN’s Todd McShay dropped his latest two-round mock and he helped the Detroit Lions on both sides of the ball.
As we begin to close the gap between free agency and 2023 NFL Draftanalysts are starting to expand their projections. ESPN’s Todd McShay released his latest mock draft on Tuesday, a full two-rounder, and it focuses on the Detroit Lions adding front-7 depth on defense and offensive skill players.
The Lions have four picks in the first two rounds, so let’s jump right in.
Round 1, Pick No. 6: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Here is McShay’s reasoning for the choice:
“This pick has to be defense. Detroit was miserable in that department last season, and it’s why it fell short of the playoff hunt. The Lions are in the bottom-three in yards allowed per rush (5.2) , yards allowed per pass attempt (7.9), opponent QBR (56.0) and third-down defense (45.1%). However, the addition of Wilson to a young rushing contingent that includes Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston can create real conflict for opposing pass-protectors, though. He had seven sacks in 2022 for the second straight year, and his arm length and pure power came out on tape.
“I also considered the secondary with some top-tier cornerbacks on the board, but the Lions have been aggressive there by signing Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and CJ Gardner-Johnson in free agency. Detroit is back to clock in at No. 18 and have a couple of second-rounders.”
There is nothing too surprising about this choice. Most analysts, fans, and even Vegas seem to be pointing to the Lions focusing on either Wilson, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter (who is already off the board), Illinois corner Devon Witherspoon (who I picked in our POD community mock draft), and Oregon corner Christian Gonzalez.
Wilson projections all seem to point to him as a top-10 pick, but where he fits within that group is up in the air. Some analysts reported that Wilson was ahead of Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson on some team boards, while others projected an inconsistent clay model that was far from polished.
In The Athletic’s latest mock draft, Bruce Feldman—in which he pulls quotes from coaches around the league on players—he also paired the Lions with Wilson at pick No. 6, but the quotes leave you with more. Here’s what one coach had to say about Wilson:
“His size and length. I thought he played better a year ago. He affected the games more then. I left that game thinking, ‘Man, he’s a dude. He’s really good.’ But I never thought of choosing the lottery. Not only is he consistent, but talent-wise, he’s really there.”
The other two quotes from Feldman’s article follow on the same page, suggesting potential, but wondering if he’s worth a high pick.
With the Lions, they may not be too concerned about Wilson’s developmental stage because they have seven other edge rushers capable of contributing on a regular basis. Wilson’s positional flexibility will help his goal in the first year, as he can be deployed in different sets, but the assumption is that he will come into Allen Park and start day one like Aidan Hutchinson did last season seems unrealistic.
Round 1, Pick No. 18: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Here are McShay’s thoughts on the projection:
“Fans are going to question any landing spot for Robinson because of his position, but consider how heavily the Lions lean against the run and what Robinson can do for an offense. We’re talking about about a top-five talent in this class who can break free by bursting through the hole, outrun defenders with his strength and haul in passes with his reliable hands. Jamaal Williams is no longer in New Orleans, and D’Andre Swift has struggled to stay healthy and is entering the final year of his contract. Yes, Detroit signed David Montgomery, but he has rushed for 100-plus yards just three times in the past two seasons. There are three games just Robinson under 100 rushing yards last year.
“According to ESPN Stats & Information, this is the highest running back drafted since the Giants took Saquon Barkley at No. 2 in 2018. But Robinson is special. Other options for Detroit include tight end end or continuing the defensive rebuilding path, but with four picks in the first two rounds, it can afford to make the luxury pick and fill some other holes down the road.”
Positional value aside, Robinson is an elite talent and will take the Lions offense to another level. Adding him to a running back room that includes Montgomery and Swift may seem like overkill, but as McShay mentioned above, Swift is often injured and in the final year of his contract.
The Lions are set to add running back talent to the roster in this draft, and if you can get past the “value” aspect of the pick, Robinson in Honolulu Blue will be a ton of fun.
Round 2, Pick No. 48: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
Again, here’s McShay:
“Campbell has posted more than 120 tackles in each of the past two seasons, and he will compete for snaps with Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez in the middle of this defense that is undergoing a major overhaul.”
Campbell is one of only a few—maybe three? four?—linebacker in this draft class who could challenge to start at linebacker as a rookie. There’s a lot of upside to Campbell, but would the Lions be willing to use early draft capital on linebacker when their history shows they don’t value the position very much?
The Lions only deployed two linebackers on the field at a time, and they return their top three players from last year. This offseason, the Lions reinvested in Anzalone (a three-year deal with $9M in guarantees) and he appears locked into the MIKE role, while Malcolm Rodriguez is a solid WILL, and Derrick Barnes are in a reserve role that backs each other up. theirs. Adding Campbell would be a solid way to upgrade the unit overall, but it would also be at odds with the Lions’ recent history at the position.
Round 2, Pick No. 55: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
Here is McShay’s final explanation:
“LaPorta made six (tight ends) in the first two rounds, which would tie the average draft season record set in 1974. But this class is very good. LaPorta was consistent at Iowa, catching 153 passes in four seasons for 1,786 yards and five scores. He speeds up the seam and runs his routes effectively. LaPorta can come in for TJ Hockensonwho was traded to Minnesota at the deadline last season.”
While Lions fans likely need time to recover from the Lions drafting another tight end out of Iowa, LaPorta represents an upgrade at the position, and like the other options in McShay, will challenge for snaps in the first year.
The Lions met LaPorta and South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft in the NFL Combineas well as Luke Schoonmaker at Michigan’s pro day, suggesting Detroit could be in the market for a tight end in the draft picks.
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