NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah posted his first 2021 mock draft of the season, and with the seventh overall pick, he paired the Detroit Lions with Heisman trophy winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
“If the Lions are going to keep Matthew Stafford, they would have a prime opportunity to sell this selection to a QB-needy team,” Jeremiah wrote. “If they stick and pick, Smith will be an immediate-impact player on the outside.”
Smith to Detroit has been a widely popular choice since last year’s draft ended. And as we at Lions Wire started tracking mock drafts this season, not a lot has changed, but there have been a few other candidates that have emerged.
Smith’s teammate at Alabama Jaylen Waddle, found his way to the Lions a few mocks drafts last week, but the next major competition has been Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
In Jeremiah’s scenario, all three were on the board and he went with his highest-rated player in Smith — which matches our early rankings as well.
It’s worth acknowledging Jeremiah’s qualifier with this pick: “If the Lions are going to keep Matthew Stafford”, this pick makes a lot of sense. It’s also worth noting that if they elected to move on from Stafford, the top quarterback option available in this scenario was Ohio State’s Justin Fields, who went to the Carolina Panthers with the next pick.
Regardless of whether you want Stafford and Smith combo or a fresh start with Fields, it’s fair to say the Lions are going to have several quality options if they stay put at seven.