Gil Brandt is the “Godfather of the NFL Draft”, the title bestowed upon him during his Sirius XM NFL Radio visits. It’s a fitting moniker. Brandt is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the architect of the Dallas Cowboys for 30 years and the man who still chooses which prospects get to attend the draft ceremony. His “Hot 150” is perhaps the best insider-type peek at how NFL teams view prospects that gets widely disseminated to the general public.
Brandt released his Hot 150 via NFL.com on Monday, and some players who the Detroit Lions presumably have targeted in their sights for next week’s draft show up in some interesting, unexpected places.
Joe Burrow being 1st and Chase Young 2nd on Brandt’s list are no surprise. But the presumptive No. 3 overall pick, the player who appears as the Lions’ projection at the three spot in over 80 percent of current mock drafts, isn’t anywhere in sight in the top five. Or top 10.
Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah shows up at No. 13 overall. Okudah is still the highest-rated defensive back, one spot ahead of Florida CB C.J. Henderson, but this is about the lowest anyone of national significance has rated Okudah.
The No. 3 player on Brandt’s board is Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons, with Oregon QB Justin Herbert at four and Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa at five. Simmons is almost never linked with the Lions by anyone outside of fans, but Brandt seems sold despite his own questioning in his comments,
I have some questions, based on the relatively small sample size we have of his performance at any one position, but Simmons is a playmaker who should start as a rookie and do well. I can’t ever remember another player like this
Some other points of interest with relation to the Lions:
The No. 35 player (Detroit’s 2nd-round slot) on the list is Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson. No. 36 is Auburn DT Marlon Davidson, who has become a popular Lions projection of late.
Iowa EDGE A.J. Epenesa, another player often suggested as a Lions target with their second pick, is No. 40.
The top center is Temple’s Matt Hennessy at No. 34, ahead of Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz (No. 47). The Lions don’t need a center but could entertain one that can move to guard. Ruiz can do that, while Hennessy is regarded exclusively as a pivot.
Kentucky WR Lynn Bowden is at No. 44, one spot ahead of Clemson WR Tee Higgins. The Lions met with Bowden at the combine and Detroit sorely needs long-term solutions at wideout, where they currently do not have a player under contract after the 2020 season. USC’s Michael Pittman, another player the Lions formally interviewed in Indy, is 46th.
Utah Edge Bradlee Anae, a popular 3rd or 4th-round projection to Detroit, is No. 58. That is one spot above Penn State WR K.J. Hamler, who has some juice as a possible pick at No. 35.
There is a run of five straight players from 71 to 75 overall who all get projected to the Lions in various mock drafts in Rounds 3 and 4. In order:
North Carolina DE Jason Strowbridge
Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger
TCU OT Lucas Niang
UConn OT Matt Peart
Michigan LB Josh Uche
A couple of RBs popular with Lions fans are ranked 106-107: Utah’s Zack Moss and Florida State’s Cam Akers. Personal fave Darrynton Evans is No. 129.
There are one punter and one kicker in Brandt’s top 150. The last player on the list is Florida International QB James Morgan, who would be a fun developmental prospect for the Lions on Day 3.