Second round: Zack Baun, Wisconsin
Baun is a player the Lions know well. They coached the 6-2, 240-pounder on the North squad at the Senior Bowl. He lit up the practice fields in Mobile like he did the Big 10 in 2019, simply unblockable in 1-on-1 situations.
Baun is a finisher with unusual power for his size, and his technique with his hands and shoulders is top-notch. He’s smart and crafty, quick with countermoves. Having been a quarterback in high school, he understands what the offense is trying to do and anticipates very well.
Baun isn’t necessarily an EDGE, however. His lack of size and his quick range in space might translate better as an off-ball LB who happens to also rush the passer very well. If that sounds like Kyle Van Noy with the Patriots or Harold Landry with the Titans, that’s the idea.
Some teams will view Baun more like one of his Wisconsin predecessors, Joe Schobert, and keep him more exclusively as an off-ball LB. In Detroit, Baun would be more likely to rush the passer as his primary duty, at least early in his career.