The Detroit Lions made a statement in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by selecting Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell.
With one major team need met in the first round, the Lions will have to shift their focus to other positional needs in day two.
There are still plenty of top-tier players available and Detroit, helmed by rookie general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, will be able to land starting-caliber players with their picks in rounds two and three.
Round 2, pick 41: LB Jabril Cox, LSU
The Lions certainty have a glaring need at the linebacker position. At this moment, they have Jamie Collins returning as well as former second-round pick Jahlani Tavai, who has struggled over his two seasons in Detroit.
Adding Cox would be a major upgrade over Tavai at the inside linebacker position. The LSU linebacker breaks the mold of the type of linebackers that the Lions have rostered in recent years. He’s tall, he’s fast, and he’s agile. All things that Tavai and others have lacked.
Now with the linebacker room bare due to the departures of Jarrad Davis and Christian Jones, Cox will fill an empty spot on the depth chart and add athleticism to an often-struggling part of Detroit’s defense.
Round 3, pick 72: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC
The addition of St. Brown would once again bolster a lackluster positional group. The Lions lost their once-elite trio of Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola and have not been able to replenish their receiver corps.
Though they added Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Kalif Raymond, and Damion Ratley, the Lions need to add a young receiver who they can have under contract past the end of 2021. That’s where St. Brown comes in.
The USC receiver put up 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns in his three years with the Trojans. His size and speed would give him an edge over some of the other receivers on the roster and would fit the archetype of receiver that Campbell is looking for on his roster.
His versatility is another thing that would make him valuable for the Lions. He would be able to come in and compete for the job as the team’s return specialist. He also took snaps from the backfield in college and could see some use as a gadget player on offense.
Round 3, pick 101: S Hamsah Nasirildeen, FSU
With the third-round pick that they acquired from the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade, the Lions could once again shift their attention to the defense.
With safeties Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse now on other teams, the Lions have an opening at the safety position opposite of Tracy Walker.
Detroit is in a unique situation with their safeties where they can either draft a strong or free safety, depending on who is available. Walker has the ability to play both roles and former third-round pick Will Harris can play strong safety and also can double as an extra box safety or hang defender in a three-safety subpackage.
Nasirildeen would be the ideal pick for the Lions as he is a versatile defensive back who would be able to line up wherever the team needs him for any specific defensive play.
His long arms and awareness on the field would be assets that Detroit couldn’t afford to pass up. Though his stats at FSU don’t make him seem like a playmaker, he’s a guy who could pair well with Walker and Harris and help provide assistance for the young cornerback duo of Jeff Okudah and Amani Oruwariye.