The first mock draft for 2023 from NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah is now freed into the wild. The former NFL scout and popular television personality loads up the Lions with two premium defensive talents in the first round of his projections.
With the No. 6 overall pick, the one Detroit acquired from the Los Angeles Rams, Jeremiah’s initial projection for the Lions is Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon. The fit in Detroit is very easy to see, as Jeremiah notes,
He is dripping with instincts and possesses outstanding ball skills. His feisty play style would fit the culture Dan Campbell and Co. are building in Detroit.
The Lions found immediate success in 2022 with Witherspoon’s former roommate, safety Kerby Joseph. Given the Lions’ need for an outside CB who can play man coverage and make plays on the ball, Witherspoon is an easy sell even as high as No. 6 overall.
With Detroit’s own pick at No. 18, Jeremiah sticks with defense and installs Clemson LB Trenton Simpson in the middle of the Lions defense. Simpson is at his best in the passing game, both in coverage and as a blitzer between the tackles. He would presumably replace Alex Anzalone in that role in Detroit.
What do you think about this one, Lions fans?
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