With an 0-4 start for the season for the Detroit Lions, some are holding out hope for some relevance this season, but some have their sights on next year’s draft.
The 2021 roster was already labeled as one of the league’s weaker rosters, and it seems like it is getting much worse each week. It seems like a key player is landing on either injured reserve or missing games, causing an already decrepitated roster to almost hit rock bottom.
Every week it is relatively easy to see where the major wrinkles sit with the Lions, and this week Luke Easterling tackles those areas in his latest Draft Wire 3-round mock draft.
1st round (2nd overall): Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
1st round (26th overall): Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
2nd round (33rd overall): Drake London, WR, USC
3rd round (66th overall): Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
Another year, another Oregon Duck in the 1st round for the Lions, but this time on the defensive side. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much from Thibodeaux due to an ankle injury in the season opener, but some believe he doesn’t have much more to prove in the college ranks. However, as an elite pass rusher with a special blend of athleticism, he is someone the Lions desperately need on defense to turn around this ship.
Many believe Jared Goff is not the answer at quarterback, but this year’s crop of college quarterbacks has not lived up to expectations. One of those disappointments being Sam Howell from North Carolina, who was touted as a potential No. 1 overall pick. He has been repeatedly mocked to the Lions with their first pick through the year, but some of the luster has worn off. What he lacks in overall arm strength he makes up for through his accuracy. Many have compared Howell to Baker Mayfield, and the offensive line the Lions are building could work but may take time.
It is not outrageous to say the Lions have one of the worst receiving corps in the league. In the last draft, people were begging for Brad Holmes to take a wide receiver, and he eventually did by taking Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth round. But here comes another USC wideout to the Lions. London currently leads the FBS with 670 receiving yards and as an early contender for the Biletnikoff Award for college’s most outstanding receiver. In addition, former USC quarterback Carson Palmer hailed London as the next Megatron due to his big, physical talent. Now I’m not sure about that, but those are big shoes to fill if that were the case.
Currently, the Lions’ cornerback corps is a little muddied right now. Jeff Okudah suffered an Achilles injury that may alter his career in the future. Also, the depth behind him in Amani Oruwariye and Ifeatu Melifonwu is not giving any warm fuzzies. However, McCreary is the type of corner that will fit well in the Lions defensive scheme with strong instincts and smooth transitions due to his strong athleticism. This year is the first time he has been a full-time starter, but so far, he is stepping up and could provide a potential strong presence in a much-needed Lions secondary.