Senior Bowl Day 2 and Day 3 observations: Players that could fit the Lions
Thursday afternoon marked the final day of practices at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. It’s been a great week with beautiful weather and even better play on the field by the players. As we know, all these players are doing everything they can to solidify their draft status.
Certainly, three days of practice should not drastically change a players grade on a teams draft board. That said, these three days of practice should give teams, scouts and analysts the conviction they need when placing these players on the board.
While I’d like to add a player such as Quinyon Mitchell, that dream was short lived for Lions fans. All signs are pointing to the Toledo cornerback being a top-20 pick and there’s a chance he could be the first cornerback off the board. Especially since there’s not a clear-cut cornerback at the top, it could be a group where teams just “pick their flavor.”
With that, I’ve got 8 players that could be the Detroit Lions “type of flavor” for their locker room. Here are my thoughts after day two and day three of the 2024 Senior Bowl:
- Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon — No doubt about it, one of the best players in Mobile this week was Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon. There’s a good chance that he finds his way into the top-25 of the 2024 NFL Draft but crazier things have happened. Especially with an expected run of wide receivers, cornerbacks, quarterbacks and offensive tackles, we could see JPJ fall into the Lions lap with the 29th overall pick. While it’s not a stylish pick, one could argue that the interior offensive line could become one of the biggest needs on the team in the coming weeks. Jonah Jackson and Graham Glasgow are set to hit the market so if either of them end up leaving, JPJ could slide into a starting role at guard. Primarily used as a center with the Ducks, he weighed in at 334 pounds in Mobile and looked better than ever. Always under control with good balance and ability to move in space, JPJ would be an immediate starter for the Lions offensive line.
- Jamari Thrash, WR, Louisville — Drafting a wide receiver may not be the biggest need for the Lions and we can all get that. However, if the team doesn’t bring back Josh Reynolds, it’ll be interesting how they address the wide receiver room. Looking for another weapon could be in the cards for Detroit and one of the most consistent players all week was Jamari Thrash. He checked into the Senior Bowl at 5’11” and 185 pounds but he just finds way to separate. He’s not a speedster like other receivers but he has great burst and the pacing of his routes is what helps him separate consistently. He could be a potential option somewhere on day two for the Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft.
- Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame — After talking with Cam Hart during the media portion of practice, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Lions took a liking to him. He’s a professional and carries himself very well. In addition to that, he was knowledgeable to different coverages and feels like a potential fit to Aaron Glenn’s defense that primarily uses Cover 1 and Cover 3. Additionally, Hart told me his film process on PSL’s (pre-snap looks), wide receiver tendencies and more. I think the Lions could fall in love with how he approaches the game of football.
- Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri — Could the Lions consider a hometown kid with the 29th overall pick? If they want Darius Robinson, all signs are pointing to him going much earlier than expected. He’s 6’5″ and 286 pounds with 34 3/4″ arms. Standing out with a muscular frame, Robinson put on a showcase this week. Playing high school football at my rival school of Canton High School, Robinson has had significant growth as a player. He’s versatile with his ability to play from a 2i-technique to a 5-technique. He’s got plenty of power behind his game and he’s able to counter consistently with his power, length and eyes to fool the opposition.
- Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas — Over the last two days, Dominick Puni consistently stood out. At 6’4″ and 323 pounds, Puni put his versatility on display all week. From playing all five positions, a team like the Lions could take a liking to him. He plays under control and finished plenty of blocks during the 1-on-1 portion of practice. In addition to that, he appeared to be one of the most coachable players on the field. Whenever he made a mistake, he searched for coaching and it felt like the next rep got better for him. As the Lions look for depth up front, I could see them taking a liking to Puni during the draft process.
- Gabe Hall, IDL, Baylor — Talking with a scout during the first day of practice, he had told me to keep tabs on Gabe Hall. This was near the end of practice so I made a note of it and sure enough, the next two days, Hall made several plays. At 6’5″ and 290 pounds with 34 3/8″ arms, there’s much to be desired with Hall’s skill-set. He looks versatile and athletic enough to play from nose to 4i-technique in the Lions defensive front. He has plenty of power that knocks back offensive lineman and his hands got faster by the day. Whether it be a push-pull move or a swim move, Hall made plays all week. It may take a day two pick but Hall would pair nicely with the Lions depth on the defensive line.
- T’Vondre Sweat, IDL, Texas — Just a massive human, how could you not want to see Sweat on your team? At 6’4″ and 362 pounds (listed on the team site), Sweat is a load for offensive lineman. The power behind his hands is significant and he should be an A-plus run defender immediately. It’ll be interesting if he ends up becoming a three-down player for a team but his tape suggests he can get after the quarterback. Whether it be an arm-over, push pull move or just a power rush, Sweat made an impact on the Longhorns defense. Having him in Detroit would draw more protection his way and it should free up Alim McNeill and Aidan Hutchinson.
- J.D. Bertrand, LB, Notre Dame — I’m not sure if the Lions would draft another linebacker in the 2024 NFL Draft but they have drafted one every single year under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. With Derrick Barnes suffering a knee injury in the NFC Championship, the Lions could have some concern on his readiness for next season. With that, I could see them taking interest to J.D. Bertrand from Notre Dame. Out of all the players I interviewed this week, he stood out above them all. He loves football and you can see it when he talks about it. At 6’1″ and 235 pounds with 30 1/4″ arms, there could be concern with his lack of length to shed blocks consistently at the next level. However, he told me that they were “stimulus response linebackers” at Notre Dame. He was physical this week and his run fits really stood out above most of the linebackers in Mobile. With the Lions looking for high-character guys that define “grit”, Bertrand could be a player that they fall in love with during the process.
