Tag: Pick No. 7

Lions 2021 mock draft roundup: Things open back up after trade for Jared Goff

Examining the mock drafts from multiple draft based sites, noting the projected picks for the Detroit Lions, and identifying trends.

Following 2021 mock drafts for the Detroit Lions has been a roller coaster this offseason — and were only a month into the process.

After the 2021 National Championship, three players were routinely paired with the Lions and the No. 7 overall pick — DeVonta Smith (wide receiver, Alabama), Micah Parsons (linebacker, Penn State), and Jaylen Waddle (wide receiver, Alabama).

Then Matthew Stafford requested to be traded and the mock drafts that followed saw a shift to almost exclusively quarterbacks, including Justin Fields (Ohio State), Zack Wilson (BYU), and Trey Lance (North Dakota State).

Now that the Lions have traded Stafford to the L.A. Rams in exchange for draft picks and Jared Goff — the presumed starter for at least 2021 — things have opened back up in the mock draft market for the Lions.

Let’s take a look at what has happened over the past week, starting with some of the new names.

New names added this week

Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (6-1, 200)
Currently being mocked by Lance Zierlein (NFL.com)

Zierlein: “The Lions could go in a number of directions here, including cornerback or linebacker, but with almost an entire receiving corps set to hit free agency, Chase could serve as a splashy WR1 for their new QB.”

Penei Sewell, T, Oregon (6-5, 325)
Currently being mocked by Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports)

Trapasso: “New Lions GM Brad Holmes spent the past few years with the Rams when Andrew Whitworth’s impact at left tackle was gigantic. Holmes has that in mind when picking Sewell for Jared Goff.”

Rashawn Slater, T/G, Northwestern (6-3, 314)
Currently being mocked by Danny Kelly (Ringer)

Kelly: “The Lions just completed a blockbuster trade, sending longtime quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams in exchange for a pair of future first-round picks, a 2021 third-rounder, and Jared Goff. The move gives Detroit the chance to hit the reset button and build a new foundation from the ground up. Bolstering the offensive line with Slater, a day-one starter at either tackle or guard, is a nice way to get things started as the team seeks to establish a new identity.”

Making a strong return

DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama (6-0, 175)
Currently being mocked by Joe Marino (The Draft Network), and Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports)

Marino: “It’s another new era in Detroit. Suddenly, Jared Goff is the starting quarterback, Dan Campbell is the head coach, and a host of ex-players are filling up his coaching staff. While there are plenty of questions about the roster, perhaps the most notable concern is what the plan is at wide receiver where Quintez Cephus, Victor Bolden, and Geronimo Allison are the only options under contract. DeVonta Smith is the most productive receiver in Crimson Tide history and is exceptional at getting open and catching the football—the two most important functions of playing receiver.”

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama, (5-10, 182)
Currently being mocked by Bucky Brooks (NFL.com), Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News), and Josh Edwards (CBS Sports)

Iyer: “Waddle, like his Crimson Tide teammate Smith, is a highly skilled all-around receiver the Lions could use to run all the routes and get open everywhere outside for Jared Goff. Waddle would be a great replacement for aging free agent Marvin Jones Jr., assuming the Lions bring back big field-stretching younger free agent Kenny Golladay. Golladay, Waddle and tight end T.J. Hockenson would be a good foundation for Anthony Lynn’s new-look passing offense.”

Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State (6-2, 245)
Currently being mocked by Dan Kadar (Akron Beacon Journal), Bryan Fischer (Anthon Sports), and the Tankathon Staff,  

Kadar: “By acquiring Goff — a middling quarterback in the NFL — it’s hard to say the Lions are in a full rebuild. They’re just really close to one. Because of that, it’s no guarantee they won’t take a quarterback at No. 7. But with a cache of first-round picks in the next two years, they can wait a year on a quarterback. If that’s the case, the Lions should be in the mode of acquiring superstar players. Parsons is on the same level as recent top 10 linebackers Roquan Smith and Devin White. He’s a foundation piece for a team that desperately needs them.”

Still being projected to Detroit

Zach Wilson, QB, BYU (6-2.5, 210)
Currently being mocked by Luke Easterling (Draft Wire), Henry McKenna (For the Win), and Ryan Gosling (Pro Football Network)

Easterling: “Yes, the Lions just acquired Jared Goff from the Rams, absorbing the rest of his massive contract extension. But that shouldn’t keep the new decision-makers in Detroit from passing on a franchise passer with this pick. Wilson had a stellar 2020 campaign, showing off all the traits of a future Pro Bowler.”

Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State (6-3, 221)
Currently being mocked by Ben Linsey, (PFF), AJ Schutte (Pro Football Network), and Draft Tek (Doug Hyde made Lions selection)

Linsey: “The Lions took back Jared Goff as part of the Matthew Stafford trade, but it’s unlikely that he is the Lions’ preferred long-term answer at the quarterback position. At the very least, he isn’t a reason to avoid taking a quarterback like Lance here in the draft. There is legitimate concern surrounding Lance’s accuracy and experience, especially since he’s played just one season as a starter in the FCS, but he also has absurd arm talent and gives any team the option to lean on him in the running game. It’s a bet worth taking for Detroit as they look toward life without Stafford.”

Out of the mix this week

Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State (6-2.5, 223)
Not currently being mocked to the Lions

Fields was off the board by the time the Lions were on the clock in most scenarios this week, and with most analysts not incorporating trades, we saw an absence in connections to Detroit. As quarterback rankings start to clear up — assuming they do with a limited offseason — we will likely see a Fields to Detroit connections again.

Trading for Jared Goff gives the Lions a starter level QB and a potential bridge to the future

Trading for Jared Goff gives the Detroit Lions a starter-level quarterback while also offering a potential bridge for a future quarterback.

The Detroit Lions are acquiring Jared Goff from the Los Angles Rams in a deal that includes a 2021 third-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick, in exchange for Matthew Stafford.

Goff gives the Detroit Lions a starter-level quarterback who has regressed over the past two seasons but offers enough talent to keep the team competitive while also serving as a potential bridge for a future quarterback.

It’s been five years since the Rams traded up to select Goff with the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Halfway through his rookie year, he was named their starting quarterback, and like most rookie quarterbacks, he had his struggles.

The following season, Goff quickly improved and his stats went up across the board. He led the Rams to the playoffs (a loss to the Atlanta Falcons) and was recognized with a Pro Bowl appearance. In 2018, he continued to progress, led the team to the playoffs once again — this time making it to the Super Bowl, but losing to the Patriots — and was once again a Pro Bowler.

In 2019, the Rams gave Goff a $134 million deal with $110 million in guarantees. He, along with the rest of the team, had an up and down season, and despite finishing 9-7, they failed to make the playoffs. While Goff’s passing yards were close to the year prior, it took him 626 passing attempts (65 more than 2018). Additionally, his touchdowns dropped by double digits and his interceptions increased from 12 to 16.

In 2020, Goff’s passing attempts dropped back to normal amounts, and while his completion percentage increased to 67-percent, the highest of his career, his passing yards were roughly 600 less than the previous two seasons. Translation: they stopped having him throw downfield. Furthermore, both his touchdowns and interceptions also dropped, but a 20:13 ratio is not ideal.

In Week 16, Goff broke the thumb on his throwing hand and required surgery. The Rams were back in the Playoffs and they turned to John Wolford while Goff was healing. In the first quarter, Wolford left the game with an injury and Goff stepped in, leading the Rams to a 30-20 win over the Seahawks. Even though his thumb was not healed, Goff would play again the following week but they would lose to the Packers.

Goff’s resume is impressive on paper but his declining performances over the past two seasons is a big reason the Rams were willing to overpay the Lions to take his contract off their hands.

At just 26 years of age, the door isn’t shut on Goff revitalizing his career with the Lions — it’s happened before, look no further than Ryan Tannehill and the Titans — but he has shown that when he feels pressure in the pocket, he struggles to produce and that’s a significant concern.

Can the Lions get him enough pass protection? Can QB coach Mark Brunell use his 19 years of NFL quarterbacking experience to teach him how to handle the pressure? Those will surely be questions at the forefront of the Lions coaching staff this offseason.

Goff carries a $28.2 million contract into the 2021 season, with $27.5 of guaranteed, and the Lions are entering this season with the expectation that Goff will be their starter.

Beyond 2021, all bets are off.

In 2022, Goff will still have $15.5 million left in guaranteed money, but the Lions just absorbed $19 million by dealing Stafford, so that level of money won’t tie Goff to the Lions beyond 2021. If he is still on the roster in 2023, there is no guaranteed money remaining on his contract.

Because of this, adding a quarterback with the No. 7 pick in the NFL draft is still very much in play.

With four quarterbacks capable of being selected at the top of this draft, the Lions will be in a position to get value for their pick. If there is a large gap between the Lions’ quarterback rankings, they now have enough draft capital to trade up to get their guy if they need to.

If the Lions do select a quarterback in this draft class, Goff is the perfect bridge quarterback for Detroit, as they won’t feel the need to force the rookie into action early and can give him time to develop.

In today’s win-now NFL it’s rare for a first-round quarterback to be afforded the opportunity to sit and learn for a year, but it can be extremely beneficial for a young player. Notable examples are Phillip Rivers sitting for two years behind Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers sitting for three years behind Brett Farve, and Patrick Mahomes sitting a year behind Alex Smith.

The Lions have invested long contracts with general manager Brad Holmes (5 years) and coach Dan Campbell (6 years) illustrating they’re comfortable taking a long-term approach to developing this roster. Additionally, everything being said by Campbell in recent interviews points to him and Holmes making decisions now that will impact the team two years from now.

If the goal is to be in a position to have a sustainable roster by 2022 or 2023, drafting a quarterback this year should be a high priority.

If Goff turns into the next Tannehill, great. If the draft pick is the next great thing, awesome. If both happen, even better. Having options is a good problem to have.

At the end of the day, Goff’s contract is a tough pill to swallow, but the Lions likely got an extra first-round pick for taking it on, making it worth it. He is capable of starting for the Lions the next year or two (or more) and will have a chance to get his production back on track in Detroit. Adding another quarterback with the No. 7 pick is still very much in play, and at a minimum, it creates competition at the position, as well as the opportunity to not rush development.

Lions mock draft roundup: 3 players emerge as favorites following 2021 National Championship

In this week’s Detroit Lions’ mock draft roundup, three players emerge as favorites following the 2021 National Championship.

With the 2021 National Championship and the first round of the NFL playoffs behind us, it’s a good opportunity to take a look at the most recent 2021 mock drafts. These mocks will give us an early look at who the analysts are projecting the Detroit Lions to select with pick No. 7 in the upcoming NFL draft.

One very common theme has presented itself with these post-national championship mock drafts: After a dominating showing in the NCAA playoffs, Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith, who was routinely mocked to the Lions, is now off the board before the Lions are on the clock in all but one mock draft.

Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama (6-0, 175)

Currently being mocked by Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) 

Iyer: “The Lions got a nice closing stretch from Marvin Jones Jr. with Kenny Golladay (hip) on the shelf for most of the season, but Jones is also heading into his age 32 season as a free agent. It makes sense to think about a high-level replacement who can form a great new combination with Golladay for Matthew Stafford (or whoever else might be at QB for a new coach). Smith has picked up from he left off last season to become Heisman Trophy-worthy. He has 105 catches for 1,641 yards and 20 TDs in 12 games this season.”

While Iyer stuck with Smith to Detroit, two other analysts — with Smith off the board in their mocks — stuck with pairing the Lions with a wide receiver but went with Smith’s running mate at Alabama.

Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama (5-10, 182)

Currently being mocked by Anthony Treash (PFF) and Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports)

Treash: “Waddle missed most of the 2020 season due to a fractured ankle, but the Bama receiver was truly an explosive play waiting to happen in the four games he appeared in. He generated a Power 5-best 4.68 yards per route run, averaged 10.7 yards after the catch, teamed up for a perfect passer rating of 158.3 on his 29 targets and hauled in 329 deep receiving yards. The latter still ranks 13th among all Power 5 receivers despite appearing just four times all year. Waddle reportedly ran a 4.37 40-yard dash coming out of high school. He is a threat to house it anytime he gets the ball with that speed and explosiveness.”

Trapasso: “The Lions need to address receiver early given the contract status of their wideout room heading into the 2021 offseason. Waddle is as electric as they come and plays bigger than his size.”

The majority of mock drafters this week pivoted to the other side of the ball and connected the Lions with the top defensive player in this draft cycle.

Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State (6-2, 245)

Currently being mocked by Dane Brugler (The Athletic), Brentley Weissman (The Draft Network), Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports), Tankathon Staff, and Mike Kaye (NJ.com) 

Weissman: “Parsons has rare size and movement skills for the position and can affect the game in every phase. He is a physical downhill backer who has outstanding instincts, speed, and range. He has the versatility to play off the ball, but can also play near the LOS and be used as a rusher.”

Wilson: “Parsons opted out, but he’s another player who didn’t hurt his draft stock by doing so. He might end up being the best standup linebacker to come out in the last 4-5 years.”

Kaye: “The Lions need a new tone-setter on defense. Parsons is a dynamic talent who should make an immediate impact.”

Of Note: Brugler was the only analyst to do a two-round mock draft and while he gave the Lions’ Parsons in the first, he did have the Lions address wide receiver in the next round, pairing them with Rashod Bateman of Minnesota.