Detroit Lions Draft Prospects: Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn

Fans following along with #MockThree on twitter will recognize Brandon Mosley as as one of the two fourth round picks we selected for the Lions. This was an additional pick acquired from the #MockThree users managing the mock draft for the Dolphins.

Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 314 lbs
Arm Length: 34″
Hand Size: 11″
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.78 seconds
3 Cone Drill: 7.43 seconds
40 Yard Dash: 5.05 seconds
Bench Press: 30.0 reps
Broad Jump: 103.0″
Vertical Jump: 27.0″
Watch his combine workout here

Detroit Lions #MockThree general manager Michael Schottey posted the following note when submitting the pick:

"At worst, Brandon Mosley is insurance for Gosder Cherilus’ 2013 free agency (and mental lapses). At best, Mosley is a phenomenal athlete and extremely raw (a former TE and DE) and could compete for a LT spot after Jeff Backus retires."

It’s no secret that the Lions need to find an eventual replacement for Jeff Backus but with his new two year deal, they don’t need to land someone that has to start from day one. That’s why Brandon Mosley makes sense. He adds immediate depth, which is especially important given the injury history of Jason Fox and the unclear future of Johnny Culbreath, and provides more upside than Corey Hilliard. It’s no given that Gosder Cherilus stays with the team longterm, whether by his choice or the organizations, so Mosley makes sense as a guy with the ability to play right tackle and the potential upside to play left tackle. He made one start at left tackle and 12 starts at right tackle for Auburn in 2011 and was recognized as a second team All-SEC player by the league’s coaches.

Mosley came to Auburn as a JUCO transfer where he, as noted in Schottey’s explanation above, played tight end and defensive end. The lack of experience as an offensive lineman is what will knock him down draft boards to some extent but his potential as an NFL tackle is too great to ignore. He talked about NFL teams asking about his JUCO history and even the possibility of moving to guard during an interview after his workout at the Auburn pro day:

The fourth round is the most likely point for Mosley to come off the board. He’s good enough to step in and play in and emergency capacity now and has the potential to play tackle in the NFL for a long time. He may be raw but he doesn’t have any major flaws or bad habits to break. That makes him more than a late-round developmental tackle. Here’s a scouting report video from Pro Football Weekly:

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