Detroit Lions: Players and mistakes to avoid in the 2019 NFL Draft

Understand how expensive the skill set you need is

Devin White

Inside linebacker, LSU , 6-0, 240, 4.64
286 Career Tackles, 28.5 Career TFL’s, 8.5 Career Sacks

White is a good study in restraint and understanding the value of a pick, like the eighth overall that the Detroit Lions have in the upcoming draft. He is from a Power 5 conference school, Louisiana State University, and he has the makings of a very good, possibly Pro Bowl level starter. The guy is a sideline-to-sideline defender that makes plays with good speed and power.

You can see his stats, HERE.

Why is he probably a guy to pass on?

Devin White would not be the worst player to pick at number eight.

There are some things to consider before you take him, though. Is a middle linebacker an inside player? Yes. Is an inside linebacker a need? Yes. Have the Detroit Lions drafted a player that high at that position? No, (although Jarrad Davis was taken very early for his position).

Since Jarrad Davis has been moved to his weakside position, likely for good, there is a hole up the middle of the defense which the Lions tried to fill with other players and Davis while he struggled inside. One problem is that Devin White is similar in many ways to Davis.

Next, Quinn has to decide if his defense requires an inside linebacker to be taken this high to fit his defense? Three inside linebackers to take clues from are Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots, C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens, and Benardrick McKinney, Houston Texans. All three are either Pro Bowl players or start for a team that runs a similar system.

Mosley was drafted highest with pick seventeen of Round 1, followed by Hightower with pick twenty-five overall, and lastly, McKinney was drafted Round 2, pick 43. Those are three of the very best in the NFL. The number eight pick is even more expensive and the Detroit Lions already used the number twenty-one overall in 2017 on Jarrad Davis.

In general, the best athletes at inside linebacker have to cover tight ends, or the middle of the field in coverage, and stop the run. They tend to be stout defenders, not requiring the best athleticism of all linebackers or edge players but good short-area burst and strength to get through blocks and traffic. White compares very well to those players in his frame, athletic ability, speed, etc. but he is not superior in any way, so why spend such a high pick on essentially the same commodity?

From looking at what other teams have given up for elite inside linebackers, the Detroit Lions could trade down and get someone of his caliber plus more picks if they want to fill their “Mike” linebacker position.

Summary of our advice

Alright, so to review: continue to build from the inside out, the lines win games and you have to be strong up the middle. Fill those needs first unless you can’t get value from a player that’s available. Don’t reach to fill a hole, especially when there’s depth at the position that could be gotten later that would still fill your needs.

Understand the cost of the skill set you need and don’t forget the value of the pick you have. Players who violate these basic rules ought to only be drafted IF they are exceptions due to being sure Pro Bowl talent. Otherwise, the Lions are not in a position to draft luxury players. What other players would repeat the mistakes of the Detroit Lions past if they were drafted in 2019?

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