Detroit Lions 2019 NFL Draft: 3 realistic, bold predictions
#2 – Lions Will Not Draft A DE/EDGE Until Day 3
I know, I know, I know. The Lions have a major need at defensive end and not drafting a defensive end until day three would not be the best move. And yet, in all three of his drafts as general manager so far, Bob Quinn has yet to draft a defensive end before day three of the draft.
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And in all three of these classes, finding a defensive end was thought to be a priority for the team, especially last year. Last year, going into the draft with an oft-injured Ezekiel Ansah and an unproven Devon Kennard as their top two pass rushers, everyone thought that the Lions would surely go find themselves a defensive end at least by day two.
And yet, Quinn waited until pick number 114 to take a defensive end. And now, after signing the top defensive end on the market this offseason in Trey Flowers, re-signing pleasant surprise break-out defensive end Romeo Okwara, and getting another two years of a much improved Devon Kennard, people everywhere still think that the Lions will go defensive end fairly early.
I could see Quinn prioritizing as many as four to five positions over finding another defensive end before day three. I would not be surprised at all to see Quinn draft a cornerback, tight end, offensive guard, wide receiver, and maybe even linebacker over a defensive end with their first three to five picks.
Should the Lions decide to wait until rounds four or five, some names that one would expect to interest the Lions would be Iowa defensive end Anthony Nelson, Georgia edge rusher D’Andre Walker, Penn State defensive end Shareef Miller, and Eastern Michigan defensive end Maxx Crosby. The Lions could very possibly decide to wait on a defensive end if they feel there is better value at another position of need, as they have shown the tendency to do so in the past.