Following one of the best free agency hauls in recent memory, the Detroit Lions have another opportunity to vastly improve their roster via the draft.
The Detroit Lions landed some major names this offseason during free agency. The addition of veterans like defensive end Trey Flowers, cornerback Justin Coleman and tight end Jesse James have this proud franchise trending upwards.
Now, Detroit has another opportunity to improve their roster through the 2019 NFL Draft. With a whopping nine picks to use, the Lions can inject some talented youth onto their depth charts.
With the draft kicking off this Thursday, the contributors of SideLion Report banded together to each provide their own seven round mocks prior to the NFL’s annual selection event. Enjoy!
Justin Ochsner’s Contributor Mock Draft
Round 1 (8): MONTEZ SWEAT, EDGE – MISSISSIPPI STATE
Round 2 (43): N’KEAL HARRY, WR – ARIZONA STATE
Round 3 (88): JACE STERNBERGER, TE – TEXAS A&M
Round 4 (111): DAVID LONG, CB – MICHIGAN
Round 5 (146): BEAU BENZSCHAWEL, G – WISCONSIN
Round 6 (184): ISAIAH PRINCE, OT – OHIO ST.
Round 6 (204): ANDREW VAN GINKEL, LB – WISCONSIN
Round 7 (224): TY JOHNSON, RB – MARYLAND
Round 7 (229): TERRY BECKNER, JR., DL – MISSOURI
Justin’s Quick Take: In this scenario, I have the Lions passing on tight end in favor of bolstering their pass rush in the first round. In the second, they would be running their card up to the commissioner without a second thought to land N’Keal Harry and then pairing Jace Sternberger with Jesse James at tight end.
In the later rounds, they find a new cornerback and address the offensive line and defensive front. This would be a strong draft for the Lions, especially in the early rounds.
Site Expert’s Take: I think fans would be very happy if the Lions’ draft turned out this way. Detroit lands Sweat, a legitimate pass rusher to replace Ezekiel Ansah with their first pick. Wide receiver is certainly a need that isn’t being discussed enough, especially if Marvin Jones Jr. becomes a cap casualty next offseason.
The one issue I might have is the fact the Lions waited to address the running back position until the seventh round as the majority of their players on the current depth chart will be free agents after this season.
To check out more articles from Justin Ochsner, click here.