A too early review of the Detroit Lions 2019 draft class

When Bob Quinn went back to work in the sixth round, he started to add some offensive pieces. As a matter of fact, he added two in the sixth round alone in the form of former Old Dominion receiver Travis Fulgham and Maryland running back Ty Johnson.

Fulgham doesn’t have elite speed, but he does have good size and athleticism and he catches with his hands, not his body, which is textbook for how a receiver should catch the ball. Meanwhile, Johnson is a versatile back that can return kicks, catch the ball out of the backfield and is a reliable if unspectacular runner.

In the seventh round Bob Quinn doubled-down on the tight end position as he selected Issac Nauta out of Georgia. Nauta was a good value pick as he was expected to be selected in the middle rounds. He’s a high effort blocker and a good receiver that consistently gets open and has reliable hands.

The Lions final pick was Arizona defensive tackle P.J. Johnson. Not only is Johnson a mountain of a player, but he plays light on his feet and demonstrated enough athleticism to make him worth watching during the offseason workouts and training camp.

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In all the Lions had nine picks. Four offensive players and five on defense. They addressed several needs and have created more competition on a roster that needs to be more competitive.

But probably the biggest take away I had from this draft was that Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia have a blueprint they believe in and won’t deviate from it. A blueprint that went hand in hand with what they did last year in the draft.

Does that mean this years draft class will be as productive? Maybe or maybe not, but it does mean they are willing to make whatever picks they believe are the right choice regardless of fan reaction.

Many fans I spoke to were up in arms about the Hockenson pick simply because of the stigma Eric Ebron has created in Detroit about the position of tight end.

The fact that Quinn and Patricia believed in Hockenson and wanted to take him despite the possible fan backlash was a good sign. If Quinn and Patricia are ever going to succeed, they will need to do it their way.

Last seasons record may not have been acceptable, but if it was a stepping stone to a better tomorrow, then it was worth it. So this leads us to the final question; did the Lions make themselves better?

The tight end room has gone from barely having a pulse to being crowded and full of competition. Four out of the five defensive players chosen have a chance to contribute immediately. Even if it is in rotational duty and the secondary has definitely gotten deeper.

Now, are there weaknesses that might be of concern, well the offensive line wasn’t addressed and I’m not sure that Travis Fulgham is enough help for the receiving corps, but there is plenty of time before the season for the roster to change even more.

Consider how much the defensive line changed last year between the final cut down and opening night, there are still moves that will most likely happen.

So yes, Bob Quinn definitely has a plan and yes, the roster does appear to be better after this weekend. But in the end, there is absolutely no way to really judge a draft class until after a few seasons. Last year’s draft class contributed well for the Lions but they still need to continue to prove themselves and this year’s class has all their proving in front of them.

So while this class looks like it could certainly have some keepers, we still have a ways to go before we know for sure what the Lions have after this busy draft weekend.