The Detroit Lions defensive line was already weak enough. With Damon Harrison soon to be released, this now leaves a wide open gap along the D-line.
The Detroit Lions will reportedly release defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison soon. It will be a heartbreaking exit for Harrison as he explained on Twitter recently. He clearly wanted to give his all for Detroit, but his broken body simply wouldn’t let him.
The NFL is a business though, a harsh one I may add. With Harrison soon gone, it leaves an even bigger hole in an already depleted defensive line in Detroit. So what do the Lions do now?
They need to draft a defensive lineman with the third overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Preferably, it should be Ohio State’s edge rusher, Chase Young, or Auburn’s anchor inside, Derrick Brown. Obviously, each guy brings something different to the table.
Chase Young can give you an explosive rusher off the edge, as well as being able to contain outside runs. There’s a possibility to turn him into a Von Miller-like outside linebacker and defensive end hybrid.
Derrick Brown is a little bit of a different story. In most of his time with the Auburn Tigers, the big 6-foot-5 and 318-pound defender played most of his time inside as a defensive tackle.
However, Brown’s a very versatile player. He has the ability to play anywhere on the line, whether it’s a one, three, or five technique. Having a utility-type player like this on the D-line can help the Detroit Lions out a lot.
As of right now, there aren’t any credible mock drafts that have the Lions taking either Young or Brown. But we’re still aways away from the 2020 NFL Draft. The combine (which started this weekend) will give us a better look at these two defensive prospects.
Detroit fans know that the Lions always tend to draft someone completely different than from what all the ‘professional’ mock drafts say. So who knows, maybe the Lions method of drafting will actually turn out for the better.
Personally, I feel like drafting Brown would be the better choice if the Lions are trying to fill the void left by Harrison. If they’re just trying to improve a struggling defense, then shoot. Just draft Young if he’s still on the board by the third pick.
In the meantime, all we can do is speculate. As much as we think we know what’s going on in the Detroit Lions’ front office, in reality we don’t. Let the chips fall where they may and keep on moving forward.