Will speed influence the Detroit Lions first-round selection?
By Robert Jones
Speed kills; will it determine the Lions pick?
In Bob Quinn’s four seasons at the helm of the Detroit Lions, there is one draft mistake that stands head and shoulders above the rest; Teez Tabor. Quinn used the Lions second-round selection in the 2017 NFL draft to pick Tabor. While the former Florida cornerback had put together a very productive collegiate resume, his time of 4.63 in the 40-yard dash had to be a major red flag.
As mentioned before, there is a difference between a lineman being a step slow and a defensive back that is a step slow. The lineman can still be a productive NFL player, the defensive back will get continually burned.
In the case of Jeff Okudah, he didn’t test nearly as bad as Tabor did, but his time of 4.48 in the 40-yard dash was disappointing. Has it changed the expectations of how good most draft analysts think he will be? Not that I can discern with all the praise he continues to get from the draft pundits.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Simmons clocked in at an incredible 4.39, which is even more remarkable when you consider his 6-foot-3 and a half inch, almost 240-pound frame. When everything is taken into account, Simmons was overall the most impressive player at the combine to follow up an incredibly impressive collegiate career.
So while Okudah definitely would fill a decided need for the Detroit Lions, will Simmons athleticism and versatility sway Bob Quinn? When you consider how much head coach Matt Patricia values versatility, wouldn’t that make Simmons the ultimate chess piece for his defense that desperately needs play-makers?
In four days the Detroit Lions will make their pick. They may trade back a few spots, but probably not far since Bob Quinn has indicated it’s not his preference to move too far back, but they will make a selection in the draft.
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All that’s left is to see what direction they will go. It will almost assuredly be a defensive player but will it be Jeff Okudah who is certainly the consensus choice among the draftniks or will it be someone else, like possibly Isaiah Simmons? The only definite is that speed kills. Will it also determine the Lions’ choice?