Detroit Lions 2020 NFL Draft: 3 late-round sleeper prospects

Prospect: Geno Stone
Position / School: Safety / Iowa
Height / Weight: 6-1, 189
2019 Statistics: 13 games played, 70 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 1 interception

The Lions have invested a significant amount of capital in the safety position over the past several seasons. Quinn has drafted one in all but one of his four drafts in Detroit and he acquired veterans Duron Harmon and Jayron Kearse this offseason to round out the unit. Still, don’t discount the Lions adding to the group again, and Stone will be a likely candidate.

Despite his modest production last season, the Pennsylvania native emerged as an important team leader for the Hawkeyes in 2019. This despite a lack of standout athleticism and speed. He makes up for these physical limitations with excellent instincts and sound tackling. He picked off four passes as a sophomore, including a pick-six.

Stone also excels as a supporting run-defender, a trait that the Lions like their strong safeties to possess, particularly when they run with three-safety or big nickel sets. With a crowded position room, Stone may struggle to see the field as a rookie and may need to make a mark on special teams to stick. He seems well suited for the task.

The early rounds figure to see several higher-profile safeties selected, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Lions to target one of them depending on how their board shakes out. However, should Stone still be available on Day Three, he could make sense for Detroit, continuing their trend of stockpiling depth in one of their most valued position groups.

Which of these players do you think would make sense for the Lions? Whom do you think that they should target in the later rounds of the draft? Let us know in the comments section below.