Detroit Lions full 2021 mock draft: Two Tigers at the top

Osa Odighizuwa

Selection #: Round 4 / 112th overall

Position: Defensive Tackle

School: UCLA

Height/Weight: 6-2 / 280

2020 statistics: 7 games, 4.0 sacks, 30 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss

Analysis: In terms of interior defensive linemen, this is not a strong group when it comes to 2021 prospects. Thus, any mid-round pick at the position isn’t likely to have game-breaking talent or upside. Even so, this exercise sees the Lions selecting a tackle that could provide some depth and flexibility to a unit that was routinely outclassed in 2020.

At under 290 pounds, Odighizuwa may fall a little short of many teams’ benchmarks for an interior player. He makes up for it with a stout lower half, excellent length, and scheme versatility. His quickness allows him to line up at either the 3 or the 5-technique, and he would be a good fit alongside the Lions’ current pass rushers in NASCAR formations and on obvious passing downs.

He would likely be a rotational player for the Lions to begin with, and the team may ask him to add some pounds depending on how their defensive front evolves during the offseason program. His lack of consistent power could make it hard for him to win against NFL linemen with regularity, though his high motor will help make up for that shortfall.

Odighizuwa won’t fit every team’s mold due to his physical profile, leading to his mid-round selection. But, this would represent a good value pick for the Lions in the middle of the draft. Fixing their defensive line will certainly take multiple offseasons, and he likely isn’t a transformative defensive player. Still, he offers enough to make this a wise move for a Lions defense that needs help at all three levels.