5 mid-to late-round quarterbacks the Detroit Lions could draft in April

4. Bailey Zappe

Zappe set FBS records for passing yards (5,967) and touchdowns (62) in his lone season at Western Kentucky, as he followed offensive coordinator Zach Kittley from Houston Baptist as Kittley took the same post at WKU.

Dismissing Zappe as a product of the Air Raid offense is too easy. He’s got decent size (6-foot-2), and he can, however cliched, “make every throw.” Western Kentucky head coach Tyson Helton praised Zappe for his ability to throw the ball and process the entirety of an offense.

"You’re talking about a guy who can throw the ball all over the park and it reminded me of Sam Darnold,” Helton said. “Sam Darnold was a great talent at USC and could throw it all over the park, too. Sam could check to a run and move the chains and do all that and Bailey has that in him as well where he can say ‘I’m going to check to a run here and move the chains or get an explosive play off the run.”"

Zappe is landing as high as the third round in some mock drafts. The Lions may consider him there, with the No. 66 pick and a projected comp pick at No. 97 overall in that round. Working with him at the Senior Bowl will help their evaluation.

3. Skylar Thompson

Thompson is a somewhat toolsy prospect, with size and ability to move around along with effectiveness as a runner during his career at Kansas State. He missed time due to injury more frequently that NFL teams will like, but he improved his completion rate each year at Kansas State, culminating in 69.5 percent (second in the Big 12) in 2021.

As a Day 3 flier, with intangibles Dan Campbell should like, the Lions could consider taking Thompson.