Detroit Lions 7-Round Mock Draft: Detroit bets on upside

Third Round

At at glance, the Lions’ wide receiver group looks fairly solid (DJ Chark, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Quintez Cephus). But there is a lack of long-term options, with Chark on a one-year deal and Reynolds on a two-year deal that’s really a firm commitment for one year.

Tolbert topped 1,000 yards in each of his final two seasons at South Alabama, with 82 catches for 1,474 yards (sixth in FBS) and eight touchdowns in 2021.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1474107547850207248?s=20

There’s a chance Tolbert isn’t available here at top of the third round. But he looks like a sneaky fit for the Lions. Fans should like the Marvin Jones comp from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

As teammate Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner gets most of the attention among draft prospects coming out of the Cincinnati Bearcats’ 2021 secondary. But Cook was a big part of the equation, with 96 total tackles (five tackles for loss), one sack and nine pass breakups last season.

The Lions re-signed Tracy Walker, but there’s a void at the other safety spot that seems destined to be filled in the draft. Cook is a good all-around player, able to make an impact against the running game, cover the slot or play effectively in zone coverage. There are questions about his long speed, but a quote from a scout (via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein) says plenty enough about Cook.

"For me, it’s the mentality. He has that alpha personality to control his areas of the field.” — Area scout for NFC Team"

Fourth Round

The Lions don’t have a fourth-round pick right now.