The Detroit Lions are in a good position, holding the second overall pick in the draft, and here are three options they should consider.
The NFL Draft is just under a month away, and as usual with the Detroit Lions it’s a time for fans to hope for a player who will help to change the trajectory of the franchise. After a season where the Lions finished 3-13-1, there is much to be desired. There are many directions that Detroit could go in this draft. When you finish with that kind of record, there are a lot of holes to fill.
There are some elite offensive line prospects at the top of this class, but that might be the strongest area on the Lions roster. However, there is still a whole lot of talent in this draft. If head coach Dan Campbell is looking to continue beefing up the trenches of this team, this is a good draft to do it.
While there is a lot of talent at the top of this draft, there seem to be a few moves that make some sense for this front office to make. While quarterback may seem like the most glaring issue for the Lions to figure out, this may not be the draft to do it if you buy the consensus that it’s a very weak class of signal callers. General manager Brad Holmes has been publicly open about the idea of trading down from the second overall pick, dating back to the Senior Bowl, as if he’d say anything else though. Shutting the door on anything is bad business.
With plenty of options to think about, let’s look at three moves the Detroit Lions should consider with the No. 2 overall pick.
3 moves the Detroit Lions should consider with the second overall pick
Option 1: Draft Aidan Hutchinson
This is a no-brainer if he is on the board. Pro Football Focus ranks Hutchinson alongside likes of Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa and Chase Young in terms of comps, all of whom have become game-changing talents at the next level. He’s strong, has great hands, and is relentless at the point of attack and helped to turn lead last year’s Michigan team to a College Football Playoff appearance. His value goes beyond his football talent. He is a galvanizer, and a leader through and through. Just watch any interview he has ever done, and you’ll see why he was such a valuable piece for the Wolverines.
The issue is that Hutchinson may not be available at No. 2. Mock draft momentum has the Jacksonville Jaguars taking him first overall, but make no mistake if Hutchinson is available at No. 2 Detroit should and surely will take him. It’s been a long time since Detroit had a dominant defensive end. Hutchinson is the type of talent and personality that not only changes your defense, but changes the trajectory of your whole team. He comes off as a “Dan Campbell” kind of guy.
Option 2: Draft Kyle Hamilton
Another much-talked-about talent in this draft, Kyle Hamilton, is a do-it-all safety who is big, fast, and strong, all the characteristics you would want at the position. He is ranked by many different sources as the No. 1 talent in this draft, regardless of position. A 4.56 40-time at Notre Dame’s Pro Day is deceiving, and most evaluators don’t seem all that concerned about it.
While drafting Hamilton at No. 2 may seem high, his talent is worthy of the draft spot in rare historical air for safeties. It’s easy to compare him to Jamal Adams, and use that as a reason to not draft Hamilton so high. But people forget that before Adams went to Seattle, he was worthy of his draft spot (No. 6 overall) with the Jets and earned a big contract.
Drafting Hamilton would give the Lions a safety who can make an impact across the field (as a run defender, in coverage and as a blitzer?) to pair with the re-signed Tracy Walker. He could lock down a safety spot, and be a defensive centerpiece for Detroit, for the next decade. With the issues the Lions have had in the secondary for a while, and particularly at safety opposite Walker last year, they could use a talent like Hamilton to shore it up. Even if it means taking him at No. 2.
Option 3: Trade Down
Most people probably aren’t excited about this option if you’re a Lions fan. Trading down just isn’t fun. However, if Hutchinson is gone and Detroit doesn’t feel great about Hamilton or Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 2, then they could try and trade down and accumulate more draft picks for this year or down the road. There is a whole lot of talent that will be drafted in the top-10 Detroit could go for with a move down.
Philadelphia has three first-round picks they could come to Detroit with. The New York Giants and New York Jets both have two first-rounders. Some of the teams in the 3-10 range are vying for the best offensive linemen, so if they get ansty Detroit may be able to trade back and still get a great talent. Someone like LSU cornerback Derek Stingley could be a game-changing corner for Detroit. Past wiffs on cornerback selections and signings should not be a deterrent (see Jeffrey Okudah and Desmond Trufant).
The turnaround for Detroit is a long haul right now. Trading down to grab more talent in the future, while still getting top-end talent now, may be the way to go. While it may not be the fans’ favorite decision, moving down a bit could be the right way to go to keep rebuilding this thing the right way.