5 players Detroit Lions should be watching in the 2023 Senior Bowl

3. Stanford CB Kyu Blu Kelly

Cornerback is the top need for the Lions. Kelly, the son of former Lions cornerback Brian Kelly, became a starter early in his freshman season at Stanford and didn’t look back. He has good size (6-foot, 193 pounds) and athleticism.

According to those on the ground in Mobile, Kelly especially stood out during Wednesday’s practice session, highlighted by a pick-6. A deep cornerback class may push him into Day 2 or early in Day 3, but Kelly could be an ideal pupil for new Lions cornerbacks coach Dre Bly.

2. Kansas State CB Julius Brents

Dion Hamilton got a close look at Brents this week coaching the American team defensive backs. The Kansas State product is a big corner (6-foot-3, 202 pounds), with ball skills in coverage and a willingness to stick his nose in against the run. He made Jeremiah’s list of 10 winners from Senior Bowl practice week, despite the NFL Network analyst entering the week with Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson (another one Dion Hamilton got a closer look) as his highest-ranked corner at the event.

Here’s what Jeremiah wrote:

"Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson is my highest-rated cornerback here in Mobile….However, the corner that excited me the most this week was Brents. At 6-foot-3, 202 pounds, he’s loose and fluid for a big player at the position"

Simply, Brents fits the size profile the Lions want in outside corners. A strong finish to Senior Bowl week could push him up their draft board.