Detroit Lions 3-round post-Senior Bowl 2023 mock draft

Second Round

Sanders transferred from Alabama to Arkansas in 2022, and he emerged big time as an all-around force last season for the Razorbacks (103 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles). He was used as a middle linebacker and off the edge in Barry Odom’s scheme. That sack total was 10th in FBS, and his 103 tackles was third in the SEC.

Sanders is a potential first-round pick—Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has him going all the way up at No. 8 to the Atlanta Falcons in his first 2023 mock. But positional value may lead him to drop some.

The Lions could use further reinforcements at linebacker, and talent injections all over the defense, so Sanders was a fairly easy pick here.

Moving T.J. Hockenson at the 2022 trade deadline didn’t necessarily create a production void at tight end for the Lions, as without Hockenson for over half the season the single-season franchise record for touchdowns from the position was set (12). But there is absolutely a talent void at the position that could be filled this offseason.

Kincaid finished top-10 in the Pac-12 in receptions (70; tied for fourth) and receiving yards (890; seventh) last season, with eight touchdowns (tied for third in the conference). He had eight touchdowns in each of his final two seasons at Utah, while averaging 13.3 yards per catch over that span.

Marcus Mosher of Pro Football Focus tabbed Kincaid as one of the 10 most underrated prospects in the 2023 draft and a potential steal on Day 2 of the draft.

"One of the best position groups in this year’s class is tight end, which includes Kincaid. The Utah product is one of the country’s most productive receiving tight ends, catching 106 passes for 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Kincaid had the highest receiving grade (91.8) among all tight ends in college football last season, even over Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Georgia’s Brock Bowers. He finished second in yards per route run (2.44) in the nation while recording the second-most yards after the catch (479). He has a massive catch radius and can also do damage after the catch, which is now a must at the tight end position in the NFL."

It’s easy to say the Lions should not draft a tight end at all this year, let alone in the second round. Too easy, in fact. Kincaid was impossible to ignore at pick 55.