Detroit Lions 7-round mock draft: Narrowing down a wide range of outcomes

Fourth Round

The Lions do not have a fourth-round pick.

Fifth Round

Zavala will have a pre-draft visit with the Lions, as they are clearly doing some homework on guards. He started his entire college career, between Division II Fairmont and N.C. State, at left guard. Last season for the Wolfpack he was a First Team All-ACC selection, credited with 31 pancake blocks, and at N.C. State’s Pro Day (he was a Combine snub) he benched 225 pounds 30 times with a 32.5-inch vertical jump at 325 pounds.

The Lions have zero guards under contract beyond 2023 right now, so it’s a definite need spot to consider. Zavala was somewhat of a no-brainer here.

Sixth Round

The Lions are certainly in the market to draft a quarterback, and as late-round prospects go there’s a lot to like about Thompson-Robinson.

A top prospect coming out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Thompson-Robinson was a five-year starter at UCLA as he set multiple program records and fell just short of passing Cade McNown as the school’s all-time passing yardage leader.

Thompson steadily improved over his time under Chip Kelly, with 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions over his final two seasons. Last season, his 69.6 percent completion rate was sixth in FBS (minimum 250 pass attempts). He is also very mobile, with the ability to make plays on the run and 28 rushing touchdowns during his college career.

In Detroit, Thompson-Robinson would be able to sit behind Jared Goff for a year and perhaps take over as the starter in 2024.

A five-star recruit out of high school, Haselwood transferred from Oklahoma to Arkansas for his final college season and posted easy career-bests in catches (59) and yards (702). A torn ACL cost him most of the 2020 season.

Haselwood is not overly athletic, but he has good size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds at the Combine) and is a solid contested catch guy. Evaluations vary regarding his work/willingness as a blocker (especially as a run blocker), but it’s fair to say that’s an area he’ll have to make a mark in if he plans to stick at all in the NFL.

Overall, Haselwood would seem to have some untapped potential he never realized as a college player. Using a sixth-round pick to see what he might have, and to stash him on the practice squad if it comes to that, is worth it for the Lions..

Seventh Round

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