Detroit Lions complete pre-draft interest in O’Cyrus Torrence with top-30 visit

The Detroit Lions are in the market for guards in the draft, and they’ve gone right to the top of the heap with interest in Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence.

With no offensive guards under contract beyond the 2023 season, the Detroit Lions are in the market at the position in the draft. They’ve had plenty of them in for pre-draft visits, and accordin to Justin Melo of The Draft Network Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence was in for a top-30 visit on Tuesday.

Torrence started his college career at Louisiana, then he followed head coach Billy Napier to Gainesville last year. A right guard over his last three college seasons, he did not allow a sack in his college career and he had an impressive showing against Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter last season.

Not many guards rarely go in the first-round, but Torrence is in that conversation this year.

2023 NFL Draft: O’Cyrus Torrence looks like a great fit for the Detroit Lions

Lions left guard Jonah Jackson seems likely to get a contract extension, as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. So let’s assume he stays around for awhile.

Right guard is a much more fluid situation for the Lions. Halapoulivaati Vaitai missed all of last season with a back injury, and he’s truly only back in the fold because he took a pay cut. Graham Glasgow was brought back to Detroit as a versatile piece on the interior line, and he will compete with Vaitai for the starting job at right guard as we sit right now. Both are on one-year deals though.

Torrence would all but surely be an immediate starter for the team that drafts him. For the Lions he wouldn’t necessarily be an immediate starter, but he is a legit option with the 18th overall pick. And as Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire pointed out, he’s a fit for the Lions’ scheme and an ideal pupil for offensive line coach Hank Fraley.

A top-20 pick feels aggressive to draft a guard, especially with more urgent needs on the Lions’ roster. But Torrence is arguably the best guard in this year’s draft, and the Lions simply completed their pre-draft work on him after meeting with him at the Senior Bowl and Florida’s Pro Day.