5 best linebacker fits for Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft

1. Daiyan Henley, Washington State

Somewhere between a Senior Bowl lauding from the aforementioned Ben Raven of MLive and the sentiment from Mike Payton of Pride of Detroit in a recent mock draft, I became a big fan of Henley.

Henley had an interesting college career. Over four seasons at Nevada, he played wide receiver, kick returner, both safety spots and as a slot defender. He became a linebacker in 2020, and in 2021 he emerged with 94 tackles and four interceptions for the Wolfpack. Then he moved on to Washington State in 2022, and finished with 106 tackles (12 tackles for loss), four sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception last season.

Henley gets very high marks for his coverage ability (82.6 PFF coverage grade over the last two seasons), the energy he plays with and his sideline-to-sideline range. And based on numbers he posted over his last two college seasons, he’s not exactly a liability against the run. Knocks on him start with being on the small side (6-foot-1, 225 pounds), and go to a lack of instincts or diagnosis ability that feel rooted in a pure lack of experience playing linebacker. So there’s inherent upside.

On Day 2 of the draft, with any of their three picks getting down to it, Henley should absolutely be on the Lions’ radar.