The Detroit Lions could look to make an addition to their linebacking corps in the draft, and these 5 look like particularly good fits.
By all easy to see indications and deeper accounts, the Detroit Lions like their group of linebackers. But a closer looks says Malcolm Rodriguez (a sixth-round steal last year) is a keeper, with fellow starter Alex Anzalone merely an average player at his best and Derrick Barnes an interesting and still somewhat promising player in a lilkely rotational role.
The Lions won’t be taking a linebacker at No. 6 overall, not any of them would be worthy anyway in a class at the position that lacks someone of that ilk. At No. 18 is unlikely too, but a trade down from there into the 20s overall might make it interesting to widen the possible options to a linebacker as the proverbial “best player available.”
In the Day 2 and Day 3 range of the draft, the Lions could easily inject some talent into their linebacking corps. Someone who can help in pass coverage and/or as an athletic match for mobile quarterbacks would be particularly good based on last year’s struggles. Brad Holmes could lean to Day 3 after finding Rodriguez and James Houston there last year.
On the idea the Lions’ linebacking corps is not off-limits in this draft, and in some ways it’s a sneaky future need, here are five linebackers who look like good fits.
5 best linebacker fits for the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft
5. Trenton Simpson, Clemson
Simpson is a possible first-round pick, which drops him to this spot on this list for the Lions. But some mock drafts have given him to them with one of their two second-round picks. He’s even be tabbed to them at No. 18 a time or two recently.
Simpson is an automatic coverage upgrade at linebacker for Detroit.
In his career at Clemson, he allowed just 406 receiving yards across 612 coverage snaps. He’s played all over the field–in the slot, across the box, back deep and even a couple of snaps out wide. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder had 72 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles last season. In 2021, he had 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. So he is not just a “coverage guy”, he’s an all-around talent.
Simpson also showed he’s an elite athlete at the Combine, running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash along with a 40.5-inch vertical.
If Simpson falls into the second round, at least what feels most likely if they’re going to take him, he could land with the Lions.
4. Jack Campbell, Iowa
In some ways, Campbell’s style makes him a close clone to Rodriguez. The 2022 Butkus Award winner as the country’s top linebacker had 125 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss last season, after he posted 140 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and six pass breakups in 2021. He had a sack and at least 3.5 tackles for loss in each of his last three seasons at Iowa, with five sacks over that span (two each in 2021 and 2022).
Beyond the possible pigeonhole that may be inherent for some an “Iowa linebacker”, it’s easy to see some athletic limitations in Campbell’s tape–and that matters the most. But he posted the top Next Gen Stats estimated Athleticism Score among linebackers at the NFL Combine, fueled by a 4.65 40-yard dash, a 37.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-8-inch broad jump at 6-foot-5 and 249 pounds. High-end athleticism and high-level production? An NFL team will willingly sign up for that, likely in the early part of the second round.
Campbell reeks of the intangibles and physicality the Lions covet, with perhaps underappreciated all-aroud ability as more than a run-stopping thumber and one of the best pure tacklers in this linebacker class. At pick No. 48 or 55, if he happens to be available, he may be a quick pick for Detroit.
3. Noah Sewell, Oregon
Yes, everyone loves the narrative of Sewell being a Detroit Lion like his brother Penei. And for his part, the younger Sewell told reporters at the Combine that he’d like it too.
“If I get drafted by the Lions it’ll be truly a blessing,”
But Noah Sewell the football player is a nice-looking fit for the Lions. He had a big sophomore season at Oregon in 2021, with 114 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and five pass breakups. A role change, and a disappointing campaign for the Ducks’ defense, brought a drop-off in production. He’s still considered a Day 2 draft pick though. Over three seasons for the Ducks, he posted 218 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and nine pass breakups.
Sewell is on the bigger side for an off-ball linebacker, at nearly 250 pounds (246 pounds officially at the Combine). He said it came up in interviews with teams in Indianapolis, but he dismissed it as any kind of hinderance to his game.
"They do question my weight a little bit,” he said. “I am on the heavier side of the scale, but I like to kind of stay away from those typical linebackers. I like to be unique with my weight. I can move around, I’m dynamic, I’m athletic and I think I bring a lot to the table with my weight.”"
Sewell ran a decent 4.64 40-yard dash at the Combine, with a 33-inch vertical and 27 bench press reps. He’s athletic enough, even with likely coverage limitations at the next level, with a motor the Lions should love and power as a tackler. On Day 2, potentially with their third-round pick (No. 81 overall), he may indeed join his brother in Honolulu Blue.
2. Drew Sanders, Arkansas
For whatever it’s worth, Sanders had a top-30 visit with the Lions. He’s getting some first-round consideration in mock drafts, and he could go off the board late on Thursday night.
Sanders started his college career as a backup at Alabama. In search of a better opportunity to play, as one might be inclined to if he can’t climb Nick Saban’s depth chart, he transferred to Arkansas in 2022. He was then unveiled as a versatile chess piece in defensive coordinator Barry Odom’s scheme, with 103 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups last season. Pro Football Focus credited him with 39 quarterback pressures last season (h/t to Ben Raven of MLive).
As easily expected, Sanders tested very well at the NFL Combine (4.65 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, 9.98 Relative Athletic Score).
Simply put, Sanders showed himself as a playmaker in his one year as a college starter (you know, with the actual opportunity to start). He looks like a great fit for the Lions, and a linebacker they may have high enough on their draft board to take the plunge at No. 18 overall.
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.