Detroit might not be that worried about their cornerback room considering the ascension of Terrion Arnold and as they're anticipating another great year from D.J. Reed in 2026.
But, considering how fluid their safety situation is, they might need to add reinforcements there regardless. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are dealing with extremely precarious lower body injuries, with Joseph's being unbelievably vague. With that in mind, that means Detroit's cornerback room is going to have a ton on their plate defending the pass.
Luckily, this draft is chock-full of excellent options at both cornerback and safety, and in this mock draft, we land on a Quinyon Mitchell clone to add to their cornerback unit.
4-round mock draft has Lions netting Quinyon Mitchell clone
Round 1, Pick 17: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
With their first pick, the Lions take Mansoor Delane out of LSU. The cornerback is atop NFL.com scouting expert Lance Zierlein's cornerback prospect list, calling him a Day 1 starter for any team that drafts him. He writes of Delane:
"He excels in press coverage, altering release timing with punches and slides. Smooth hips and efficient footwork keep him connected in man coverage, while his processing allows for quick transitions in off-man and short zone looks. He has good top-end speed for vertical phasing but is inconsistent turning to find the football. While he locks in on the route at times, he’s rarely oblivious to the quarterback’s actions, allowing him to slam catch windows shut and play the football."
Fans might wonder what value adding another cornerback would be to the Lions' defense. The answer to that concern is that injuries continue to hamper their ability to run out a 100 percent healthy defense, year after year. Why not add bonafide starting insurance behind Arnold, Reed, and Ennis Rakestraw for a very affordable price?
READ MORE: One player the Lions can’t afford to overpay in free agency
Round 2, Pick 50: OT Gennings Dunker, Iowa
We've waxed poetic about what a great fit Gennings Dunker would be on the Lions' line, and that's why we stick with him at our 50th overall selection here. He was a Senior Bowl standout, and he's a flexible tackle who is open to playing along the line. It's unclear if he's down to swap over to the left side if Taylor Decker does decide to retire, but even if he can't, Penei Sewell can.
And, if Decker doesn't retire, Dunker is an excellent backup plan over Giovanni Manu.
Round 4, Pick 118: EDGE Anthony Lucas, USC
If the Lions trade for Maxx Crosby this offseason, the need for landing a blue-chip pass rusher in the draft drops significantly. A gamble on Anthony Lucas at 118th overall is a lot more digestible as a result. Lucas is a bit of a project edge rusher, but he has shown the ability to play along the line and succeed.
Detroit could use depth here, and Lucas is a good fit for that. If Ahmed Hassanein doesn't pan out for them in training camp or the preseason again, Lucas could step into that backup role.