The Detroit Lions might've just found a perfect Kalif Raymond replacement all the way in the 5th round of the NFL draft.
Kentucky's Kendrick Law, a wide receiver with massive speed, was grabbed by Detroit on Day 3 after another trade up with an AFC East squad. This time, the Lions made a move with the Buffalo Bills to get up to the 168th overall pick. In exchange, the Lions gave up their 181st pick and 213th pick.
The immediate reaction to this pick is, likely, "who?" That's probably quickly followed by "why?" After a run on defenders on Day 3, the Lions opted for a receiver with pretty ho-hum stats from his Wildcat days.
Well, looking at who the Lions lost this offseason - specifically, Kalif Raymond to the Chicago Bears - it's obvious that Detroit had a huge need on special teams. Law can immediately compete to be the Lions' main punt returner.
Lions fill a sneaky need with Law pick
Law finished up his career at Kentucky with 883 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while he shined as a returner in his 2023 season. Then, he had 17 returns for 405 total yards, for an average of 23.8 yards per return. He clocked in with a 4.45 40-yard dash,
NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein on Law's potential in the NFL:
"He has strong hands to make contested grabs and breaks tackles on a regular basis with the ball in his hands. Law’s special-teams background at Alabama helps but might not be enough for him to stick on a roster."
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This isn't an exactly inspiring write-up, but the Lions had to take a stab at adding some depth on special teams with this pick. While Jimmy Rolder, the Lions' 4th round pick, might've been another special teams addition defensively, Law could be an explosive returner if developed well enough.
Dane Brugler wrote in his Law profile featured in "The Beast," "Law is unimpressive on paper because of his college usage and underwhelming production. But the tape and testing have NFL evaluators believing there is more to his game."
That screams Brad Holmes: betting on what's under the hood for a prospect, and more specifically, betting on your coaching staff to get the most out of an under performer. If he can hone his athleticism and speed into becoming a returner for the Lions, then they've found the cheapest Raymond replacement imaginable.
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