4 players Detroit Lions should've drafted at No. 126 instead of Giovanni Manu

4. S Jaden Hicks

Safety depth is a real concern for the Lions right now. Behind projected starters Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu, there's 2023 UDFA Brandon Joseph and the notion that Brian Branch will play more snaps at safety next season. A post-draft free agent signing of a veteran safety seems like a lock, but an addition could have been made in the draft.

Hicks (6-foot-2 215 pounds) is a versatile safety, with the coverage skills of a former cornerback (which he is), the ability to play in the box and capability as a blitzer (2.5 sacks last season). He can easily be an immediate special teams contributor, and he could very well become more down the road.

The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs took Hicks at pick No. 133. You could say he wouldn't be any more of a notable immediate contributor for the Lions than Manu will be as a rookie, but at least there'd be a better path to seeing the field.

3. DE Mohamed Kamara

Kamara got a third round projection from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, the general mock draft consensus had him in the fourth round and he ultimately was taken in the fifth round (No. 158) by the Miami Dolphins.

Kamara progressively improved his production over his career at Colorado State, culminating in 13 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, a top-10 Pro Football Focus pass rushing grade (91.2) and 64 quarterback pressures (per PFF) last season.

The Lions were widely projected to come out of the draft with an edge rusher, and they did not. Kamara seems like the kind of player they like (production, playing style) that doesn't necessarily wow with measurables. Taking him at No. 126 might have been a tad aggressive, but at least there's a Division 1-level resume of production here.