5 wide receivers who look like a fit for the Detroit Lions in 2024 NFL Draft

The list of offseason needs for the Detroit Lions is rooted on the defensive side of the ball, namely cornerback, edge rusher and possibly defensive tackle. On the offensive side, guard and overall offensive line depth has a place on the list.

The Lions have all the pieces that made them one of the better offenses in the league the last couple seasons, and those same pieces will make sure they remain one of the best offenses in the NFL. But there's an angle, shared among some analysts, that says a big-bodied receiver who can make contested catches and be a red zone factor is a missing piece.

It's unlikely the Lions will take a wide receiver with their first-round pick (No. 29 overall), and they shouldn't. Even the second round (pick No. 61) would probably feel like a stretch to take a wide receiver. Third round (picks 73 and 92)? Maybe.

The Lions were reported to have had three formal meetings with wide receivers at the NFL Combine. They certainly fit a certain height profile.

Brian Thomas is widely regarded as a potential first round pick, so he would seem to be out of the conversation for the Lions and the formal meeting might not have been more meaninful than due diligence. Florida State's Keon Coleman, a Michigan State transfer who the Lions did not meet with at the combine, is also in the first round conversation and seemingly out of the Lions' range. Even if he wouldn't mind starting his pro career back in Michigan.

These five wide receivers could be on the Lions' draft radar.

5 wide receivers the Detroit Lions could take in the 2024 NFL Draft

5. Adonai Mitchell, Texas

A Georgia transfer, Mitchell did well in his lone season at Texas (845 yards, 11 touchdowns). He is big (6-2, 205 pounds) faster than it was expected he'd be (4.34 40-yard dash at the combine). He profiles as an ideal "X" receiver at the next level, as NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah suggested.

"Mitchell has outstanding size, toughness and polish for the position. He is deceptively fast because of his long stride. He has surprisingly good route polish for a bigger receiver. He understands how to change tempo, and he's clean getting in and out of breaks. It looks like he gets a little lazy at times on the back side of routes, assuming the ball is going elsewhere. Overall, though, Mitchell is an ideal X receiver. He can make plays when covered, and he's a real weapon in the red zone."

The question with Mitchell, especially now after he ran one of the fastest 40 time among wide receivers at the combine, is if he'll at be an option for the Lions. Otherwise, he'd be higher on this list. Mock drafts generally have him in the late first-round, early second round area, and his game tape pairs well with what he did athletically during on-field work in Indianapolis.

But maybe, against the grain a little bit, the Lions could considering trading up for Mitchell if he falls out of the first round. Or they could just take him at No. 29 if he's there.