Detroit Lions 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Shoring up needs the NFC Championship Game exposed

It was a tale of two halves for the Detroit Lions and their NFC Championship Game performance.

At halftime, most fans would have thought this team to be destined for Super Bowl LVIII. But, the second half collapse sent Detroit packing.

Now, the team faces an offseason with questions around how they can get back to this stage a year from now. If you ask Dan Campbell, this season might have been their only shot, and he's just trying to tell the bold truth.

But, as the offseason kicks off for the Lions and we look ahead to free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, we can only hope that some of the pain points are alleviated going into next year. In our latest mock draft, that's exactly what we try to tackle.

The Detroit Lions quickly go after fixing a glaring issue in this 2024 NFL mock draft

The Lions finished the postseason allowing the second-most passing yards per game at 311.3, which was no surprise after Detroit ended the regular season allowing the sixth-most per game (247.4). Their secondary, while boasting some playmakers, could still use a boost, and specifically at the cornerback position.

For that reason, the Lions go with Penn State's Kalen King in the first round. A year after former teammate Joey Porter Jr. saw his name drafted early on, King now gets his shot.

The Penn State product definitely had a better season in 2022 than this past year, but still comes in as one of the better corners and a very real first-round possibility. In 2022, King ended with a whopping 18 passes defensed and three interceptions. He was also targeted more heavily due to the fact that quarterbacks were steering clear of Porter, too.

The 5-foot-11 defensive back is a quick-footed player who has a physical style that would fit in well with the mentality Dan Campbell has established. He's tough-nosed and doesn't allow very many big plays, while priding himself on being disciplined and not overly hasty.