Detroit Lions 7-round pre-Super Bowl mock draft: Targeting needs without hesitation
Second Round, Pick No. 61: Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington
After the regular season ended, Trice was a somewhat popular mock draft pick for the Lions late in the first round. Easy to see as an Aidan Hutchinson clone, he had 16 sacks over the last two seasons at Washington (nine in 2022, seven this year) along with 12 and 11.5 tackles for loss respectively in those seasons.
As a high-motor player, he would clearly fit the mold as a "Dan Campbell guy" and a culture fit in Detroit. Apart from his sheer talent, Hutchinson has an unrelenting motor too. Pairing him with Trice would be a headache for opposing offensive tackles, and here in the second round this was an easy pick.
Third Round, No, 73 overall: Christian Haynes, OG, UConn
The Lions could lose both of their starting guards, Jonah Jackson and Graham Glasgow, in free agency. Jackson had a not-so-great contract year, while Glasgow raised his value exponentially with an excellent season back with the Lions. Getting younger and cheaper around center Frank Ragnow may become part of the mode by draft time.
Haynes was a four-year starter at right guard at UConn (49 straight starts). By all accounts he had a nice week down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, perhaps starting to push his draft position into the second round.
A notable moment during practices down in Mobile involved Haynes, when LSU defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson ripped Haynes' helmet off and threw it in a moment of frustration.
I was right behind the DL when this happened. Christian Haynes has that dawg in him. He shouted back at Jordan Jefferson, “if you’re scared go to church”!pic.twitter.com/1HvioKBSzD
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) January 31, 2024
Haynes may not ultimately fall to third round in late-April. But here in early February he did, so I grabbed him.