Detroit Lions 7-round pre-Super Bowl mock draft: Targeting needs without hesitation
Third Round, No. 92 overall: Jamari Thrash, WR, Louisville
The Lions may lose Josh Reynolds (or let him leave?) in free agency, and the similar options available on the open market aren't all that enticing. Amon-Ra St. Brown is locked into his role as the No. 1 guy, and Jameson Williams is lined up for a bigger role next season, but depth is a thing.
After topping 1,100 yards for Georgia State in 2022, Thrash transferred to Louisville for a fifth college season and acquitted himself fairly well in the ACC (63 catches for 858 yards, six touchdowns). He is coming off a strong week in Mobile too, making the daily standouts list from Pro Football Focus's Trevor Sikkema twice.
Thrash isn't big (6-foot-0, 180-185 pounds) or all that fast, but he is well-regarded as an all-around polished receiver with route-running prowess, a high football IQ and good overall traits even if his measurables won't leap off the page.
That sort of sounds like the pre-draft evaluations of St. Brown, which pushed him down to the fourth round in 2021, doesn't it?
Jamari Thrash continues to thrive at the Senior Bowl👀@LouisvilleFB
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 1, 2024
pic.twitter.com/xm8lSBF5A3
Fourth Round
The Lions sent their 2024 fourth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in the T.J. Hockenson trade. That trade yielded them an extra third-round pick this year. So as of rigth now, they will have a long wait between picks.
Fifth Round, No. 162 overall: Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College
In just nine games for Boston College last season, Jones had five interceptions, eight pass breakups and two ACC Player of the Week awards. He left the team in November due to a personal issue that was not injury-related, which may or may impact his draft stock as NFL teams get an answer there.
Jones has good length (6-foot-2), and he clearly had good ball skills (36 career pass breakups at B.C., seven interceptions over his last two seasons). He was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster, but he's another prospect who had a strong week of practices according to analysts on the ground in Mobile.
There are concerns about his bulk (184 pounds) and top-end speed, but the Lions easily take a shot at another cornerback here in the fifth round.