Detroit Lions Day 3 2024 mock draft: Projecting the final picks

Fifth Round, Pick No. 164: Jalen Coker, WR, Holy Cross

Coker had at least 50 catches in each of his last three seasons at Holy Cross, topping 17 yards a catch in each of the last two with 26 touchdowns over that span. The step up to the NFL will be a big one, and his time speed is not great (4.57 40 at the NFL Combine).

Coker had good size (6-foot-1, 208 pounds) with good ball skills and physicality. A deeper look at his athletic testing numbers in Indianapolis shows a 42.5-inch vertical jump (highest among wide receivers) and 10-foot-8-inch broad jump. He gets high marks for route-running, and he has reliable hands.

With some time to develop, Coker could absolutely become a very good NFL wide receiver.

Sixth Round, Pick No. 201: Trey Taylor, S, Air Force

Taylor started his career at Air Force as a running back, before moving to safety. Over three seasons he started 36 of 38 games, totaling 205 tackles (11 tackles for loss), six interceptions and 13 pass breakups. Last season, he won the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in the country.

Taylor spent time in the slot in college, and he did show he could handle himself in man coverage at the Shrine Bowl. He's got a playmaking acumen, almost to a fault that led to way too many missed tackles. His character intangibles are considered off the charts, as could be expected from a player coming out of a military academy,

The Lions are lacking safety depth in a major way, with injury question marks for both current starters (though Brian Branch's move toward more snaps at safety may be accelerated by the drafting of two cornerbacks). Taylor could be an immediate contributor on special teams, and maybe more down the road.