NFL Draft analytics suggest the Lions absolutely blew it this year

The 2024 NFL Draft was a massive success, as the Detroit Lions and their fan base sent a clear message to the league.

Detroit wasn't messing around, breaking the all-time record for draft attendance.

You can twist and turn draft grades whichever way you want, but one particular analytics expert, Kevin Cole, seems to believe the Lions missed the mark, and in a massive way.

Did the Lions give up too much in their draft day trades?

Most of Cole's beef comes by way of the Lions' draft trades, which they received a pretty negative mark for, all in all. Cole seems to believe the Lions gave up way too much, all together, in order to make the moves they did over the weekend.

In order to move up five spots and select Terrion Arnold, the Lions gave up pick no. 29 and a 2024 third rounder. That does seem like a steep price to pay in order to move up just five spots, but if Arnold pans out as a top corner in this league, then no one is going to question the deal.

The trade up for Giovanni Manu, in Round 4, seemed to be one that raised a lot of eyebrows. After all, Giovanni was the consensus 333rd overall prospect and Detroit moved up in order to pick him at no. 126 overall. To get Manu, the Lions gave up a future third-round pick. So, if you think about it, Detroit spent a third-round pick on a player who very well could have gone undrafted.

Later in the fourth round, the Lions traded picks 164, 201 and a 2025 fourth rounder in order to move up to pick no. 132 and select Utah safety/running back Sione Vaki. Detroit also got pick 210 back in the deal as well. But, it's still quite a bit to give up for a guy the Lions are going to use at running back, when they already have Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

Finally, Detroit traded their sixth-round pick this year along with their seventh rounder in order to move up 16 spots and select LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo.

Overall, Detroit sacrificed a lot of draft capital to get the guys they were targeting. If the majority of those guys turn into impact players, then no one will bat an eye.

However, at first glance, one might be able to see just where Cole is coming from with his draft grades.