Detroit Lions post-Super Bowl 7-round mock draft: Reshaping the CB depth chart

Fourth Round

The Lions don't have a fourth round pick in the 2024 draft right now,

Fifth Round, No. 162 Overall: Jordan Jefferson, DT, LSU

After four seasons at West Virginia, Jefferson transferred to LSU for his final college season and had 36 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. The previous season for the Mountaineers, he had 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Jefferson comes in at 315 pounds, but Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network noted his first-step explosiveness, lateral agility, high motor and scheme versatility as his strong points. He's got some work to do in development as a pass rusher, but new defensive line coach Tyrell Williams would have something to work with here.

Sixth Round, No. 206 Overall: Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE, Minnesota

Sam LaPorta is an obvious stud, but the Lions don't have a lot behind him. No. 2 tight end Brock Wright is a restricted free agent but likely to be back, while James Mitchell is still a mystery now heading toward his third season. Some upside in the mix behind LaPorta might be nice to have.

Spann-Ford was held back by a lackluster (to put it mildly) quarterback situation at Minnesota. He has size (6-foot-7, 263 pounds), with the ability line up in-line or flexed out in a formation. He is regarded as adequate but with potential to develop as a blocker, with some intriguing traits as a pass catcher.

LaPorta credited having Dan Campbell (a former tight end of course) as his head coach for how quickly he hit the ground running as a rookie. Spann-Ford is far more of a developmental flier of course, but picks outside the top-200 go this works.

Seventh Round, No. 246 Overall: Josh Karty, K, Stanford

Drafting a kicker will be a non-starter for most people, when you can "probably just sign one as an undrafted free agent." But somewhere in their final couple picks, doing so could be on the Lions' radar.

Karty is line to be drafted, and if the NFC Championship Game showed anything for sure it's that having a kicker that is at all an option outdoors from longer distance in a big spot is meaningful. Even if Campbell might not use the option, Michael Badgley was not an option at all based on his track record from 45-plus yards out.

Karty missed one extra point and made 85 percent of his field goals over three seasons at Stanford. Three of his four field goal misses last season were from 50-plus yards out, with a long make of 56. His career-long was 61 yards.

A short list of big needs for the Lions this offseason makes using their final 2024 pick on a kicker a viable option-like it or not.