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

The 2023 NFL season is officially over, so now it's fully on to and into the offseason. The next tentpole event on the league calendar is the NFL Combine, coming in a couple weeks, as the pre-draft process starts to hit a feverish pitch.

The pre-draft process, as always, has already launched with the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. There were of course the expected lists of standouts and those who didn't perform well during those events, with some players appearing on both kinds of lists depending on the outlet.

The Detroit Lions have seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft right now, including four in the top-100 as general manager Brad Holmes will be able to keep stocking the cupboard with young talent.

Using Pro Football Network's mock draft simulator, here's a fresh, post-Super Bowl seven-round mock draft for the Lions.

Detroit Lions post-Super Bowl 7-Round Mock Draft

First Round, No. 29 Overall: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Mitchell had a strong week down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, which has vaulted him up in the first round conversation as potentially the first cornerback off the board. Over his last two seasons at Toledo, he had 37 pass breakups with six interceptions (five in 2022).

Pro Football Focus was very high on Mitchell's work, with a 92.5 overall coverage grade in 2022 and a 91.5 grade last season. Breaking down to man and zone coverage, PFF gave him grades of 88.7 and 85.9 respectively there.

Any concern about the level of competition Mitchell faced in college was effectively put to bed going against some top wide receiver prospects down in Mobile. It was a surprise to see him last to No. 29 in this mock run, but he did and I snapped him up.

Second Round, No. 61 Overall: Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri

Robinson has recently become a somewhat popular mock draft pick for the Lions in the first round, off a strong week at the Senuor Bowl. To some degree, it feels unlikely he'll last beyond the top-50 overall. Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus is the most recent to tie Robinson to the Lions at No. 29.

"I wouldn’t love Darius Robinson’s first-round fit for any team, but I can get on board with it for the Lions."

"The Tigers edge rusher enjoyed a standout week at the Senior Bowl, and everything we’ve heard suggests that he is a top-50 lock. He played as an interior defensive lineman his entire college career before losing some weight and playing edge in 2023. He’s not an edge-bender, but his interior background makes him a powerful 5-tech defensive end with pass-rush potential to play opposite."

Robinson had 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss last season at Missouri. Chris Trapasso thinks he could go higher than No. 29 in his most recent mock draft, while Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted his move out to defensive end for his final college season. That versatility would fit nicely on the Lions' defensive line.

Robinson is another player who may not fall to this specific pick for the Lions. But he was here in this mock spin, and I couldn't turn it down.

Third Round, No. 73 Overall: Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State

I'll channel Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports here with the same thought that the Lions could really use a big receiver who can make contested catches. Enter Wilson, who comes in at 6-foot-6 and 237 pounds with all the traits that size would suggest (catch radius, etc.); albeit with a surprising level of athleticism and other things we would generally associate with a smaller receiver.

Wilson had his best season for the Seminoles in 2022, with 43 catches for 897 yards (20.9 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. In three fewer games last season, he had 41 receptions for 617 yards and two touchdowns.

The biggest knock on Wilson is overall consistency, with drops as the headliner. But his raw talent stands to push him into the top 75-100 picks.

Third Round, No. 92 Overall: Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame

Hart also had a very good week at the Senior Bowl. He is a big corner (6-foot-2/6-foot-3, 200 pounds), with good overall skills to make a quick transition to the NFL.

In this clip from the Senior Bowl game, Hart recognized a run play and closed quickly to make a tackle for loss.

The Lions biggest offseason need is at cornerback. Hart feels like a steal here, following the pick of Mitchell in the first round.

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.