With the 2023 season season over for all but two teams right now, days before Super Bowl LVIII, 2024 mock draft season is here in full-force (much to the chagrin of some).
The Detroit Lions are picking late in the first round for the first time in a while, and at No. 29 overall for the first time ever. If we know anything about general manager Brad Holmes, he won't be married to a certain position and the proverbial "best player available" will broadly be in play.
Still, it's fair to assume the defensive side of the ball will be a focus in the first round-cornerback and edge rusher in particular. Those spots were Achilles' heels for the team at various points all season, the latter other than Aidan Hutchinson of course, and cornerback play was an eyesore late in the season.
As Super Bowl weeks winds down, let's take a look at where some recent mock drafts have the Lions going with at pick 29.
Detroit Lions Super Bowl week mock draft roundup
Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers, Pro Football Focus, Eric Edholm, NFL.com and Connor Livesay of The 33rd Team
- CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
Rakestraw missed the Senior Bowl due to a core muscle injury he played most of his final season at Missouri with. Still, he's regarded as a potential first-round pick. Edholm noted the medical evaluation aspect here, as Rakestraw also suffered a torn ACL in 2021, while noting he's "tough-minded, a willing tackler and adept in man coverage" to make himself a nice fit for the Lions.
Chris Trappaso, CBS Sports and Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
- DL Darius Robinson, Missouri
Another Missouri product, Robinson had 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss last season. Trapasso thinks he could go higher than No. 29, while Zierlein noted his move out to defensive end for his final college season. In any case, if he's available, Robinson would be an interesting addition to the Lions' defensive line.
Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network
- CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
DeJean is a pick some Lions' fans want right now, and here's what Sanchez wrote about him.
"This will be no shocker at all. The Lions need to address the secondary. Cooper DeJean is a corner with length and athleticism that can find the football. This is exactly the type of player that fits well with the Lions' culture."
DeJean may go higher than No. 29, but a deep cornerback class could lead to him falling. He is a very nice fit for the Lions if things go this way and he's the best player on their board.
Lorenzo Reyna, Pro Football Network
- CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
A strong week at the Senior Bowl has seemingly pushed Mitchell up the first round to the point the Lions will have no chance to get him if they stay put at No. 29. With 37 pass breakups over his last two seasons at Toledo, he is the kind of fast, sticky cover corner the Lions (and a lot of teams) need, and any concerns about his level of competition in the MAC have been put to bed. A bit of a dream pick here, but time will tell.
Tankathon and Sayre Bedinger, NFL Spin Zone
- CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
We here at SideLion Report also had the Lions taking Lassiter at No. 29 in our pre-Super Bowl mock draft.
More interceptions would be nice to see on Lassiter's stat sheet over his three years at Georgia (one total). But he posted a nice 85.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season, as he allowed 15 receptions on 39 targets in his coverage along with eight pass breakups. While he's smaller than is considered ideal (6-foot, 180 pounds), he is a willing tackler (8.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons) with a good all-around skill set. His NFL learning curve should not be steep.
Lassiter is not going to be regarded as a first-round pick by some people, if only based on a lack of high-end measurables. For others (maybe the smart ones), he'll be well-regarded based on his game tape. The Lions could see him as a uniquely perfect fit.
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports, Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire
- CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
Holmes and Dan Campbell clearly like Alabama/Nick Saban era players, taking Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch over the last two drafts. It's easy to assume McKinstry will be gone before No. 29, perhaps well before. But maybe some risers at cornerback (Mitchell, etc.) and teams going with other positional needs will push him further down the first round than he should go.
McKinstry is another option at No. 29 a segment of Lions' fans want badly right now.
In general, as would be the public sentiment, mock drafters see a cornerback as the first pick for Detroit in April.