Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions felt great on Thursday night, leaving with their guy in Tyleik Williams, but with six picks still remaining for Detroit, there is more work to be done. Holmes has done some of his best work on day two of the NFL Draft, taking guys like Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, who just signed an extension, and Sam LaPorta all during rounds two and three.
The Lions enter day two on Friday with two picks, 60 and 102. In a deep draft, I expect Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell to make these picks count and do some damage on day two.
3 realistic prospects the Lions can take on Day 2 of the NFL Draft
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Of course, starting with an edge rusher, Nic Scourton may be the perfect pick for the Lions if he is available at 60. Scourton started his college career at Purdue, where he had a 50-tackle and 10-sack season in 2023 before transferring to Texas A&M. His teammate on the defensive line, Shemar Stewart, was drafted by the Bengals in the first round, and it’s fair to expect both of these edge rushers to have great NFL careers.
An anonymous AFC scout told NFL.com a little about Scourton, and he seems to be exactly what Holmes and Campbell look for. "He plays his tail off and he's always in the middle of everything," said the AFC scout. "He's a force player like George Karlaftis was coming out, but Scourton has a little more rush."
Miles Frazier, OG, LSU
Offensive guard is a position the Lions have to address in this year's draft, and Miles Frazier is a very realistic option for Detroit. Frazier was a four-year starter at FIU and LSU in his college career. He started 10 games at left tackle and was a Freshman All-American in his first season at FIU, before transferring to LSU and playing 37 games in three seasons at guard for the Tigers. Frazier was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2023, given to the nation's top offensive lineman.
Frazier is a specimen at 6'6", 317 pounds, and NFL.com lists his player comparison as former Lions guard Jonah Jackson. Scouts are slightly concerned about his hand movement at times while blocking, but his footwork excels, and I don't see hand movement being an issue for Holmes and this staff.
Unless the Lions decide to go with a guard in the second round, he could absolutely be the late third-round pick for Detroit.
Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
While it may be a stretch for the Lions to be in position to draft Jayden Higgins or Luther Burden III, Jalen Royals may be right in that late second-round range for Detroit. Royals is a guy with a ton of potential, running a 1.49 10-yard split, tied for the best of any player at the entire NFL Combine. In just two years of real college production, Royals was an All-Conference player in the Mountain West both years.
According to draft analyst Lance Zierlein, Royals is a very instinctive wide receiver who knows where he needs to be and uses that twitchy speed to get there. Royals is very dominant after the catch, but sometimes finds himself running before the ball is caught.
"Royals might lack desired explosiveness, but he makes up for it with his body control and feel for the game," said Zierlein in his pre-draft evaluation. "He has good size and is keenly aware of defenders around him, which allows him to adjust routes and improve his chances on contested catches."
If the Lions do end up taking a day-two wideout, Royals could be the perfect complement to Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.