The Detroit Lions will be on the clock in about 6 hours and it’s going to be interesting. Do they go out and piss their fans off by drafting another receiver or tight end? Or do they trade back in the first round? Maybe they stay put and draft a need at offensive line or defensive line? Nobody really knows what their big board looks like but below I give you an idea of what it could look like.
1. RB from Georgia — Todd Gurley — There’s no denying the need at running back for the Lions. If they were to go running back in the first round, there’s only one guy that I would want and that’s Todd Gurley. However, adding a running back in the first round will make things more complicated than it needs to be and there’s more feasible backs in this draft for the mid-rounds.
2. OT from Florida — D.J. Humphries — He’s my favorite offensive lineman in this draft and if he’s there, I’m screaming at the top of my lungs for them to take him. He fills a need on the offensive line and holds more value than any other offensive lineman in this draft. Highly unlikely though that he’s available at the 23rd pick.
3. OG/C from Florida State — Cameron Erving — Much like above, he fills a need and is a “hybrid” offensive lineman. He can play all over and would be an immediate starter for the Lions.
4. DT from Texas — Malcolm Brown — There’s no denying the need at defensive line with the departures of Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh. Brown is a great athlete and is a professional at that. Putting him next to Haloti Ngata seems ideal as he’s set to hit the market after the 2015 season.
5. OT from Oregon — Jake Fisher — Much like D.J Humphries, Jake Fisher is growing on team’s lists as a favorite to play left tackle in the NFL. I think he’s easily suited as a right tackle and would fit a need for the Lions. You could also say he’s a local kid as he’s from Traverse City, Michigan.
6.. CB from LSU — Jalen Collins — I understand the off the field issues with Collins but he’s an aggressive corner and a great athlete. Collins is also one of my favorite defensive backs in this draft class and could very well be a good pick for the Lions if they move back in the first round.
7. CB from Utah — Eric Rowe — Coming under the radar is one of the bigger cornerbacks in the draft at 6’1 and 200 Ibs. Rowe’s very comparable to Sean Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs but he’s not as physical or as big. Rowe is gaining ground in the first round as many teams are moving away from Ronald Darby, Marcus Peters and P.J Williams. Rowe would make more sense if the Lions move back to 27th or 28th.
8. DT from Iowa — Carl Davis — Much like the explanation for Malcolm Brown, Davis would fill a need for the Lions’ defense front. He’s a local product of Detroit and would easily win over the fans with his ability on the field.
9. OG from Duke — Laken Tomlinson — Here’s a kid that’s flying up draft boards for teams that need offensive line help in the early part of the 2nd round. If the Lions trade out of the first round or to the back-end of the draft, Tomlinson could be that guy. He’s very comparable to Ben Grubbs and could be an instant starter.
10. WR from USC — Nelson Agholor — I’m only okay with a receiver if they trade back and it better be a significant trade. Agholor would fit well in the slot next to Calvin Johnson and it would open the door to making their offense unlimited.
