© Jay Janner, American-Statesman, USA
Mock Draft Roundup: Lions Grab Speedster at Receiver
Over the last week, players at cornerback, EDGE and receiver have been popular selections for the Lions at No. 29 overall.
It's time for the 11th All Lions mock draft roundup for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Over the last week, players at cornerback, EDGE and receiver have been popular selections for the Lions at No. 29 overall.
Let’s take a look now at who the draft analysts have Lions general manager Brad Holmes selecting in the first round.
Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Mitchell is currently being picked by the following:
ESPN (Mel Kiper), Pro Football Network (Joe Broback)
As Broback writes, “Watch out for Detroit’s offense in 2024. Jared Goff returns to run the show, but most eyes are on guys like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta. Throw in Adonai Mitchell, and the NFC North will lose sleep over the thought of facing this offense.
Mitchell is an underrated talent in this class, but he can be a major impact player. He’s a good route runner who understands leverage, and that will complement the receiver room he joins here.”
Center Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Powers-Johnson is currently being picked by the following:
The Athletic (Nick Baumgardner), Lions Wire (Jeff Risdon)
Cornerback Cooper DeJean, Iowa
DeJean is presently being mocked by the following:
All Lions (Christian Booher), Woodward Sports (Matt Broder; acquired at No. 31 overall via trade with 49ers)
As Broder pens, “Adding a defensive back with a high football IQ and flexibility all over the secondary would give defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn another weapon to move all over his defense. I’d be the first to admit that DeJean’s broken leg suffered in November was a reason for concern, but the kid out of Iowa put on a show at his private workout. His positional versatility and scheme versatility is highlighted by his size, toughness and speed. These attributes would make him a weapon for Detroit on defense AND on special teams in the return game.”
Safety Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
Nubin is presently being selected by the following:
Defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
Newton is currently being picked by the following:
As Lee opines, “The Detroit Lions’ run defense needs some help up the spine, and nobody is more disruptive on the interior than Jer’Zhan Newton. His lower body explosiveness and agility are impressive at his size, and there’s a lot to like with his motor and hand placement as an interior pass rusher.
Detroit has invested so much into its front four, and I can imagine some fan exhaustion here, but the trenches must be built to sustain the Lions long-term.”
EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
Latu is presently being selected by the following:
Cornerback Nate Wiggins, Clemson
Wiggins is currently being projected by the following:
Pro Football Network (Will Helms)
Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
Rakestraw is currently being picked by the following:
NFL.com (Adam Rank), Tankathon
EDGE Darius Robinson, Missouri
Robinson is currently being mocked by the following:
Draft Wire (Curt Popejoy), The Draft Network (Damian Parson), Pro Football Network (Anthony Miller)
EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
Robinson is currently being mocked by the following:
The Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer), Pro Football Network (Tony Catalina), CBS Sports (Pete Prisco), CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)
Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
McKinstry is currently being picked by the following:
NFL.com (Rhett Lewis), NFL.com (Gennaro Filice), Pro Football Focus (Max Chadwick), USA Today (Nate Davis), Pro Football Network (James Fragoza), Pro Football Network (Lorenzo Reyna), CBS Sports (Josh Edwards), CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso)
As Chadwick pens, “Even after adding Carlton Davis III and Amik Robertson this offseason, the Lions could stand to improve their cornerback room.
While he’s not an elite athlete like the cornerbacks who went before him, McKinstry still deserves to be in the CB1 conversation. His 91.5 PFF grade from 2022 to 2023 ranked fourth among college football cornerbacks.”
