3 College Quarterbacks Lions Should Keep an Eye On

Here are three college quarterbacks the Lions should focus on from the 2021 NFL Draft class

Author:
Vito Chirco
Publish date:
Jun 1, 2020 10:17 PM EDT

In this story:

The Lions decided to pass on drafting a quarterback in this year’s draft class. But, could they be in the market for one in next year’s class?

There’s a definite possibility, as they could be searching for a long-term replacement to 32-year-old franchise passer Matthew Stafford.

And if such is the case, here are three QBs they should target in the 2021 draft class:

1.) K.J. Costello, Mississippi State

Costello brings with him a ton of game experience from his time at Stanford, having played in 29 games over three years, including 25 starts.

He will suit up for Mike Leach and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in his final year of eligibility.

He should be in store for a big season with Leach -- one of the best coaches in college football history at running the “Air Raid” attack -- as his head coach.

2.) Jamie Newman, Georgia

How about Newman being drafted to succeed a fellow Georgia product in Stafford?

Newman, a Wake Forest graduate transfer, has a big build to him, standing in at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds.

And he has the ability to make a difference not only through the air but also on the ground.

In fact, he rushed for 574 yards and six touchdowns in 2019 with the Demon Deacons.

It was his first full season as a starter, and he didn’t disappoint.

He completed 60.9 percent of his passes, and threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns in 12 games.

If he puts together a solid season at Georgia, it will go a long way toward elevating his draft stock and him becoming a more intriguing prospect to the Lions.

3.) Sam Ehlinger, Texas

Ehlinger enters his fourth season as the Longhorns’ quarterback in 2020.

He’s been extremely productive the past two seasons, accumulating 68 passing touchdowns and 25 rushing TDs, including 32 passing TDs and seven rushing scores in 2019.

He also was responsible for 4,326 yards of total offense a season ago -- the second-highest amount in school history. It helped propel him to semifinalist finishes for the Davey O’Brien Award for best college quarterback and for the Maxwell Award for college football player of the year.

If he manages to produce solid performances against LSU in Week 2 and in Big 12 play, he has a chance to greatly enhance his draft stock heading into 2021.