4 Players Lions Should Target in Third Round
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
First-year Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is tasked with a myriad of important ones headed into the upcoming NFL Draft, most notably which player to select at No. 7 overall.
The organization has five other picks in this year's draft, as well, including two in the third round (No. 72 overall and No. 101 overall via the Matthew Stafford trade with the L.A. Rams).
Let's take a look now at four players the Lions should target with their pair of third-round selections.
CB Rodarius Williams, Oklahoma State
Williams is a prospect I've been high on since my first three-round mock draft in early February.
The older brother of Cleveland Browns defensive back Greedy Williams, he finished with 169 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, 27 passes defensed and one forced fumble in four seasons at Oklahoma State.
Additionally, in 2020, the elder Williams accounted for the fourth-best coverage snaps played per catch allowed ratio among outside CBs (24.0 snaps played/catch), according to Pro Football Focus.
In my opinion, he'd be a sneaky good acquisition for the Lions in the third round.
EDGE Payton Turner, Houston
Holmes & Co. direly need to upgrade the pass-rushing department throughout this year's NFL Draft.
And, in the third round, Turner would be a good player to target, to help boost the productivity of the unit.
The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Houston product amassed 25 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and a forced fumble in just five games in 2020.
It helped him garner second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors.
At the next level, he profiles as an EDGE defender and as an occasional interior defensive lineman in a 4-3 defense.
His explosiveness -- one of his biggest attributes, according to a variety of draft analysts -- makes him an intriguing prospect for Detroit in this round.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports
WR Sage Surratt, Wake Forest
If the Lions end up going wide receiver with one of their two third-round selections, they'd be wise to target Surratt.
The 6-foot-2.5, 215-pound pass-catcher emerged on to the scene in a big way in 2019, recording 65 catches for 1,006 yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games.
He opted out of playing in 2020 due to concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic, but remains one of the 2021 draft class's top wideouts as a result of his high-end ball skills.
With the obvious need that Detroit has at receiver, after the offseason departures of Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. and Jamal Agnew, Surratt would be a more-than-worthwhile selection in this round.
WR D'Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan
If the Lions can't get Surratt in the third round, Eskridge wouldn't be a bad fallback option.
Much smaller and sleeker than Surratt at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, the Western Michigan product would provide Detroit with an immense amount of speed at the receiver position.
The speedster is coming off a 2020 campaign in which he hauled in 33 balls for 768 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns. He also returned 17 kicks for 467 yards and a score during his final season in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Additionally, in five seasons at Western Michigan, he totaled 121 catches for 2,244 yards and 15 touchdowns.
I'd love to see what he could do both in the slot and as a kick/punt returner in the Motor City.
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