2018 Detroit Lions Re-Draft

Coming off a 9-7 showing in the 2017 season, the Detroit Lions entered the 2018 NFL Draft looking to take the next step toward becoming a playoff contender.

Now, nearly five years later, the Lions have yet to put together a winning season since.

Head coach Jim Caldwell was fired following the 2017 season, and was replaced by Matt Patricia. It took the organization two seasons to match the win total that Caldwell posted in his last season at the helm.

Despite the struggles, the Lions did have a solid draft in the first offseason of the Patricia era. The 2018 draft produced two mainstay players who have received extensions from the organization -- but it wasn’t perfect.

With the benefit of hindsight, we can make that '18 draft hypothetically perfect, in the days leading up to the 2022 rendition. None of this will change the mistakes of the Lions organization, but it’s fun to think about what could’ve been had Detroit gone in different directions on a few of its picks.

Assessing the picks -- Who stayed, who’s gone

In the first round, the Lions selected a cornerstone player for their offensive line in Frank Ragnow. He quickly became one of the top centers in the league, and received an extension prior to the 2021 season.

Tracy Walker III is another piece who has stuck around. The safety was taken in the third round at No. 82 overall, and made an immediate impact in the secondary.

In 2022, he re-signed with the team, and he figures to play an important role in the team’s future.

Each of the four other picks are no longer with the team. Kerryon Johnson was released after three seasons, while Tyrell Crosby and Da’Shawn Hand were both cut in 2021.

Fullback Nick Bawden, the team’s seventh-rounder, played just one season in Detroit.

The Re-Draft

Round 1: Pick 20

Original Pick: Ragnow

Pick: Ragnow

Notable players still available: RB Nick Chubb, QB Lamar Jackson, LB Darius Leonard, WR D.J. Moore

Notes: Ragnow is a cornerstone offensive lineman, so this pick looks very good in hindsight. At the time, it was projected the Lions would elect to draft a defender with their first pick. However, the team bucked the predictions, and instead opted to grab a player who has become one of the best young offensive linemen in the league.

Going away from this pick will be tough. However, there are some enticing options. Chubb is a top running back when healthy, Jackson has won an MVP and Leonard is dominant. All three would’ve been great picks looking back.

With Matthew Stafford still behind center, the team wouldn’t need a quarterback. Ameer Abdullah was still promising at running back, but there was a clear need at linebacker. Yet, in looking ahead, we can see that there will be more linebacker options in later rounds.

Because we have options, let’s stick with the original choice and keep the offensive line on the upswing.

Round 2: Pick 43

Original Pick: Johnson

New Pick: LB Fred Warner

Notable players still available: S Jessie Bates, WR Christian Kirk, LB Fred Warner, TE Dallas Goedert

Kerryon Johnson had a fine rookie year, rushing for 641 yards in 10 games. He had his first career 100-yard game in a Sunday night upset of the New England Patriots, breaking a five-year streak in which the team hadn’t had a runner eclipse the century mark.

However, health issues caught up to him. He played in just eight games in 2019, and became the third option behind Adrian Peterson and newly drafted D’Andre Swift in 2020, before being released in 2021.

All three of the listed options are in play as the alternate pick in this scenario. Detroit was nearly set at wideout with Marvin Jones Jr., Kenny Golladay and Golden Tate at the position. DJ Chark, who has recently signed with Detroit, is also an option here.

Yet, there were more pressing needs on defense.

Warner would have been an instant upgrade at linebacker, as the team was very thin at the position. They had selected Jarrad Davis in the first round of the previous draft, yet he never met expectations in four seasons. The Florida product is back with the team after a year with the New York Jets.

With a clear need for defensive help, let’s pick up Warner and lock down the middle of the field.

Round 3: Pick 82

Original Pick: Walker

Pick: Walker

Notable players still available: RB Nyheim Hines, OT Orlando Brown Jr., WR Tre’Quan Smith

Walker had a good season in 2019 but regressed in 2020 under Patricia. When Dan Campbell took over, the Louisiana product had a bounce-back season, and earned a new contract. He’s viewed as a big piece of the team’s future.

Hines is in a similar spot as Johnson: there was a need at the time but there isn’t one now.

Meanwhile, Brown has been a top offensive lineman when healthy, making three straight Pro Bowls. And, Smith is the best receiver option available.

Though all are good options, none would likely match the impact that Walker has had on the team. For that reason, we’re sticking with the original pick for the second time.

Round 4: Pick 114

Original pick: Hand

New pick: DT Maurice Hurst Jr.

Notable players still available: DT Maurice Hurst Jr., TE Dalton Schultz, S Tre Flowers

Hand, an Alabama product, had the looks of a mid-round steal when he was drafted. He was serviceable in his rookie year, notching three sacks and forcing two fumbles in 13 games.

However, like Johnson, injuries caught up to him. He played in 10 games in 2020, but notched just three appearances in 2019 and 2021. He was waived in November, and later signed with Tennessee.

Hurst looked like a natural fit for the Lions at the time, but came with health concerns. He’s defied those, playing in 42 games over the first four years of his career. Knowing what we know now, the time is right to snag a player to help stop the run.

Round 5: Pick 153

Original Pick: Crosby

New pick: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Notable players still available: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, LB Foyesade Oluokun

Injuries were a common theme among this draft class for the Lions, with Crosby being a prime example. He played in a total of 38 games over his three seasons with the Lions, but suffered an injury in the 2021 preseason that caused him to be waived.

Crosby had potential as a swing tackle, but that role has since been filled by Matt Nelson. Valdes-Scantling is the top option here, as he would give the Lions some depth at receiver. He’s had a nice career with the Packers.

Round 7: Pick 237

Original Pick: Bawden

New pick: CB J.C. Jackson

Notable players still available: CB J.C. Jackson, RB Phillip Lindsay

Bawden was a miss. He suffered an injury in 2018 and missed the entire season, and played 10 games in 2019 before being released.

Jackson and Lindsay were both undrafted free agents. The former just signed a large contract to play for the Los Angeles Chargers after a productive tenure with the Patriots, while the latter is a free agent.

The thought of putting Jackson next to Darius Slay is enticing. With him available in the seventh round, we sprint to the podium to complete the draft.

Re-Draft Results

1 (20): Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas

2 (43): Fred Warner, LB, BYU

3 (82): Tracy Walker III, S, Louisiana-Lafayette

4 (114): Maurice Hurst Jr., DT, Michigan

5 (153): Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, South Florida

7 (237): J.C. Jackson, CB, Maryland