ESPN Releases Early NFL Mock Draft

The future of Detroit Lions franchise passer Matthew Stafford is being debated on nearly a daily basis.

Recently, Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre suggested that Detroit should move on from the 12th-year quarterback next season.

In their mini mock draft released Wednesday, ESPN NFL Draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay explored the possibility of Detroit choosing BYU quarterback Zach Wilson with the No. 9 overall pick.

Eventually, the analysts settled on the idea that the Lions should look to add a new quarterback to the roster next season.

"Zach Wilson makes a lot of sense. He's the most underrated quarterback in the entire class, and I think he will continue to rise as we get closer to April," McShay wrote. "Matthew Stafford has been playing well, but he turns 33 in the offseason, and this is an opportunity for the Lions to get their next QB."

Kiper then chimed in, and said, "Yeah, I'm down to Lance, Wilson or Waddle with this pick. Lance is the upside quarterback pick -- he's going to be 20 years old when he's drafted. But he'll need time to adjust. Wilson is the hot name right now. Since we're not making hypothetical trades in this exercise, this is the most logical spot for the third quarterback to land."

When you review the highlights of Wilson's passes, it's exciting to imagine Wilson hurling passes in a Detroit uniform.

NFL teams seem to be quite impressed with Wilson's resume, and he is surely to be among the top quarterbacks selected in next year's draft.

More from SI All Lions:

Should Detroit Lions Still Offer Kenny Golladay Big-Money Extension?

Does Matthew Stafford Have the 'It' Factor?

Lions-Bears Recap: Who's in Penthouse, Who's in Doghouse?

Under-the-Radar Candidate Emerges for Lions' Head Coaching Vacancy

Week 13 Lions' Snap Counts: Okwara Leads the Way

Bears Running Back Tarik Cohen Disrespects Detroit Lions

Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.