Four Prospects Lions Should Scout in Friday's CFP Semifinal

Examining potential draft fits for Lions in CFP semifinal.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5). | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The scouting department is hard at work for the Detroit Lions, and Friday offers one of the last chances to see premier prospects facing off in game situations.

On Thursday, Miami became the first team to clinch a spot to compete in the national championship. Friday marks the chance for Indiana and Oregon to square off to see who completes the national title matchup.

This marks an excellent chance for Detroit to scout, among other positions, two of the top quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, solid defensive backs, and some intriguing edge rushers. Here are four players that the Lions must scout during Friday’s game.

All players will be given an impact grade, with the higher meaning more likely the player has meaningful contributions immediately.

QB Dante Moore, Oregon

Moore is an intriguing player with the Ducks, as he backed up Dillon Gabriel in 2024 at Oregon after a half-season of starting at UCLA as a true freshman. Obviously, with Oregon being a vastly different playbook and talent-level than 2023 UCLA, there is only one season of film to truly judge Moore on.

As a result, he could be viewed as the largest “boom or bust” prospect in this draft. He has a lot of solid intangibles, and has shown that he is not flustered in the pocket. Moore is accurate and has a high level for processing and diagnosing pre-snap despite his youth. As an added bonus, Moore played his high school ball at Detroit King, which is very local to Ford Field.

His flaws mostly revolve around inexperience, along with erratic foot placement when pressured. However, he draws lofty comparisons, with Bleacher Report calling his style similar to Houston Texans’ franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Once again, it is highly unlikely that Detroit makes the move for Moore, especially with the Oregon quarterback being the second highest quarterback on the board. Dan Campbell is sticking with Jared Goff, and Moore requires too high of capital to justify as a back up option with Detroit’s needs. That said, Moore is an exciting player to watch, and likely an opposing starting quarterback the staff needs to plan for in the near future.

Instant Impact Grade: 40. Presuming Goff stays put. Extremely high ceiling, but with Detroit sticking pat with Jared Goff, hard to see this move making sense for Motown without a trade.

IDL A’Mauri Washington, Oregon

Washington is another Detroit native who plays for the Ducks. The defensive tackle is primarily a three-technique defensive lineman, but has imposing size at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds. He has broken out with Steelers’ 2025 first-rounder Derrick Harmon in the league.

The defensive tackle has 31 tackles, 4.5 of which are for loss, and 1.5 sacks on the campaign. However, he also had batted down eight passes this season for the Ducks, which is an impressive figure. He has a solid bullrush, despite the relative lack of production in the pass rush.

PFF ranks Washington as a player to watch at the beginning of day two, and overall, he ranks 45th among over 900 interior defenders this season in PFF grades. His struggles come from a lack of experience, in addition to popping up too early out of his stance and letting his pad level get to high. He is a player that has the size and signs, but needs refining, hence the round two grade on him.

With Detroit, once again, likely losing one, if not multiple, of D.J. Reader, Roy Lopez, and Levi Onwuzurike, there is a need in the defensive tackle room to pair with Tyleik Williams and Mekhi Wingo. However, Williams and Washington both would not scare opposing quarterbacks on the inside.

Instant Impact Grade: 68. Solid Player, Pro Bowl Potential. He could play immediately in Detroit, pending free agency moves and re-signings, but needs to refine his technique before being a full-time starter and impact player.

OT Carter Smith, Indiana

Smith has had an amazing season with the Hoosiers, having yet to allow a sack on quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The offensive line was the powerhouse behind a domination of Alabama last week, and Smith is one of the key cogs in that line.

Smith has stuck the course with Indiana, playing all four of his seasons with the Hoosiers on their rise. He has elevated his game this season, but had only allowed 4 sacks between his last three campaigns, with well over 2,400 snaps played.

Smith is primarily a left tackle, only playing sparing snaps at right tackle with a sole snap at right guard three seasons ago. Overall, he ranks as the fourth best tackle on PFF among collegiate tackles, but penalty concerns (he has six this season) and a lack of arm length have his as a third round prospect.

With Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper each mulling retirement, tackle is likely a high need during the draft. If Detroit misses on Francis Muiagoa, Spencer Fano, and Kadyn Proctor during day one, Smith could become the priority day two selection. Smith’s numbers, just like his coach, speaks for itself.

Impact Grade: 74. For a Day Two Selection, Smith could be an instant starter alongside fellow day two pick Tate Ratledge. Smith has Pro Bowl potential, but will need to brush off concerns about his lack of length.

LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana

Fisher was a player that followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana and has been one of the top players for the Hoosiers over the last two seasons, with 202 tackles, 13.5 for loss, five sacks, and two interceptions over the last two seasons.

Fisher’s play recognition has taken a step up this year, with a career-high eight tackles for loss. He shined against Oregon earlier in the season, and will be relied upon on Friday if Indiana wants to compete for the national title.

His big concern is pass coverage, although he has helped calm concerns this season, halving the number of yards he has allowed. He has also lowed his missed tackle percentage by nearly a full point, and has shone for the Hoosiers.

However, the pass coverage is still a question for the Indiana linebacker, and he does not project to have a blazing 40, either. As a result, without shocking athleticism results, Fisher projects as a day three pick.

Detroit has Alex Anzalone on an expiring contract, and Derrick Barnes faced some criticism towards the end of 2025. However, Fisher might not be the linebacker that can ease all of the Lions’ concerns.

Impact Grade: 35. Fisher could slot in for Detroit, but there are drawbacks. A sixth-round projected grade means he is unlikely to contribute immediately, besides special teams.

The classic Big Ten showdown between these schools in the CFP Semifinal kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EST.