Lions 2024 Mock Draft Simulation 2.0

The Detroit Lions have plenty of needs on the defensive side of the ball.

Whether it be their pass rush or secondary, the Lions would benefit from adding talent to Aaron Glenn's side of the ball. Cornerback is a popular area for the Lions to address, but many of the top talents at the position could be off the board by the time Detroit is slated to pick at No. 29.

Utilizing Pro Football Focus' mock draft simulator, I evaluated a situation in which each of the first-round talents at the cornerback position are off the board when it's Brad Holmes' turn to make a selection.

In the first round, the Lions select Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson. The Nittany Lion has a quick first step and a knack for getting after the quarterback. He had 26 pressures in 2023.

Robinson has displayed a relentless motor on film, which makes him a natural fit for the Lions' culture and style of play.

I have the Lions continuing to address the defense in the next two rounds, starting with Florida State defensive lineman Brayden Fiske in round two. Fiske is a local product, having played at Western Michigan before transferring.

He had six sacks in each of the last two seasons and had 36 career tackles for loss. Fiske wound up playing a key role for an exceptional Seminoles defense.

In the third round, the Lions finally address the cornerback position in the form of Michigan's Mike Sainristil. The Wolverines won the national championship, a game in which he notched the game-clinching interception.

Sainristil profiles as a slot cornerback with tools to contribute on the outside. He also has the talent to play as a safety at points, so the Lions would benefit from adding a versatile talent to their secondary.

With their second pick of the third round, the Lions move to the offensive side of the ball and draft Kansas State's Cooper Beebe. The versatile lineman was forced to play right tackle for the first two games of this season but spent most of the year at his traditional position of left guard.

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With Jonah Jackson and Graham Glasgow both set to be free agents, guard will be a position of need for the Lions' offense.

Detroit currently doesn't have a pick in the fourth round, so its next pick will come in the fifth round. I have the Lions selecting New Hampshire running back Dylan Laube with this selection, taking a flyer on a talented FCS product.

Laube has versatility with his ability to contribute in both the pass and run game. He was an electric playmaker at the FCS level, so bringing him in to compete with Craig Reynolds for the third running back spot could be a beneficial move.

Each of the final two picks in this scenario are depth options for the Lions. Frank Ragnow has announced his intentions to come back, so picking Dylan McMahon in the sixth round is a way for the team to continue developing roster competition and build reliable options behind their starters.

With the Lions' final pick, they select Penn State cornerback Daequan Hardy as a second option in the secondary along with Sainristil. Hardy had two interceptions, but his value as a special teamer is intriguing.

He has handled kick and punt returns for the Nittany Lions, and this special teams experience is key for a late-round pick to make the roster.