Lions Draft Class Ranks 10th in NFC

The Detroit Lions added seven players through the NFL draft that they hope will help them clear the final hurdles on their journey to a championship.

General manager Brad Holmes has received mixed reviews initially for the class he compiled. The major knock has been the team waiting until the sixth-round to add a player at edge rusher, which is what many believe to be the team's biggest need.

In a ranking of the draft classes in the NFC, Sports Illustrated ranked the Lions 10th out of 16 teams. NFL writer Gilberto Manzano explained that while the team's class won't be the most outwardly appealing, it fits with how the team has conducted previous drafts.

"The Lions’ draft class wasn’t well received by the football public because they didn’t add many recognizable names," Manzano wrote. "But it fits the DNA of the team, which loves to add tough, physical players in the trenches."

Detroit's draft class was the second-highest ranked in the NFC North, with the Chicago Bears coming in at eight. Seattle received the highest grade of all NFC teams, with Tampa Bay and Dallas rounding out the top three.

The Lions' class is highlighted by the addition of Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, who has the ability to contribute either as a nose tackle or three-technique. While he's one of the best run defenders in the class, Williams will need to develop as a pass-rusher.

Development will be a consistent theme with this year's class, as each of the prospects have high ceilings but need specific aspects of their game to be fine-tuned.

"Williams was regarded as the best run stopper in the draft, but he’ll need time to develop as a pass rusher," Manzano explained. "Ratledge could fill in at guard and make up for the loss of Kevin Zeitler this offseason. Also, it will be interesting to see what Detroit does with the intriguing TeSlaa, the athletically gifted wideout who can play inside and outside."

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