It’s unlikely the Detroit Lions keep all of their picks in this year’s NFL draft and not make any moves at all. They have the positioning and the capital -- the No. 3 pick without a dire need for a quarterback -- to potentially make some moves.
Will they? At some point in the draft, probably -- even if it isn’t at No. 3. Without projecting trades, we stuck with the picks the Lions have.
With that in mind, we take a look at both the ideal and the realistic scenarios for the Lions with each of their picks (and if there are obvious trades to pursue, we mention those, too).
Round 1, Pick 3:
The ideal: Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
There’s a lot of top-end defensive talent in this draft, and sitting at No. 3 overall, the Lions should be in position to snag one of those players -- Young, Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown or South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
Young, though, is the best of the bunch. He might be the best prospect in the draft overall, and at his peak could be a once-in-a-generation pass-rusher for whatever team ends up selecting him. The Lions have a shot at snagging Young if a quarterback-needy team trades with Washington in the No. 2 spot. Otherwise, the chance of Young falling is very, very slim.
The realistic: Okudah.
If the Lions stay at No. 3, Okudah makes the most sense for a variety of reasons. He’s a press-man corner who has good enough speed to stay with most receivers and strong enough coverage skills to make up for the ones who might be able to shake him. He’s a smart player coming from a high-level system and who has Pro Bowl/All-Pro potential. He’s the safe pick who can become a star. Mel Kiper Jr.'s most recent mock draft has the Lions taking Okudah.
The rest: There’s a reasonable chance the Lions trade out of No. 3 as teams try to move up to take quarterbacks Justin Herbert or Tua Tagovailoa. Doing so would give Detroit more chances to rebuild its team faster while getting younger. Besides Okudah, Simmons, Kinlaw and Brown make up the likely group either at No. 3 or in a trade-down scenario.
If the Lions were to drop to No. 9 (Jacksonville) or No. 12 (Las Vegas), it’s possible one of those prospects could be in play. If not, then Detroit could take a top-level offensive tackle (Louisville’s Mekhi Becton, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr., Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs or Georgia’s Andrew Thomas), a talented receiver (Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb) or perhaps the second-best corner in the draft (Florida’s CJ Henderson).
Round 2, Pick 35
The ideal: K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU; Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU; Henderson
Check out the highlights that show off former LSU DE K'Lavon Chaisson's good bend and burst off the edge.
Realistically, Chaisson and Henderson are probably not dropping this far. Chaisson would be a steal here -- but only if the Lions don’t take Young in Round 1. Do that, and Henderson becomes a similar steal. Gladney, who can play man or zone, would be a strong, strong pick at No. 35. But much of it would be dictated by how the first round plays out. If the Lions take Okudah, then a player such as Chaisson is ideal.
The realistic: Gladney; Cesar Ruiz, OL, Michigan; Patrick Queen, LB, LSU; Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin; A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa; J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State.
All would quickly find roles in Detroit. Gladney would compete for a starting gig immediately opposite Desmond Trufant. Ruiz can slide into the role vacated by Graham Glasgow. Queen or Baun would enter a crowded linebacker room and would likely play right away -- potentially allowing Detroit to move Jamie Collins around more. Espensa provides edge support with or opposite of Trey Flowers, and Dobbins provides the workhorse type of back the Lions need to complement Kerryon Johnson and Bo Scarbrough.
One interesting possibility could be Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. Love becomes even more intriguing if there’s a trade down, netting the Lions another first- or second-round pick.
The rest: A wide receiver, especially if a top-end player falls. If Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins is around at No. 35, they could be enticing. Same with running backs Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin or D'Andre Swift from Georgia. One last guy to watch: Ross Blacklock from TCU. He’s a player who fits what the Lions would want at defensive tackle as an interior pass-rusher.
Round 3, Pick 67
The ideal: Dobbins; Taylor; Baun
All three are good players who fill needs and should go higher. While it would be unexpected to see these three at No. 67, running back is always a tricky position to value. So, maybe one of these two players ends up falling to Detroit’s spot. Baun shouldn’t be here, either, but it’s always possible there’s a slide.
Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins loves the challenge of being hit and not being the one to fall.
The realistic: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU; Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State; Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma; Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M.
Say the Lions go Okudah-Ruiz in the top two rounds without a trade, then it leaves Detroit with a bunch of strong options at 67. Edwards-Helaire is not at the same level as Dobbins or Taylor but holds on to the ball, can make tacklers miss and could be a good early-down back to work in with Kerryon Johnson. Aiyuk would be more of a developmental pick here -- but the talent level is very high. Plus, with veteran receivers on the roster, he wouldn’t be forced in right away. Gallimore might be a tough pick here, although he’d probably slide into an early rotation. Madubuike would be also easily fit in the rotation with Shelton and Williams in Year 1 as he learns how to work against double-teams.
Round 3, Pick 85.
The ideal: Josh Uche, DE, Michigan; Aiyuk; Bradlee Anae, DE, Utah.
These players would have value here. Anae is a player who fits the Lions’ scheme, although this could be a little high for him. Uche could potentially be a second-round pick -- so if he’s sitting there at No. 85 and the Lions haven’t addressed an edge rusher, he might be off the board very fast. Aiyuk represents a bunch of receivers, but he has talent above some of the players who will go ahead of him.
The realistic: Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame; Jason Strowbridge, DT, UNC; Tyler Biadasz, OL Wisconsin; Akeem Davis-Gaither, OLB, Appalachian State; Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan.
The Lions paid a lot of attention to Strowbridge at the Senior Bowl, and if the club hasn’t picked up a defensive tackle yet, he’s one to watch if he’s around for this pick. Claypool is a tall receiver with some speed and the ability to make contested catches. Sound familiar? It’s what the Lions have in Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. -- with both heading into contract years in 2020. Peoples-Jones could give immediate benefit as a returner while he works into the receiver role. If the Lions ignore the interior of the offensive line in the first two rounds, Biadasz could slide into the open right guard spot. Detroit has had good success over the past decade with third-round offensive linemen (Larry Warford, Travis Swanson, Graham Glasgow).
Round 4, No. 109
Players to consider: Claypool and Peoples-Jones have the best chance of still being around on Day 3 because of the deep, varied receiver class this year. Add in Ohio State’s K.J. Hill and Florida’s Van Jefferson as other possibilities early on Day 3. A popular name here might be UCLA running back Joshua Kelley, whom the Lions worked with at the Senior Bowl and appeared to like. If Detroit passes on the Taylor/Dobbins type of options earlier, Kelley would be a good fit with what Detroit has in the room. This could be a spot for a tight end – maybe Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins if he’s available.
Round 5, No. 149
Players to consider: Building on the Hopkins theme, if LSU’s Thaddeus Moss is an option at this point, Detroit could consider him and stash him as a No. 3 or No. 4 tight end to let him learn for a year. The bloodlines are there -- he’s the son of NFL legend Randy Moss -- as are incredible hands. If the Lions haven't taken a defensive end, Michigan State's Kenny Willekes could work; they worked with him at the Senior Bowl. Kansas edge rusher Azur Kamara would be a project, but one with tremendous potential considering his speed (4.59-second 40-yard dash) and his athleticism.
Round 5, No. 166
Players to watch: Moss, Willikes and Kamara also still fit here. This could be a place for Anthony Gordon, the quarterback from Washington State. Beyond those players, this might be a place to add a running back (Antonio Gibson from Memphis would fit) or a defensive back. Iowa’s Michael Ojemudia, who is a Michigan native and worked with the Lions’ staff at the Senior Bowl, could be a target here to bolster a questionable cornerback group. Michigan guard Ben Bredeson would also be a sensible selection here, if he is around, and could either compete for Glasgow’s old role or push for the main backup spot.
Round 6, No. 182
Players to watch: Detroit worked with Gordon at the Senior Bowl, where he made some strong throws. He seemed to grasp well the system the Lions were running, and both offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and QB coach Sean Ryan got a feel for the quarterback. Whether it’s at Pick 182 or 166, it feels like the Lions and Gordon could end up as a reasonable match. If Gordon isn’t in play, Anfernee Jennings, the edge rusher from Alabama, would be an absolute steal if he ended up available in the sixth round. He’d be a bit of a project but worth watching from the fifth round on. Don’t forget the Lions like Alabama defensive players.
Round 7, No. 235
Players to watch: The Lions might take a shot on punter Braden Mann here. They have a need with Sam Martin in Denver and their two other options -- Matt Wile and Jack Fox -- unproven futures contract signings. If they went away from punters, cornerback or safety could be in the mix here. Or, if there’s a high-level, value player at receiver, maybe Detroit doubles up there, as well.