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The first wave of NFL free agency has crashed, meaning it's time to recalibrate our attention to the NFL Draft with a fresh perspective.
The Detroit Lions' moves in free agency thus far — coupled with the release of Taylor Decker — have seemingly boxed the team into selecting a tackle with their first-round pick. On the (literal) flip side, the team's lack of long-term answers at defensive end — acquisitions DJ Wonnum and Payton Turner agreed to one-year deals — has made it easy for general manager Brad Holmes to justify taking a defensive end with the No. 17 pick.
Let's dive into where the experts think Detroit will go following an avalanche of free-agent signings.
▶ Mocked by Pete Prisco, CBS Sports (March 23); Chad Reuter, NFL.com (March 21); Kyle Dvorchak, NBC Sports (March 20)
Entering the draft cycle, Fano was widely believed to be pretty firm in his standing as a top-10 pick, but he has fallen quite a bit since the NFL Scouting Combine highlighted his less-than-ideal arm length (32⅛ inches), becoming far and away the most popular pick among respected draft analysts over the last week — a scenario that seemed highly unlikely back in February.
In Reuter's scenario, the Lions trade up to draft Fano at No. 13, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to move up four spots: "The Lions ignored Penei Sewell's lack of ideal arm length (33 1/4 inches) when selecting him seventh overall in 2021," he notes. "They throw caution to the wind again, moving up for an excellent blocker...and the versatility to play tackle, guard or center."
Fano (6-foot-5, 311 pounds) only has college experience at tackle, but his size makes him an intriguing plug-and-play guy for a Lions' offensive line that's currently in transition — and if he can fill the long-term need at tackle, he'd be a home run.
Mocked by T.J. Randall, Pro Football Network (March 21)
Fano's college teammate, Lomu (6-foot-6, 313 pounds), also has seen a bit of a drop in his stock since the NFL Combine. According to Mock Draft Database, he's been the consensus pick for the Lions at No. 17, but many mock drafts now have him going somewhere in the 20s, and even slipping out of the first round entirely.
Lomu is a young player with elite athleticism and good technique whose skill set should intrigue anyone with a first-round need at tackle. Ultimately, he could stand to add some power and anchor to his game, which could easily come with age and experience. It could also limit his first-year potential.
But the Lions did pay $5 million to veteran Larry Borom in free agency, so perhaps they have an increased appetite to sacrifice short-term return if it means landing a long-term foundational piece.
More: Signing with hometown Lions 'surreal' for Larry Borom: 'Doesn't feel real'
▶ Mocked by Charles McDonald, Yahoo! Sports (March 18)
We try to limit the mock drafters in this series to well-known national analysts we trust, but when digging around the internet for mock drafts, most drafts that didn't have the Lions selecting a tackle had them taking Mesidor (6-foot-3, 259 pounds). He's a well-seasoned football player who put together his best season en route to a national title game appearance, totaling career highs in pressures (67, more than doubling his previous career best of 33 in 2022) and racking up 12.5 sacks (albeit in a season that was an extreme outlier in snaps played, too). The thought is that his age and experience should give the Lions instant help on the edge.
But he'll also be 25 years old by draft day, which could be a non-starter for a team that's trying to get younger — and then there's the conversation about whether the reason for his breakout season was simply that he was a literal man against boys.
"They are razor thin at defensive end outside of Aidan Hutchinson, almost to the point where they have to take an edge rusher with this pick," McDonald writes. "Mesidor is a bit hit-or-miss on a down-to-down basis and turns 25 before the draft, but he has a chance to be a contributor in the NFL or even a legitimate, consistent threat off the edge if he hits the ground running. The Lions have to try something."
▶ Mocked by Eric Edholm, NFL.com (March 19); Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (March 17)
The decline in Fano's and Lomu's draft stock can be partially attributed to the rise of Freeling and the next guy on this list, both of whom are athletic freaks with flexibility and power for days. Freeling (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) has skyrocketed up boards since even December, going from a consensus third-rounder at that time to a sure-fire first-round player in a matter of months, with many now believing he could climb into the top 10.
Edholm writes Freeling's on-field ability is "a bit green" after making only 18 collegiate starts — which, again, could be fine for a team like Detroit that has a veteran plug-and-play guy waiting in the wings — but Jeremiah notes the true allure of his selection: "Freeling has the most upside of any tackle in this year's draft," he said.
▶ Mocked by Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports (March 18)
Miller is another riser in this year's draft class, although his ascent certainly hasn't been as dramatic as Freeling's; Miller was mostly thought of as a second-round pick through the end of the season.
More: Blake Miller could be Day 1 starter for Lions at OT, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. says
In a world of tweeners, Miller's clear projection as an NFL tackle stands out: "Miller is a plus athlete who has shown the ability to excel in pass protection, Fornelli writes. "He's also one of the few OT prospects in this class worthy of a pick this early, with a clear tackle frame."
Plus, Miller (6-foot-7, 317 pounds) has excellent athleticism, extreme durability — he broke the Clemson record for career snaps played from scrimmage, spending his entire career at one school while showing significant improvement each season.
[email protected]
@nolanbianchi
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Should the Detroit Lions target tackle or edge?: Mock draft roundup
Continue reading...
The Detroit Lions' moves in free agency thus far — coupled with the release of Taylor Decker — have seemingly boxed the team into selecting a tackle with their first-round pick. On the (literal) flip side, the team's lack of long-term answers at defensive end — acquisitions DJ Wonnum and Payton Turner agreed to one-year deals — has made it easy for general manager Brad Holmes to justify taking a defensive end with the No. 17 pick.
Let's dive into where the experts think Detroit will go following an avalanche of free-agent signings.
Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
▶ Mocked by Pete Prisco, CBS Sports (March 23); Chad Reuter, NFL.com (March 21); Kyle Dvorchak, NBC Sports (March 20)
Entering the draft cycle, Fano was widely believed to be pretty firm in his standing as a top-10 pick, but he has fallen quite a bit since the NFL Scouting Combine highlighted his less-than-ideal arm length (32⅛ inches), becoming far and away the most popular pick among respected draft analysts over the last week — a scenario that seemed highly unlikely back in February.
In Reuter's scenario, the Lions trade up to draft Fano at No. 13, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to move up four spots: "The Lions ignored Penei Sewell's lack of ideal arm length (33 1/4 inches) when selecting him seventh overall in 2021," he notes. "They throw caution to the wind again, moving up for an excellent blocker...and the versatility to play tackle, guard or center."
Fano (6-foot-5, 311 pounds) only has college experience at tackle, but his size makes him an intriguing plug-and-play guy for a Lions' offensive line that's currently in transition — and if he can fill the long-term need at tackle, he'd be a home run.
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Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Mocked by T.J. Randall, Pro Football Network (March 21)
Fano's college teammate, Lomu (6-foot-6, 313 pounds), also has seen a bit of a drop in his stock since the NFL Combine. According to Mock Draft Database, he's been the consensus pick for the Lions at No. 17, but many mock drafts now have him going somewhere in the 20s, and even slipping out of the first round entirely.
Lomu is a young player with elite athleticism and good technique whose skill set should intrigue anyone with a first-round need at tackle. Ultimately, he could stand to add some power and anchor to his game, which could easily come with age and experience. It could also limit his first-year potential.
But the Lions did pay $5 million to veteran Larry Borom in free agency, so perhaps they have an increased appetite to sacrifice short-term return if it means landing a long-term foundational piece.
More: Signing with hometown Lions 'surreal' for Larry Borom: 'Doesn't feel real'
Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami
▶ Mocked by Charles McDonald, Yahoo! Sports (March 18)
We try to limit the mock drafters in this series to well-known national analysts we trust, but when digging around the internet for mock drafts, most drafts that didn't have the Lions selecting a tackle had them taking Mesidor (6-foot-3, 259 pounds). He's a well-seasoned football player who put together his best season en route to a national title game appearance, totaling career highs in pressures (67, more than doubling his previous career best of 33 in 2022) and racking up 12.5 sacks (albeit in a season that was an extreme outlier in snaps played, too). The thought is that his age and experience should give the Lions instant help on the edge.
But he'll also be 25 years old by draft day, which could be a non-starter for a team that's trying to get younger — and then there's the conversation about whether the reason for his breakout season was simply that he was a literal man against boys.
"They are razor thin at defensive end outside of Aidan Hutchinson, almost to the point where they have to take an edge rusher with this pick," McDonald writes. "Mesidor is a bit hit-or-miss on a down-to-down basis and turns 25 before the draft, but he has a chance to be a contributor in the NFL or even a legitimate, consistent threat off the edge if he hits the ground running. The Lions have to try something."
Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
▶ Mocked by Eric Edholm, NFL.com (March 19); Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (March 17)
The decline in Fano's and Lomu's draft stock can be partially attributed to the rise of Freeling and the next guy on this list, both of whom are athletic freaks with flexibility and power for days. Freeling (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) has skyrocketed up boards since even December, going from a consensus third-rounder at that time to a sure-fire first-round player in a matter of months, with many now believing he could climb into the top 10.
Edholm writes Freeling's on-field ability is "a bit green" after making only 18 collegiate starts — which, again, could be fine for a team like Detroit that has a veteran plug-and-play guy waiting in the wings — but Jeremiah notes the true allure of his selection: "Freeling has the most upside of any tackle in this year's draft," he said.
Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
▶ Mocked by Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports (March 18)
Miller is another riser in this year's draft class, although his ascent certainly hasn't been as dramatic as Freeling's; Miller was mostly thought of as a second-round pick through the end of the season.
More: Blake Miller could be Day 1 starter for Lions at OT, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. says
In a world of tweeners, Miller's clear projection as an NFL tackle stands out: "Miller is a plus athlete who has shown the ability to excel in pass protection, Fornelli writes. "He's also one of the few OT prospects in this class worthy of a pick this early, with a clear tackle frame."
Plus, Miller (6-foot-7, 317 pounds) has excellent athleticism, extreme durability — he broke the Clemson record for career snaps played from scrimmage, spending his entire career at one school while showing significant improvement each season.
[email protected]
@nolanbianchi
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Should the Detroit Lions target tackle or edge?: Mock draft roundup
Continue reading...
