Getty Isaiah Simmons celebrates a big play.
As the Detroit Lions season has begun to circle the drain and losses have piled up, the focus of fans has turned to the 2020 NFL Draft.
At this point, the team has surged forward into a top 10 selection at No. 7 overall. That could get even better with more losses down the stretch, but for now, there are still plenty of names in play that could be elite at the spot the Lions are slated to pick.
So what are some of the early names in play for the Lions as their stock has dramatically gotten better? Here’s a look at some of the first projections for the team.
Lions Draft Projection, Draftwire USA Today (Luke Easterling)
Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn. According to Easterling, Brown is versatile enough for the Lions to play anywhere along the line, and the team will love his upside in terms of athleticism. As Easterling reminds, the Lions need a ton of help everywhere on their roster, especially in the trenches. Brown will be a player to watch moving forward in terms of how high he can move up the draft boards in the coming months. For right now, many have him as a top 10 selection at the very least.
Career stats so far: 158 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 5 forced fumbles
Lions Draft Projection, CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)
Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU. One of the true beasts in the Tigers’ backfield so far this season, Fulton is a player to watch in terms of being the top cornerback on every draft board. According to Wilson, he makes perfect sense for the Lions as a running mate to Darius Slay. As Wilson says, the Lions are simply bad on defense and any spot could use an improvement. To that end, someone like Fulton who has lock down potential could make plenty of sense.
Career stats so far: 45 tackles, 2 interceptions, 15 passes defended, 1 forced fumble
Lions Draft Projection: Walter Football
Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma. Detroit has struggled plenty at linebacker this season, and as the folks at Walter Football note, Matt Patricia might need to find someone who is the face of his defense at the position. Enter Murray, who was very productive his first season for the Sooners and has only gotten better since. As is written, the Lions struggle over the middle and Murray could clean plenty of that up on his own as a player who once had 28 tackles in a college game. That’s pretty insane production to note.
Career stats so far: 302 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries
Lions Draft Projection: NBC Sports Washington (Tyler Roman)
Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson. As is written by Roman, Simmons is a guy who is another potential face of the team on the defensive side of the ball given what he has been able to do for the Clemson defense. As is said, he is a bit on the smaller side but makes plays all over the place on the field. He’d be an interesting addition for a Lions defense that needs playmakers everywhere.
Career stats so far: 208 tackles, 9 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 16 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles
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