Getty Derrick Brown working out at the NFL Combine.
The Detroit Lions could have some major choices to make when they get the NFL Draft going in over another month, but already, folks are lining up to make predictions regarding what might happen when all is said and done when the team picks.
According to veteran Detroit News writer Bob Wojnowski, the Lions are going to have a surprise in store for everyone when they pick. That surprise? The selection of defensive tackle Derrick Brown from Auburn, who Wojnowski says the team will select. As to why, he admits he is simply connecting the dots as to what he thinks the team will do when all is said and done.
I can confirm what Valenti is saying on the air, and I appreciate his sentiment. Yes indeed, I believe the Lions will draft Auburn DT Derrick Brown at No. 3 …. even if Chase Young is available. I am not taunting or trolling Lions fans. I am connecting dots. Big fat dots.
Brown, who had a big finish to his season with the Tigers, figures to be one of the top players at No. 3. Detroit’s line has been close to the basement of the league in terms of getting after the quarterback and stopping the run. Who better to come in and remedy that than a guy like Brown. He would immediately be an upgrade for the Lions up front and is one of the most dynamic interior linemen set to be drafted in 2020.
Passing on others, including perhaps Chase Young in order to get Brown, would certainly be interesting and look like a potential bombshell as it relates to the team’s pick this year.
Players Lions Could Consider During 2020 NFL Draft
The Lions have plenty of needs, and with the No. 3 pick, could be expected to be active in landing one of the best players the draft has to offer. Names such as Young, Tua Tagovailoa, Jeffrey Okudah, Isaiah Simmons and Brown could all find themselves in the mix for selection depending on what happens in the future. The Lions could also trade back a bit in the draft if they so desire and acquire more picks for 2020 and beyond.
If Detroit traded back, they could still conceivably land Brown a bit later within the top 10 of the draft. If that move plays out, Brown would be someone to watch.
Lions Biggest 2020 NFL Draft Need is Defensive End
Detroit cannot pressure the quarterback meaningfully in 2019, something that has been painfully obvious for weeks and that is a glaring problem given what the team has done to add to the front in recent months and years. Part of the problem has been injury, but beyond Trey Flowers and Da’Shawn Hand, the Lions simply don’t have any young building blocks they can count on right now. The team has to find some form of consistency in the trenches, and that is why it’s a major need for them moving forward.
If the draft were held today, the Lions would have to target some type of defensive end or pass rush specialist highly, and Young would be the top option. Without a few impact players here in 2020, it’s tough to imagine the Lions turning their defensive fortunes around.
That makes the potential selection of Young so vital, and why so many wish to see the Lions find a way to select him. That’s true whatever might happen in the lead in to the draft or who else could be in play for the team.
Adding Brown to the team could be an effective way to also help boost the team’s fortunes in the trenches, and this need could be the biggest reason the Lions manage to make him the pick when all is said and done.
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