Getty Matthew Stafford and Baker Mayfield look on in a 2022 game at Lambeau Field.
The Detroit Lions have been on a tear through the stretch run of the 2022 season, and as a result, their own draft pick figures to be in the middle of the pack for 2023.
Luckily for Detroit, they also own the first-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams this year, and that has been trending in a good direction for the team most of the season. That continued as Week 15 wrapped up, as the Rams lost to Green Bay 24-12.
At 4-10, the Rams are still heading nowhere fast, and a critical game is on the horizon for Week 16 when they take on the similarly sputtering 4-10 Denver Broncos. Seattle owns Denver’s pick, and Detroit owns the Rams pick, which as Ari Meirov pointed out, will make for an epic day of scoreboard watching between the sides.
NFL Draft order after 15 weeks:
1) Texans
2) Bears
3) Seahawks (via DEN)
4) Lions (via LAR)
5) Cardinals
6) Colts
7) Falcons
8) Panthers
9) Eagles (via NO)
10) Raiders
Massive draft positioning game this week: Broncos (Seahawks) vs. Rams (Lions) is coming up on Christmas Day.
“NFL Draft order after 15 weeks: 1) Texans. 2) Bears. 3) Seahawks (via DEN). 4) Lions (via LAR). 5) Cardinals. 6) Colts. 7) Falcons. 8) Panthers. 9) Eagles (via NO). 10) Raiders. Massive draft positioning game this week: Broncos (Seahawks) vs. Rams (Lions) is coming up on Christmas Day,” Meirov wrote in a tweet.
The Lions want to see the Rams lose, which would help to boost their pick overall, and could help lock up a top five finish for Detroit’s selection. That is the desired outcome for the team and fans.
Analyzing Lions’ Potential Top Picks
If the Lions were to land a top three pick, which direction would the franchise go? It’s safe to say there are plenty of needs on both sides of the ball, and a case could be made for either an offensive or defensive star.
In terms of any position on the offense, most folks will say that the team should look closely at a quarterback if they end up with a top three selection. There are multiple players who could make a case for that pick, such as Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud or Alabama’s Bryce Young. Either would give the Lions a foundational piece to build around for the future at a key position.
Defensively, Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. could make a case for a top selection as well. As a defender, he’s put on a big show so far this season. The same could be said for Georgia’s Jalen Carter along the defensive front, who could be a force in the middle of a line. Others, such as Myles Murphy of Clemson, Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech and Bryan Bresee of Clemson could also make sense.
Either way, the Lions would have their pick of the litter if they ended up with a top selection. It’s certainly trending that way no matter how the season finishes in early January.
Lions Rooting Interests for Top Draft Pick
It’s coming down to crunch time on the rooting game, and the Lions will not only be pulling for the Rams to keep losing, but for teams around them to go down as well.
The Rams will finish with the Broncos, Chargers and Seahawks. Other than Denver, none of those games seem very easy on paper, which could make for a tough finish in Los Angeles and a great pick for the Lions when all is said and done.
Perhaps additionally as important for Lions fans? Pulling for Chicago to win another game as well as Denver to find a few wins on the schedule. Houston probably won’t be caught. Additionally, they don’t want to see the 4-10 Arizona Cardinals sneak up in the standings, nor the dreadful 4-9-1 Indianapolis Colts. could leave that game as a huge one for draft standing when all is said and done.
There’s a long way to go before this season ends, but already, it seems as if the Lions will be pushing toward a top 10 pick at the very least, potentially even a top-five selection. That will leave them in good position to sift out their needs and add an instant impact player to help in 2023.
Folks will want to watch this weekend’s game closely, as it features a couple teams rooting for others to better their draft pick. What happens there will go a long way toward sorting out how the season finishes.
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Lions Draft Pick Faces ‘Massive Positioning Game’ During Week 16