Getty Lions general manager Brad Holmes on the field during training camp in 2021.
Mock draft season is coming for the Detroit Lions, and as the team pushes on and dreams of a playoff birth, thoughts have still shifted to what may happen in the offseason.
The Lions are already positioned well to do some damage the rest of the season, and in the offseason too with multiple draft picks. So far, there has only been a few hints about what will play out for the team when the 2023 draft happens.
Detroit has seen improved play at quarterback this season, but that isn’t enough to move the needle for some, such as ESPN’s Todd McShay. The analyst seems to think the team needs to prioritize a quarterback as a result.
McShay had the Lions going with Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud in his first mock draft, due to the fact that he doesn’t consider Jared Goff a long-term answer.
“Jared Goff has played well under center of late, but he’s not the long-term answer. Stroud — who makes good decisions with the football, displays great touch and has a big arm — could learn behind Goff for a season before Detroit moves on and builds around a talented passer on a rookie deal. Detroit has a top-five offense right now (26.2 points per game), and a very good supporting cast is already in place,” McShay wrote in the piece.
From there, McShay goes on to pencil in Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Lions. That’s been a popular selection for Detroit so far, which makes sense considering the weakness the team has on the back end.
“Porter — the son of former Steelers edge rusher Joey Porter — is my top cornerback, showcasing high-level recognition skills, and he’d give that defense more scheme flexibility. He didn’t have a pick this season, but he did have 11 pass breakups,” McShay wrote.
Porter Jr. could be a great pick for the Lions on the back end. All in all, many Lions fans would probably prefer a defender with their top pick at this point in time, but for now, McShay doesn’t see that as the case for the team.
Report Claimed Lions Unlikely to Dump Goff
While many might be anxious for the Lions to move on from Goff, it might not happen after a new report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network surfaced.
When Detroit made the trade to land Goff as well as a pair of first-round picks, most assumed that Goff’s days were numbered in Detroit. The team would stick with him for a few years, but then move on.
That line of thinking might not be correct right now according to Rapoport, the NFL Network’s insider. Quoting sources familiar with Detroit’s thinking, the Lions aren’t poised to move on from Goff, but rather stick with him for the future.
“As sources have explained, Goff is believed to be their starting QB. Period. Not just until someone else comes along. With all due respect to the unknown — weird things happen in the NFL — the plan is for Goff to be in Detroit for the future,” Rapoport wrote in the piece.
A big reason this is the case? Goff has settled down within the teams offense and is also enjoying a solid season. He’s leading the team on the field and off, and has been the total package for the Lions.
As Rapoport would go on to say, the team now has draft options with Goff playing much better.
“If Goff continues to impress and Detroit doesn’t need to select a QB in this draft, that pick could end up being used on a top position player or a perfect pick to trade. There’s plenty of time left until then, but where it stands right now is a huge positive for Detroit,” he wrote.
Such a situation could eliminate the team drafting a player like Stroud high in the draft, which is what McShay is predicting.
Stroud’s Career Stats & Highlights
No matter what happens with Detroit, it will be interesting to see what plays out with Stroud, who is clearly a top option for the impending NFL draft.
Early on, Stroud has taken on the look of one of the best passers in a stout 2023 class of quarterbacks. His first year at Ohio State was a banner season in which Stroud threw for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Here’s a look at some of Stroud’s top highlights from the 2021 season on the field:
A question Stroud will have to overcome this season and into the future? The failure of Buckeye quarterbacks in the NFL. Few have achieved major success in the league, but there’s always time for a first. Stroud could well be that player with his strong arm and escapability.
Through the 2022 season, Stroud amassed 1,737 yards, 24 passing touchdowns and just three interceptions. As a result, he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, placing third in the ceremony.
Stroud has done all he can to make a case, and some think that will land him safely within the top-five to the Lions when all is said and done.