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The NFL offseason is hitting its home stretch and the Detroit Lions are facing their final test as it relates to making quality additions before the 2023 season.
Following free agency, the Lions have focused their attention on the NFL draft, and the process has come to its conclusion for another year. With the help of Pro Football Focus and their simulator, our third mock draft of the 2023 offseason was put together.
Who will the Lions be landing when all is said and done in this year’s draft? Here’s a look at the final projection.
Round One, Pick Number Six – Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech Edge
The Lions need to focus on their defensive line in the draft, and in Tyree Wilson, they would land a top prospect. This simulation had Wilson sliding to Detroit at pick six, so it was an easy decision to scoop him up. Especially with knowledge that Detroit could even covet him when the draft begins.
After starting his career with Texas A&M and putting up 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a freshman, Wilson transferred to Texas Tech, where he came into his own the next three years, posting 15.5 sacks and 29 total tackles for the Red Raiders. He finished his college career with 121 tackles, 17 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Wilson is gifted athletically with a 6’6″ frame and an ability to move around up front on a line to cause havoc for both passers and running backs. During the NFL combine, went viral for having a massive wingspan that measured 86′.
The Lions could pair Wilson with Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston and have one of the most intriguing young defensive lines in college football. The team has to hope they can get this luck in the actual draft.
Round One, Pick 18 – Calijah Kancey, Pitt DT
Detroit struggled stopping the run as well as rushing the passer, and if they could add Calijah Kancey to an already-stacked young defensive line, it could be transformational for the team.
During this scenario, Kancey is on the board with the 18th pick, and at that point of the draft, it’s too good to pass up adding to the team’s front line with another selection.
In terms of career stats, Kancey has put up 91 tackles in his career, and 34.5 of those tackles have been for-loss. He also has 16 career sacks, showing how active he can be even within the middle of the line.
As a result of this work, Kancey was the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year as well as a 2022 Consensus All-American. Those are some fantastic accolades for a player of his stature coming into the NFL, and he could help turn around Detroit’s defensive front in a big way.
Round Two, Pick 48 – Tyrique Stevenson, Miami CB
Cornerback is one of the deepest spots in the draft, so if the Lions don’t land a player at the position in the first round, it doesn’t mean it’s time to panic about the direction of the team.
In this case, the Lions simply stay put and take the top cornerback on the board at this point in the draft. That’s Tyrique Stevenson of Miami, a gifted player that figures to come off the board on day two.
Stevenson has enjoyed a solid college career, putting up 115 tackles, three interceptions and collecting 21 passes defended along with 1.5 sacks. At 6″, he is the right size to make an impact in the league and be a gritty defender.
Stevenson would be an interesting prospect for the Lions, and could be a solid player for the team to land a bit down the board that could still help them beef up the depth of their secondary for the future.
Round Two, Pick 55 – Sam LaPorta, Iowa TE
The Lions have a need at tight end, and while it might not be as dramatic a need for a first-round pick at the position, it’s still a need the team could look to address early on in the draft.
In this simulation, Sam LaPorta falls to pick 55. There is potential for him to go much higher, of course, but if the Lions could land a player of his caliber in the second-round, that would be significant for their offensive future.
LaPorta could help the Lions get better pretty quickly on that side of the ball. The tight end isn’t a prolific college pass catcher, having hauled in just five touchdowns and 1,786 yards in his career. He is gritty and tough as the tape shows, however.
LaPorta could also impact the game as a blocker, as most tight ends from Iowa translate well to the NFL. Names like Dallas Clark, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant have all done well in their transitions to the league, and LaPorta could be next in line to claim that mantle. Detroit would be happy to score him at this point in the draft.
Round Three, Pick 81 – Michael Wilson, Stanford WR
Detroit has lost Jameson Williams for six games as a result of a gambling suspension, which is a new development since free agency as well as our last mock.
In spite of this, the Lions don’t have to panic. They added a savvy veteran in Marvin Jones during free agency, and still have a solid group. By snagging Stanford’s Michael Wilson in round-three, the Lions could get even better with a potentially underrated stud.
During college, Wilson was a wide receiver that managed to do some damage very similar to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the PAC-12. Wilson put up 1,662 yards and 11 touchdowns in a five-year career, and additionally, collected 55 rushing yards on six attempts.
During the Senior Bowl, Wilson was a player that stood out as well, having a major performance which included a touchdown. The Lions could nab him down the board and insert him into the offense to learn from St. Brown and others. It could be a good solution at wideout for the team to remember.
Round Five, Pick 152 – Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati LB
The Lions may not covet linebacker help early as much as many draft experts might wish, so with this knowledge, the team could return to their sweet spot for another impact selection at the position.
Detroit has landed linebacker Derrick Barnes in the fourth-round of the 2021 draft, as well as linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez in the sixth-round in the 2022 draft. Ivan Pace Jr. could be the next in-line to become a steal, and in this mock, the Lions scoop him up in the fifth-round.
Pace is a bit undersized, but doesn’t seem to let that define him as a player given 306 tackles, 20 sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles in college.
Getting an aggressive player like Pace could help the Lions turn their defense around, and would give them another formidable player to slot in a rapidly-improving group.
Round Five, Pick 159 – Keaton Mitchell, ECU RB
As the draft process has gone on, many have become enamored with the Lions drafting a running back within the first or second round. If that doesn’t happen, they could still score an impact maker later in the draft.
One such player is Keaton Mitchell of ECU. The productive running back had a fantastic college career, putting up 3,027 yards and 25 touchdowns in college. Better than that, he put up 580 receiving yards and three scores, showing he can catch some passes, too.
Mitchell would be a good way for the Lions to address a potential need at running back, and take a swing at a player that offers some speed and toughness at the position. Adding him with a late pick like this could prove to be a major win.
Round Six, Pick 183 – Jake Haener, Fresno State QB
Will the Lions come away with a quarterback this year? After not drafting one since Brad Kaaya in 2017, it feels like a lock that something has to happen at the position. Enter Jake Haener, a possible day three pick.
Haener started at Washington in 2018, only seeing time in three games and posting one touchdown and one interception. He then transferred to Fresno State, where he steadily saw more action on the field. As a three-year player for the Bulldogs, Haener put up 9,120 passing yards, 68 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
In addition to that, Haener was a first-team All-Mountain West player in 2022, and a second-team All-Mountain West performer in 2021.
In Detroit, Haener would be an interesting option because he could be a developmental player behind Jared Goff. He wouldn’t cost Detroit a top pick, and yet could compete to be Goff’s primary backup in the future with thoughts of more if he developed quickly. This could be a win for the Lions late in the draft ala Brock Purdy in 2022 for San Francisco.
Round Six, Pick 194 – Atonio Mafi, G, UCLA
The Lions made a good move to bring back Graham Glasgow for some good interior depth in free agency, and while Halapoulivaati Vaitai could be feeling better, he is still aging a bit and not guaranteed to stay on the roster past 2023-24.
That makes the sixth-round a perfect time to take a flier on a developmental guard. In this case, there isn’t anyone better than Atonio Mafi, a physical prospect from the Bruins that the Lions have met with pre-draft. This might seem like a reach, but Mafi could be a sleeper in the trenches.
Mafi earned second-team All-PAC-12 honors during the 2022 season, and started 13 games for the team. In total, Mafi has played in 25 games the last two years as a very durable player. He’s someone the team could groom behind their veterans for a bigger role later on.
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