The Detroit Lions have been hard at work getting through the offseason, and the next focus is the NFL draft.
As the month of April nears and free agency gets further and further in the distance, the Lions will have to keep pondering what the best moves are in order to build up their roster better for 2023.
Mock draft season is starting to come into full-swing, and the Lions have seen some new ideas for the franchise come down the pipe in recent days. One of the biggest concepts is that defensive tackle Jalen Carter could be a dream for the team if he slipped down the board to the sixth-overall pick.
Pro Football Focus analyst Gordon McGuinness put together a new three-round mock for every NFC North team, and the Lions’ “dream” played out with Carter slipping.
“The dream scenario for the Detroit Lions at No. 6 overall is that the four top quarterbacks all are selected within the first five selections, guaranteeing them a shot at either Carter or Alabama edge defender Will Anderson Jr. Carter’s 92.3 PFF grade was the best among draft-eligible interior defenders in 2022,” McGuinness wrote of Carter.
With their second first-round pick, McGuinness had the Lions adding Joey Porter Jr. from Penn State, a player that could add some grit and extra depth to the group.
“The Lions have already added to their defensive backfield this offseason, but the temptation to add someone like Porter was too great here. Posting a career-high 77.4 PFF coverage grade, the Penn State corner allowed just 15 receptions across 275 coverage snaps in 2022,” he wrote.
After that, McGuinness had defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson as picks in the second round, and then Stanford wideout Michael Wilson as the pick in the third-round for the Lions.
While those selections are also solid for a needy defense, the headliners of course are Carter and Porter Jr. relative to what they would bring the team immediately from the first-round.
Indeed, many are starting to come around to Carter as a quality goal for the Lions during the draft.
Jalen Carter Hype Building With Draft Gurus
This wasn’t the only mock this week where the experts had the Lions electing to go with a selection of Carter.
ESPN sage Mel Kiper released his third mock draft of the offseason, and with the sixth-overall pick, he delivered his biggest surprise yet for Detroit fans. Instead of going cornerback as had been the norm, Kiper went with Georgia’s Jalen Carter at that spot for the Lions.
.@MelKiperESPN‘s mock draft 3.0 is here!
He has C.J. Stroud going No. 1 over Bryce Young 👀
As for the rest of Kiper’s draft, it is not a surprise to see him focusing heavily on the defense in Detroit. The team finished 32nd overall in 2022, and four out of the team’s first five picks by Kiper are projected to be on defense. In addition to Carter, Kiper had the Lions taking edge, Lukas Van Ness, linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta and linebacker Noah Sewell.
https://twitter.com/GMwanttobe/status/1638176232868319235
“Mel Kiper 3.0. Has the Lions winning the Draft with their #6 pick. #6 Jalen Carter, DT. #18 Lukas Van Ness, Edge. #48 Jack Campbell, LB. #55 Sam LaPorta, TE. #81 Noah Sewell, LB,” Twitter account GMwanttobe showed in a tweet.
Though he is a controversial prospect due to some recent litigation, it’s tough to say that he would not be a strong fit for a needy Detroit front.
Joey Porter Jr.’ College Stats & Highlights
In terms of Porter, there is a lot to like about the young cornerback as this piece alluded to. He’s been battle tested in the Big Ten and has elite NFL bloodlines considering former linebacker Joey Porter is his father.
Clearly, Porter is his own man in terms of his play, though, which is something that he has proven time and again when playing for Penn State. Statistically, he’s been solid given he has racked up 112 total tackles, one interception and 20 passes defended in a four year career with the Nittany Lions.
Between Porter and Carter, the Lions would be in good shape moving forward at two key positions on the field on defense. These would be a good pair of building blocks for a very needy roster in terms of depth and elite playmaking.
To that end, landing both may be a dream scenario for the Lions when the draft plays out.
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Analyst Unveils ‘Dream Scenario’ for Lions’ Draft Around Top Prospects