Getty Justin Fields warming up before playing for Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship.
The Detroit Lions don’t have a general manger or a coach yet, so it could be premature to make any type of estimation on what the team could look to do in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Still, that hasn’t stopped some folks from speculating and wondering if the Lions could indeed look at a quarterback with their first pick next year. The future of Matthew Stafford seems firmly up in the air, and many folks are beginning to ponder what quarterback could make sense should the Lions look to the draft for a replacement.
Yahoo! Sports columnist Eric Edholm recently took a look at projecting Detroit’s draft prospects for 2021 and made a suggestion for the team. If they do end up making a move with Stafford, a new quarterback could be coming into the mix in the form of Ohio State signal caller Justin Fields.
Edholm advocated for the Lions, who could pick as high as third in the draft but figure to pick somewhere around seven, nabbing Fields when they have the chance. He even believes the Lions should move up if they think they must to in order to get a shot at selecting Fields.
As he wrote:
“If trading Stafford is the decision the Lions feel they must make, then pairing Fields with a smart, patient QB coach/offensive coordinator/head coach and signing a veteran option who can serve as the placeholder if he’s deemed not ready feels like a reasonable next chapter.
And if that requires moving up a slot or two to land Fields, whatever the Lions get back in a trade for Stafford should provide them ample ammo to do so. Detroit currently has all its draft picks in 2021 in Rounds 1 through 5 but lacks sixth- and seventh-rounders.”
The Lions could figure to be unable to nab Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson, who many think could be the first quarterbacks off the board with the first two selections of the draft. That leaves names like Fields as well as Trey Lance to be next up, and evaluating them will be the next step for the Lions and other teams, plus deciding what to do at their own quarterback spot.
There’s no doubting Fields is talented, but is he the next big thing at quarterback? That is left to be seen, but many feel the Lions should be the team to take the risk when all is said and done.
Justin Fields Stats
During his career with Ohio State, there’s been little question that Fields has been an interesting prospect. Since becoming the starter a few years back, he’s done nothing but put up elite numbers while with the Buckeyes. The last two seasons, Fields has been solid, putting up 4,794 passing yards with Ohio State as well as 56 touchdowns. Fields has also rushed for 15 touchdowns and a solid 758 yards on the ground. To that end, he looks as if he could be a Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray or Cam Newton type player who can extend a defense with his arm as well as his legs.
How Fields will transition to the NFL is anyone’s guess, and that’s especially true given the fact that Ohio State quarterbacks haven’t had the best track record lately. Fields will be looking to break that mold when he gets into the league next season.
Will Lions Consider Quarterback During 2021 NFL Draft?
Regardless of where the team picks this coming spring, the Lions should be wide open when it comes to the 2021 draft thanks to the fact that they’ve addressed a ton of spots on both offense and defense recently within their selections. On offense, the Lions could use another young wideout, and while they might seem set at quarterback, there could always be a significant challenge to that moving forward given changes in direction of the front office which could lead to a change at that position. There also figure to be plenty of elite quarterbacks to be found within the top 10 where Detroit could select, meaning there could be no better time than the present to strike for new blood.
Whether it’s Fields or not, Detroit will have plenty of big draft decisions to make in the coming months, and the biggest question that will persist revolves around who will be making these picks and who the coach to lead them ends up being.
Some believe Fields will be the best choice for the Lions.
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