The Detroit Lions have been speculated to look into defense when they get things going in the 2023 NFL draft, but the position they could look to fix first remains up in the air.
Many have maintained the Lions could look at the defensive line early on, given the number of top-flight players that could be there. But what if there was a cornerback that made a case for selection within the top 10?
So far, many see Devon Witherspoon from Illinois as a name that could make the jump, but ESPN sage Mel Kiper Jr. has a different name that fans should be keeping track of in Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez.
Previous mocks may have seen cornerback as a reach in the top 10, but that’s not going to be the case with a new mock from Kiper. Within, he had the Lions nabbing Gonzalez with the sixth-overall pick. As he says, the player is about to prove why
“I wrote in January this was a little high for the Lions to take a cornerback, but I’ve come around on the ceiling of this corner class. We could see two in the top 10. People I talk to in the NFL believe Gonzalez is going to test off the charts at the combine, and Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) and Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State) have a chance to be the No. 1 corner as well. The 6-2 Gonzalez had a stellar 2022 season at Oregon, picking off four passes,” Kiper wrote.
Kiper would go on to admit that he wants to see the Lions add a pair of plug-and-play starters on defense from this draft, and Gonzalez would be a good start as it relates to this.
With the team’s next selection at 18, Kiper went back to the defensive well and had the Lions nabbing Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders, a player that could shore up Detroit’s need for toughness and playmaking at that position.
“They should double dip on defense in Round 1, and Sanders, my top-ranked inside linebacker, would really help them. Again, this defense ranked near the bottom of the league in most statistical categories, so the Lions could go with the best defender left on their board. Sanders, a transfer from Alabama, stuffed the stat sheet in his lone season at Arkansas — 111 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. His pass-rush upside means he could move around the defense and make plays, and he should be a three-down defender,” Kiper wrote of Sanders.
This would be quite the pairing for the Lions, who would improve not only on the back end but up front with this potential selection grouping. Obviously, the headliner is Gonzalez relative to his talent and the position he plays.
Already, many see his talent as sticking out in a freakish way when the offseason testing period begins. To that end, Kiper could be getting a jump on the future by penciling him in as Detroit’s pick within the top 10.
Gonzalez’s Career Stats & Highlights
During the process, Gonzalez could have the best chance of being a high-riser of any player the Lions look at for the cornerback spot. This is because he has what many see as a prototypical NFL body for the position and some solid traits.
At 6’2″, Gonzalez is tall and long, and has speed to burn. That makes him a very popular pick with scouts, and could make him popular with the Lions’ brass as well. In terms of production, Gonzalez has opened some eyes in a short amount of time with the Ducks.
The numbers show Gonzalez is a high-riser, and in the minds of some, a player who has the status of being one of the best potential cornerbacks in the draft. He posted 128 tackles and four interceptions in his college career.
Ironically, Gonzalez is the brother-in-law of former Detroit quarterback David Blough. If he came to the team, it’s likely he would have a great idea of what he was getting into as a result of that fact. It could be a quality fit for the team for many reasons, defensively and otherwise.
Now, he could soon be on the move up draft boards if he tests well, and a player the Lions want to get a better look at.
Cornerback Projected Deep Class in 2023
Detroit’s defense will once again be the neediest spot on the team, and according to The Athletic’s draft insider Dane Brugler, there’s good news. Cornerback is one of the spots that will be the deepest.
As Brugler wrote, the edge spot has plenty of different kinds of talent, while cornerback benefitted from some younger players entering the draft early and not returning to college.
“1. Edge Rusher: Also toughest position to stack bc there is so much talent (and different kinds of talents). EDGE will stretch into day 3. 2. Cornerback: Underclassmen really helped. Deep group. 3. Tight End: I have 5 TEs in my top-50 and a few others in the top-100. Loaded!,” Brugler tweeted.
The moral of the story? If the Lions don’t go with Gonzalez, there could be plenty players down the board who make sense such as Witherspoon, Joey Porter Jr., Emmanuel Forbes, Garrett Williams, Kelee Ringo, Darius Rush and others. Any could give the Lions a leg-up at the position in addition to anything else they may do during the offseason.
If the Lions love Gonzalez and he tests impressively as many expect, they could be in prime position to land the best cornerback in the draft market.
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Mel Kiper Predicts Freaky Cornerback Will Test Into Top 10 for Lions