Mock Draft Rebuild Series: Detroit Lions
The Lions took the league by storm this season. From beating the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on the road, to being a few plays short of going to their first ever Super Bowl. Dan Campbell has been the right man for the job in Detroit, and with a few stellar rookies and a great free agent class, there is no reason Detroit cannot with the NFC North again next season, and be competing for the NFC Championship, or even the Super Bowl.
Right now, there are not many holes on this Lions roster. They are weaker on the interior of their Offensive Line than the exterior, and their Defensive Line and Cornerbacks are weaker than a championship contending team would like to have. Drafting near the back end of each round is going to eliminate a lot of prospects for the Lions, simply because they know they will not be there when the are slated to be selecting.
As always, we will be using the PFF (Pro Football Focus) Mock Draft Simulator to assist us in this draft, as well as any PFF rankings that come with the upcoming class of rookies. Lets begin:
Round 1, Pick 29
At this point, most, if not all, of the top Cornerbacks should be off of the board. As is the same with the top end interior Defensive Lineman. The Lions could draft an Offensive Tackle and move him inside to one of the Guard positions, but that transition isn’t always the easiest to do. However, in this simulation, a Cornerback does fall to us here at 29.
Pick: Ennis Rakestraw Jr, Cornerback, Missouri
Standing at 6’0, 188 lbs, Rakestraw does have some size at the Cornerback position, and he will likely add some weight once he is in the NFL. Rakestraw was one of the best zone coverage Cornerbacks last year, grading out above the 90th percentile with an 85.2 zone coverage grade per PFF. While he thrives in zone, he is extremely weak in man coverage, grading out with a 56.6 man coverage grade. Rakestraw will have to learn how to run man coverage from the Cornerback position, as to ensure he is not a one trick pony with just zone. Rakestraw is also phenomenal in run defense, grading out with a 89.0 run defense grade. Rakestraw has the skill to play in the NFL, and if he can learn how to cover better in man coverage, he can carve out a very nice, very long role for himself in the NFL.
Round 2, Pick 61
The Lions need to address the interior of the Offensive line this offseason. If that is through the draft, or through free agency, it remains to be seen. Just like every other rebuild, we do not account for free agency, and take things as they stand right now. That being said, there are players that the Lions could take here in the second round that can fill massive holes on the interior.
Pick: Christian Haynes, Guard, Connecticut
Haynes stands at 6’2, 313 lbs, and grades out as one of the best pass blockers and run blockers in this draft class. In the last 3 seasons, he has only given up 19 QB hurries, 4 QB hits, and 3 sacks. What is going to hurt Haynes more than anything in this draft is that he is from a smaller football school, and that he hasn’t had the consistent production against elite level talent. Haynes has the capabilities to thrive in the NFL, but he will have to do it against far better talent than he has gone against thus far in his career.
Round 3
Using the Vikings pick that they got in the TJ Hockenson trade first, the Lions have a decision to make. Is there another interior Offensive Lineman that is available in this draft to take right here? Do they go an offensive weapon in the event that someone leaves in free agency or someone is a salary cap casualty? There really isn’t a wrong direction for the Lions here, so long as it is a player that improves the team.
Pick 73
Pick: Devontez Walker, Wide Receiver, North Carolina
With Josh Reynolds, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Anthony Firkser all being unrestricted free agents this offseason, it makes sense that the Lions would draft a rookie pass catcher in the 3rd or 4th round. Walker adds a solid weapon in an offense that will be driven by Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta. Walker stands at 6’2, 200 lbs, and while Walker had a better 2022 vs 2023, he still averaged 17.0 yards per catch, with nearly 700 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season. Walker can thrive in an offense where he is not the number 1 receiver, and there can be a nice 3rd or 4th option role in the Lions offense.
Pick 92
Strengthening the Defensive Line, as well as the Offensive Line, is something the Lions need to do. At this point in the draft, there is nothing wrong with adding another pass rusher who can contribute.
Pick: Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Wyoming
Kneeland grades out very well against the run, against the pass, and stands at 6’3, 275 lbs. Then why is there not more talk about him in the higher rounds? Much like Christian Haynes in the 2nd round, Kneeland hasn’t played many high level teams. The teams that he has played, he has done very well against, but scouts will need to see it more consistently against the better teams and the better athletes. Kneeland tallied 6 sacks, 3 QB hits, and 28 QB hurries last season. Kneeland has the skills to contribute for the Lions early, but it needs to be seen against better Offensive Line talent. Pairing him with Aiden Hutchinson can be a good recipe for the Lions this next season.
Round 5, Pick 163
The Lions struck gold last season with their draft class, getting contributions from all 4 of their draft picks , albeit they were all in the first two rounds. While the Lions aren’t that top heavy in terms of draft picks, hitting on that many players is difficult no matter how you spin it. That leads us to believe that the Lions are one of the best teams in the NFL in scouting, and getting “their guy” no matter the position they take them in. The Lions can do that again by drafting a defender here who can pair very well with Jack Campbell in the middle of this defense.
Pick: Michael Barrett, Linebacker, Michigan
At 6’0, 239, Barrett doesn’t have the traditional height of a Linebacker in the NFL. What Barrett lacks in height, he makes up for in work ethic and effort, grading out near the 99th percentile in pass rushing with a grade of 92.6 per PFF. He is also a good run defender and pass coverage defender. Barrett, at his current skill set, cannot operate as the lead Linebacker in an NFL system. That being said, pair him with a guy like Jack Campbell, and other stud defenders, he can contribute in a positive way. Barrett has also succeeded against some of the best competition in the country, considering he is coming from the National Champions in the Michigan Wolverines.
Round 6, Pick 207
The Lions are always looking for players that fit the model of Dan Campbell, and guys that are not afraid to do the dirty work when it comes to winning. Winning up front is where games are won in the NFL, and Campbell knows that better than most.
Pick: Trevor Keegan, Guard, Michigan
Trevor Keegan is also from Michigan, like Michael Barrett. Keegan stands at 6’6, 320 lbs, which is on the taller side of Guards in the NFL. Keegan is also a far better pass protector than a run defender. The Lions can lose both Graham Glasgow and Jonah Jackson this upcoming free agency cycle, so it is imperative that they address multiple interior offensive line positions in the draft, in the event they fail to do so in free agency. While Trevor Keegan isn’t the most dominant, most technical offensive lineman, he has shown flashes of great Guard play. Keegan should be available later in the draft, and can be a steal for a team like the Lions.
Round 7, Pick 247
With their final selection in the 2024 NFL draft, the Lions will be looking for someone that can be a special teams player, can contribute if someone were to go down with an injury, or someone that can be a practice squad guy and contribute to the team in a few seasons. This player can be all of that.
Pick: Marcellas Dial, Cornerback, South Carolina
Marcellas Dial stands at 6’0, 195 lbs, and played his best ball last season for the Gamecocks. Dial graded out with a 79.1 coverage grade, and operates far better as a man coverage defender vs zone coverage. Dial allows opposing Quarterbacks to have a decent rating against him, and while he doesn’t have any interceptions from this past season, he did only allow 2 touchdowns against him. Dial is a guy that can carve out a practice squad or special teams role if he wants it bad enough. If he grows in his football knowledge, he may be able to find his way to an NFL field in the near future. Dial is going to make an NFL team very happy with a late round pick or an undrafted free agent contract.
The Lions are going to continue to be one of the better teams in the NFL next season, if they can fill the holes that they are going to have once free agency starts. They can fill those holes in free agency, or with a draft like this, though ideally it is a combination of both. Will the Lions finally make it to the Super Bowl this next season? If we have learned anything from Dan Campbell, it is that he is going to demand the best from his players, and if they do not meet the checklist that he has set for them, they won’t be on the Lions for very long. Next up in the NFC North: The Green Bay Packers.
