Lions notes: Jabrill Peppers goes to Detroit in latest DetroitLions.com mock

• Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com put out his latest first-round mock draft and has local prospect Jabrill Peppers landing with the Detroit Lions. Here’s a snippet of his reasoning:

3. Peppers is highly regarded for his football acumen. He’s a quick learner who can adjust on the run – even as fast as he runs – and transfer to the field the adjustments he’s been told to make on the sideline.

4. He’s versatile. If Peppers isn’t a starting safety on opening day, he’ll be in the rotation in packages that use his ability while he develops in the system.

• If you’re still holding out hope that the Lions—even after signing Nick Bellore—will take a shot at Zach Brown in free agency, you may want to sit down:

• Lions cornerback Alex Carter spent some time in Washington, D.C. last week to fight for more diabetes research. The disease took his sister at age 14.

• DeAndre Levy is also continuing his off-the-field activism. Once again, he is raising money to help fund testing of neglected rape kits.

• While you wait for the PODcast to drop, take a listen to our own Jerry Mallory’s latest podcast, which has an intriguing four-round mock draft.

• It appears Tony Romo’s NFL career is over:

And he’s taking Phil Simms’ job, to boot:

• The Lions apparently hosted linebacker prospect T.J. Watt last week.

• Could Matthew Stafford be even better in 2017? Jim Caldwell thinks so.