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Wednesday open thread: Who should be the top 3 players on the Lions’ big board?

If you had to make a Lions big board, who would be the top 3 prospects.

By Jeremy Reisman
Central Michigan v Kentucky Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

At this point in draft season, most NFL fans have made up their mind on the one person they’d love to see their team select in the first round. For Detroit Lions fans, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus, but with the eighth overall pick, we have a pretty good idea of the players that will be there.

Still, there’s a lot of uncertainty with picks 1-7, and a player once thought to be there at eight may not make it. Of course, the same is true of the opposite. A player expected to be gone well before the Lions are on the clock could very well slip to Detroit.

The key to being prepared for any scenario is to simply make a big board. Make a list of your favorite eight players, and at least one is guaranteed to be there when you’re on the clock. But for brevity’s sake, let’s just start with three. Today’s Question of the Day is:

Who are your top three players on your Lions’ Big Board?

My answer:

Josh Allen
Quinnen Williams
Ed Oliver

The top two are no-brainers for me, as Josh Allen and Quinnen Williams are both safe and thrilling options for the Lions. I put Allen atop Williams mostly because of fit and need, though the two are basically interchangeable. I’m not quite as high on Nick Bosa, even though many believe he’s the top prospect in this year’s draft.

That third spot was pretty tough for me. Montez Sweat, Brian Burns, T.J. Hockenson, Devin Bush, and Jonah Williams all make sense. But, for me, I really think Ed Oliver has the potential to be something special. That pass-rushing interior threat, combined with crazy athletic traits has superstar written all over it, and while he’ll obviously need to put on some more weight to prevent himself from getting tossed around in the NFL, Oliver has continually surprised by matching every challenge he’s faced in his career. Whether it be a change in scheme, or adding a ton of weight before the NFL Combine and still putting up ridiculous athletic scores, Oliver has been up to the task.

Your turn.

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