:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63670978/usa_today_12583298.0.jpg)
My favorite NFL Draft tradition is back! Way back in 2013, former Pride of Detroit managing editor Sean Yuille finished draft season with a completely random mock draft, in which he literally just picked 32 names out of a hat and slotted them to their respective teams.
That year, instead of the Lions picking Ezekiel Ansah with the fifth overall pick, they ended up taking West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith.
Since then, the random mock draft has slotted Detroit with defensive tackle Louis Nix (2014), tight end Maxx Williams (2015), defensive tackle Jarran Reed (2016) and running back Derrius Guice (2018). (I straight up forgot to do this in 2017).
That’s not exactly a great haul for the Lions, but I’m here to reverse the curse. This year, the Lions are going to snag a future Hall of Famer in the Random Mock.
Time for my favorite mock draft of the year.
— Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) April 25, 2019
The Literally Just Pull Names Out Of A Hat Mock Draft.
Results coming this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/T2zNhxK1bi
Here’s how it worked. I wrote down the top 32 prospects from The Athletic’s Consensus Big Board on individual pieces of paper and threw them into a hat. From there, I simply picked a piece of paper and went down the draft order. No trades.
Here are the results:
- Arizona Cardinals - OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida
- San Francisco 49ers - CB Byron Murphy, Washington
- New York Jets - DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama
- Oakland Raiders - DT Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi St.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - G Cody Ford, Oklahoma
- New York Giants - EDGE Brian Burns, Florida State
- Jacksonville Jaguars - WR N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
- Detroit Lions - WR Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
- Buffalo Bills - CB Deandre Baker, Georgia
- Denver Broncos - WR A.J. Brown, Mississippi
- Cincinnati Bengals - TE T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
- Green Bay Packers - DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
- Miami Dolphins - QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
- Atlanta Falcons - WR D.K. Metcalf, Mississippi
- Washington - LB Devin White, LSU
- Carolina Panthers - OT Andre Dillard, Washington St.
- New York Giants - CB Greedy Williams, LSU
- Minnesota Vikings - QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio St.
- Tennessee Titans - C Garrett Bradbury, NC State
- Pittsburgh Steelers - EDGE Nick Bosa, Ohio St.
- Seattle Seahawks - DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson
- Baltimore Ravens - G Dalton Risner, Kansas St.
- Houston Texans - LB Devin Bush, Michigan
- Oakland Raiders - DT Ed Oliver, Houston
- Philadelphia Eagles - DT Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
- Indianapolis Colts - EDGE Rashan Gary, Michigan
- Oakland Raiders - RB Josh Jacobs, Alabama
- Los Angeles Chargers - EDGE Josh Allen, Kentucky
- Seattle Seahawks - EDGE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
- Green Bay Packers - EDGE Montez Sweat, Mississippi St.
- Los Angeles Rams - TE Noah Fant, Iowa
- New England Patriots - OL Jonah Williams, Alabama
It’s quite fitting that the inane process of picking a name out of hat would summon the Matt Millen era for the Detroit Lions. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is a name a lot of people like, including our own Alex Reno:
One pick that I'd be behind that will be a very unpopular opinion with most Lions fans is Hollywood Brown.
— Alex Reno (@alex_reno) February 8, 2019
I think he will be very high on the #Lions' board because:
1) They've publicly stated they want more playmakers on both sides
(1)
However, this tweet was 10 days before it was announced that Brown had surgery for a Lisfranc injury. It appears Brown’s rehab is going well, but that kind of injury can be devastating, and he’s a big risk in the top 10.
Some picks that actually may happen include Quinnen Williams to the Jets, Greedy Williams to the Giants, and Andre Dillard to the Panthers.