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Day 1 is in the books and Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell is your newest Detroit Lion. With three quarterbacks going before Detroit’s pick as expected, the board couldn’t have fallen any better for Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes. Whether you agree with the pick or not, the Lions are pretty set for the next few years on the offensive line, which is going to make Jared Goff very happy. Let’s take a look at some of the top prospects available as we prepare for Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
Wide Receiver
1. Elijah Moore
2. Terrace Marshall Jr.
3. Nico Collins
4. Rondale Moore
5. Dyami Brown
WR is easily the deepest position group of this year’s draft. Just because the Lions didn’t select one in the first round doesn’t mean they won’t be left with a high-end talent at the start of Day 2. You could fit about 10 more names onto this list that are worthy of consideration for the Lions, and it all just depends on what type of receiver they’re looking for. Do they want a slot receiver? Then maybe a guy like Amari Rodgers, Tylan Wallace, or either of the Moores are in the cards for Detroit. Outside receiver? Then it’s possible they take a look at someone like Terrace Marshall or Nico Collins. There are many options to choose from, and the hope is for the Lions to address WR at some point on Day 2.
Linebacker
1. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
2. Baron Browning
3. Jabril Cox
4. Nick Bolton
5. Pete Warner
Luckily for the Lions, linebacker is another position that is relatively deep on Day 2 compared to most years. It’s also a good year to be upgrading the position in terms of adding speed.
JOK is a player that has become quite the fan favorite due to his explosiveness, speed and versatility. He’s a three-down defender that is probably best suited to play WILL or in a safety role at the next level. Browning is another fast linebacker that the Lions should consider early on Day 2 that can fit in a similar role.
If the Lions are looking for more of a MIKE linebacker, then they could go ahead and fill in that role with a guy like Nick Bolton. Werner is also an option if they’re looking for a SAM linebacker.
Safety
1. Trevon Moehrig
2. Jamar Johnson
3. Jevon Holland
4. Richie Grant
5. Andre Cisco
The Lions need all the help they can get on defense. With the loss of Duron Harmon, safety should be in play for them in the earlier rounds. There are a lot of solid options to choose from, especially in the third round with one of the two picks that they hold.
Moehrig is someone that was getting Round 1 consideration and could be great value at 41 if the Lions are looking for a deep safety and want to keep Tracy Walker closer to the line of scrimmage. Jamar Johnson is more of a “jack-of-all-trades” type safety that has been compared to John Johnson III via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, so keep an eye out there.
Interior D-line
1. Christian Barmore
2. Levi Onwuzurike
3. Milton Williams
4. Alim McNeill
5. Jay Tufele
The interior defensive line class isn’t quite as stacked as most years, but there are some viable options on Day 2 worth considering. Barmore has been a name thrown around as an option for the Lions. His explosiveness as a 3-tech flashes at times, but his inconsistencies kept him out of first round consideration.
If the Lions want to wait until the third round to address this need, then they could consider looking at some other athletic guys like Jay Tufele, Alim McNeill, or Milton Williams.