NFL Draft Day 2 recap: Detroit Lions go heavy on talent, light on need

It’s fair to say that Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft didn’t go as many expected for the Detroit Lions. Detroit entered the day with pressing needs at wide receiver, linebacker, safety, and nickel cornerback, and the left the day with pressing needs at all of those positions.

For the second straight night, general manager Brad Holmes stressed that their decisions were not anchored by need, but rather the desire to get “their guys.” The message was clear: This is a team that is simply looking for talent and the position they play is secondary.

So on Friday night, myself, Erik Schlitt and Mike Payton took a closer look at Detroit’s three Day 2 picks. Can Levi Onwuzurike finally give the Lions the interior pass rush they’ve been missing for years? What does Alim McNeill bring to the table that Detroit was missing in John Penisini? And what position is Ifeatu Melifonwu going to play in this secondary?

Then we tackle the bigger question: Are the Lions t aking the right strategy by going best player available over addressing their biggest needs?

We close out the mini-podcast by looking forward to Day 3 and the players we’d like to see them go after with their final two picks.

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