Many people will say that the 2020 NFL draft will not truly begin until the No. 3 overall selection.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is a foregone conclusion to go first overall to the Cincinnati Bengals, as is the Washington Redskins taking edge rusher Chase Young out of Ohio State with the second pick. Barring an unforeseen trade within the first two selections, the real drama will begin when the Detroit Lions are on the clock with the No. 3 pick.
The Lions started off their season relatively well, starting off at 2-0-1 and still carrying a respectable 3-3-1 record heading into November. It all went south from there, though, as they failed to capture a single win for the rest of the season. Matthew Stafford missed the final 8 games of the year with spinal fractures, and the team failed to generate any sort of momentum from that point on.
Detroit has more talent on their roster than their draft positioning indicates, but they still have their fair share of needs. Here are five routes they can go down with their third overall pick.
Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State
Seen by many as the most likely pick for the Lions if they stay at No. 3, Jeff Okudah is yet another stud to come from the Ohio State factory for defensive backs.
Okudah is a lengthy cornerback at 6-foot-1 who has the size to match up with bigger receivers on the boundary. He’s physical and can jam the opposition at the line of scrimmage in press coverage, and he doesn’t shy away from contact when attacking the ball.
He is also an incredible athlete for his size, as his hip fluidity and ability to seamlessly accelerate coming out of his breaks are among the best in the class. Okudah, who had 3 interceptions and 9 deflections in 2019, has impressive ball skills and can box out receivers in jump-ball situations.
With no real answer at cornerback alongside Darius Slay – and the Pro Bowler’s future with the team in question – Okudah would be a slam-dunk pick for the Lions at No. 3. Regardless of whether or not Slay sticks around, the Ohio State standout would give them another cornerback with All-Pro potential.
Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn
The long-term status of Damon “Snacks” Harrison is unknown at this point, as the standout run-stuffer has publicly admitted to contemplating retirement. If such a scenario were to take place, then defensive tackle would become a major need for the Lions heading into this year’s draft.
The top interior defender in this class is Auburn’s Derrick Brown. With 11.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for a loss in his last three collegiate seasons, Brown was a consistent force in the trenches for the Tigers.
A surprisingly explosive player for someone who’s 6-foot-5 and 316 pounds, he accelerates off the ball with admirable quickness and offers some athletic ability in space. He plays with a high motor on every snap, and the determination with which he punches at the point of attack and keeps driving his feet is certainly apparent on tape.
Brown is good at shedding blocks and can quickly disengage or fight through contact to plug up holes against the run. He plays with good intelligence and consistently plays with a plan to get into the backfield.
Though Brown may be a bit of a reach this early, he’s still a top-10 talent in the 2020 draft, and if Detroit feels the value and need combination is met by picking him, then very few would blame them.
Isaiah Simmons | LB/S | Clemson
The Lions have two young linebackers in Jarrad Davis and Jahlani Tavai whom they have selected with early picks in two of the last three drafts, but it would be tough to not at least consider drafting another linebacker in the dynamic and versatile Isaiah Simmons.
Simmons, who measures at an imposing 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, can play just about anywhere on defense and make an impact. His instincts, his insane athleticism in space and consistency as a tackler give him the ability to be the ultimate Swiss army knife for any team at the next level. He can accelerate extremely well and change direction on a dime, and his combination of fluidity and length makes him a valuable asset in coverage.
Clemson certainly took advantage of his rare skillset, giving him over 200 snaps as an off-ball linebacker and as a slot cornerback, as well as over 100 snaps as a deep safety and a defensive lineman. Arguably one of the more misinformed takes is that Simmons should not be a high draft pick because he doesn’t have a set position: he’ll primarily be an off-ball linebacker, but he can play literally anywhere on the field.
Simmons might not be the pick at No. 3 because the Lions have bigger needs than linebacker, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt them to add such a specimen to their defense.
Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama
This scenario would only take place if the Lions decide to trade Matthew Stafford, which although appears to be unlikely, has recently been rumored to be a possibility. There are more likely scenarios than this one, but if they do get rid of their starting quarterback, then they would instantly be in the perfect spot to grab one.
Assuming Joe Burrow goes first overall and Washington takes Chase Young, the Lions would almost certainly take Tua Tagovailoa with their selection. Even with his dislocated hip, he is a safe bet to be the second quarterback taken off the board in this year’s draft class. He is a very accurate passer who anticipates extremely well and carries a live arm, as well as some solid athletic ability. He is also an intelligent quarterback who rarely makes poor decisions and is able to move defenses with his eyes.
Tagovailoa’s collegiate resume is one of the more impressive of the decade. A two-year starter who made a name for himself by replacing Jalen Hurts in the national championship and beating Clemson in 2017, Tua has as many championship appearances as he does total losses in his career: two. With 7,442 career passing yards and 87 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions in an elite football conference like the SEC, he has proven himself to be a dynamic competitor on a big stage.
Granted, this scenario probably won’t come to fruition, as it remains tough to envision the Lions trading Stafford this season. If it were to happen, though, Tagovailoa would likely be the pick at No. 3. Even with his injury concerns, he would be the best quarterback available at that spot.
Trade down
The Lions hold a very valuable slot in this year’s draft, so opposing teams could naturally be interested in trading with them to ensure they get the player – or more specifically, the quarterback – they want.
Sascha Paruk from Sports Betting Dime had this to say regarding how bettors view Detroit’s odds of trading down:
“At this time, sportsbooks have not posted odds on the Lions trading the No. 3 pick yet. They likely will when the April 23 draft date is a little closer. We are actively watching for when sportsbooks will release these odds.
At this stage, there’s a strong chance Detroit trades out of No. 3, somewhere in the +175 range (36.4% probability). Joe Burrow will almost certainly go No. 1 to the Bengals, but that will leave two highly-touted QB prospects (Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert) for one of the quarterback-needy teams, like the Dolphins, Chargers, Panthers, or even potentially the Patriots. NFL franchises expending massive capital to move up for a quarterback is almost an annual tradition at the draft.”
Those are favorable odds this early in the draft process, considering that free agency and Combine have yet to take place. Several teams could look to jump the Dolphins with the fifth pick, or the Dolphins could themselves trade up to prevent anyone else from stealing their quarterback from them.
Given the high demand for quarterbacks early on in the draft, it’s very possible the Lions could trade back to the No. 6 or 7 spots and add a couple of early draft picks, and while still getting the guy they wanted all along at No. 3. That could be the route they go down once the draft rolls around.
