We’re a little under two weeks from the 2019 NFL Draft. The private workouts and visits wrap soon, and the Detroit Lions front office, scouting department and coaching staff are busy finalizing the big board.
It’s still too early to know with any certainty what will happen in the home of the Titans on draft weekend. The team itself doesn’t know which players will be available at No. 8 overall yet.
If I had money to bet, I’d put it on Sweat
Mississippi State EDGE Montez Sweat has been connected with the team since the Senior Bowl, where he proved to be the best player in Mobile after earning positive attention at the weigh-ins, too.
There are definitely other options at No. 8 overall, and my educated guess is that some inside the organization will promote others strongly. But Sweat is the epitome of what Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia have publicly stated they want: impact athletes with positional versatility and playmaking potential. Sweat’s off-the-charts athletic testing pairs with his strong productivity at Mississippi State.
Teez Tabor won’t be a Lion by the end of draft weekend
Quinn did indeed talk up Tabor at his press conference over the winter, and since then the Lions have dumped starting CB Nevin Lawson. This is one of those instances where what Quinn does is more important than what he says.
The team signed Justin Coleman to be the No. 2 CB. Veteran Rashaan Melvin is a useful one-year bandage at Lawson’s old spot. Both are firmly above Tabor on the CB pecking order and would project as the starters with Darius Slay in the Lions base nickel defense.
Detroit has also worked out scads of cornerback prospects from all levels of the draft. A first-rounder would be quite surprising — even if Quinn trades back well into the teens — but tabbing Tabor’s usurper in the second through fourth rounds would not surprise me at all. I rather expect it and like that idea.
When that happens, Tabor is no higher than fifth on the depth chart entering his third year. If Quinn borrows anything from his Patriot roots, it’s his penchant for dumping mistakes before they become bigger problems. Maybe Teez is pot sweetener in a trade to move up 10 spots in the 7th round, maybe he gets outright released when the team finds younger talent with higher-end athletic potential in some undrafted free agents.
A developmental QB is still in play
Sure, the Lions signed veteran Tom Savage this week to be Matthew Stafford’s backup. Savage is an upgrade (really!) over the recent No. 2s that have passed through Detroit, but his presence does not preclude the team from going after a prospect who stands a better chance of one day challenging to be Stafford’s successor.
My personal hope is that it’s Tyree Jackson from Buffalo, the most physically gifted QB in terms of size and arm strength. In my conversations with people in and around the team, I don’t get the sense the Lions share my bullish nature on the Muskegon native, however.
Two names to watch: Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham and Boise State’s Brett Rypien. If either is on the board when the Lions pick in the fourth round, it would not surprise me one iota if that’s the pick. Also keep an eye on Marcus McMaryion from Fresno State after the draft; the Lions spent a lot of time with him during Shrine Game week. His athletic potential and improved accuracy from his Oregon State days give him a shot.
The most likely need to be neglected is wide receiver
I don’t see any way the Lions use their first-round pick on a wide receiver, even if they trade way back from No. 8. Based on my interactions with several sources, my belief is the team just isn’t very impressed with the top-end talent in this year’s WR class.
The second tier of wideouts, effectively the Day 2 prospect list that includes (but is not limited to) Deebo Samuel, Hakeem Butler, A.J. Brown, Kelvin Harmon and N’Keal Harry, seems to have more interest. But that’s also the sweet spot for cornerback, tight end and offensive line, the Lions’ other big needs (outside of pass rush). The relative depth of the WR class is far deeper than offensive line and tight end; if Quinn wants an immediate contributor at those positions, the pickings get pretty slim for Saturday’s Day 3.
There are several role players at wide receiver who project to be available late in the draft. Among them is Keelan Doss from UC Davis, who fits the mold of what Quinn appears to like in wideouts (size and strength over pure speed). The Lions were the only team to formally meet with Doss at the combine and have met with him again since. He’s a late-round prospect, perhaps even undrafted…and he might be the biggest splash the Lions make at WR over draft weekend.
I don’t expect a big move down
Trade scenarios and rumors are flying everywhere. Ever since reports of Quinn’s desire to move back hit the presses, prognosticators both local and national are dreaming of where the Lions move to and who will trade up with them.
Count me as skeptical the team moves more than three spots back. That’s the 11th spot, currently held by the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s also one spot ahead of NFC North rival Green Bay. Staying in that relative range (8-11) likely doesn’t change the player pool significantly, especially if the Bengals or Broncos (at No. 10) are moving up for a quarterback.
It won’t fetch nearly the bounty of return compensation, but one point from a conversation I had with someone deeply rooted in the Lions draft room back in February sticks with me here. This team does not expect to be picking anywhere near this high again, and giving away the chance to grab a true top-10 impact talent in the class is not an opportunity they seem interested in squandering. That’s by no means gospel, but it’s why I don’t really pay attention to the noise about moving all the way back to No. 14 (Atlanta) or even No. 20 (Pittsburgh).
Could it happen? Sure. Believe it only when you see it.
