The most common discussion for Detroit Lions fans and media this draft season isn’t who the team is going to select with the No. 8 overall pick. The talk has turned to, where will Lions GM Bob Quinn trade that selection, and what comes in return?
If Quinn does decide to move, it’s important to understand the baseline value of each of the Lions picks. Thanks to Jimmy “how ’bout them Cowboys” Johnson, NFL teams have a solid valuation for each pick of the NFL draft.
Johnson’s chart is over 25 years old and isn’t a strict code. It’s generally viewed as more of a guideline, and trades in recent drafts have shown the approximate values Johnson determined all those years — and CBAs — ago are still relevant.
The Lions picks and basic values in 2019:
Round 1, No. 8 overall: 1,400
Round 2, No. 43: 470
Round 3, No. 88: 150
Round 4, No. 111: 72
Round 5, No. 146: 32.6
Round 6, No. 184: 17.4
Round 6, No. 204: 9.4
Round 7, No. 224: 1.7
Round 7, No. 229: 1
Here’s an example of how the chart works…
Let’s say the Washington Redskins want to trade up from No. 15 overall to the Lions at No. 8 so they can select Duke QB Daniel Jones (a very realistic scenario). Pick No. 15 has a chart value of 1,050. The No. 8 spot is at 1,400. So the Skins would need to come up with picks that would equate to that amount.
Washington’s second-round pick at No. 46 is worth 440. While the Skins would technically be giving away 90 points of value there, the teams might agree anyway. It’s not unusual at all for the team giving away the higher pick to come away as modest “winners” in the point chart value. Or Washington could ask for the extra 6th and 7th rounders in some combination, or a swap of picks in the fifth round.
Again, the chart values aren’t set in stone, and some teams adhere more tightly than others. This is designed to give an idea of the approximate reality of Quinn making a move in one direction or another in this year’s draft.
.jpg?w=600)
