Nearly every mock draft from the last week projects one of three players to the Detroit Lions at the No. 8 overall spot:
- Mississippi State EDGE Montez Sweat
- Houston DL Ed Oliver
- Alabama OL Jonah Williams
But what happens if all three of those players are already off the board when Detroit picks?
That’s the exact scenario which plays out in the latest mock draft from brother site Draft Wire and editor Luke Easterling. Oliver goes at No. 5 to the Buccaneers, Sweat projects at No. 6 to the Giants and Williams is gone at the 7 spot to the Jaguars. All are eminently plausible picks, too.
With those choices all eliminated and no trades projected, Easterling rolls with the obvious solution for GM Bob Quinn and the Lions: Iowa TE T.J. Hockenson. The commentary pays mind to the distaste for another top-10 tight end in the wake of the fan enmity for Eric Ebron,
While many Lions fans will shudder at the thought of using another top-10 pick on a tight end after Eric Ebron flamed out in Detroit, Hockenson is a much more complete prospect who can make big plays in the passing game, and also improve the ground game with his blocking ability.
It’s worth noting just one QB, Kyler Murray at No. 1, was selected before Detroit picked. Kentucky’s Josh Allen, a popular “dream” choice for many fans, was gone at No. 4.
