Perfect Picks: Detroit Lions
By Tayyib Abu
With the NFL Draft approaching we will be looking at each team and evaluating where they need to improve. In this particular series we will run a seven round mock using the Draft Network Mock machine and find the ‘Perfect Picks’ for each franchise.
We will highlight four players that could help each team. This will feature picks 1 and 2, a mid round gem and a late round sleeper.
It’s all change in Detroit. That’s both in management and coaching personnel. Dan Campbell brings the fire while Brad Holmes lines up the blockbuster deals. Holmes already shipped off Matt Stafford for a haul of picks and a QB he is familiar with in Jared Goff.
Goff may not be in the Lions long-term plans but it shows that the Lions don’t have losing on the agenda. They want to hit the ground running and kickstart a winning culture. A big part of the that will be finding starting talent in the upcoming draft.
Round 1 - Pick 7 - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
After letting Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones walk in free agency, the Detroit Lions need help in the wide receiver room. With the seventh overall pick, the Lions are in a good position to draft a top playmaker. Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle is an electrifying talent who could energize a franchise looking for new heroes. Waddle’s biggest strengths are his speed and route-running ability.
The Lions are moving away from the big-bodied physical types at the position. Their free-agent signings in Breshad Perriman and Kalif Raymond signal an intent to bring speedy receivers into the team. Jaylen Waddle didn’t perform at Alabama’s pro day; nevertheless, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah stated that Waddle had the fastest GPS of any wideout in the country. Waddle is a no-brainer pick for new GM Brad Holmes.
Round 2 - Pick 41 - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
Every franchise requires a cornerstone linebacker they can build around. Jamie Collins is coming to the end of his career; Zaven Collins could become the three-down backer that the Lions crave.
Collins is a big, physical specimen that plays consistently in run defense and pass defense. Collins is a bright, adaptable player that could line up alongside Jamie Collins in various roles. He is powerful enough to shed blocks to create a pass-rush, while he is sufficiently quick to shackle runners.
In an era where scheme flexibility is coveted, Collins is a unique piece that provides new coordinator Aaron Glenn with a certified stud.
Mid Round Gem - Pick 101 - Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
Andre Cisco is an aggressive ball-hawk in the defensive backfield. The Syracuse safety owns a critical trait that all defenders need; he makes big, game-changing plays. The Lions’ safety room is bereft of playmakers. Cisco ticks that box, and he will compete with Will Harris, Tracy Walker and Dean Marlowe for a starting role. Cisco’s drawbacks are he lacks major discipline due to his desperation to make highlight-reel plays. Nevertheless, there are a lot of tools to work with this mid-round prospect with upside.
Late Round Sleeper - Pick 153 - Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
The slot cornerback is becoming one of the premier positions on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints utilized a lot of Nickel and Big Nickel packages in their defense over several years, and Campbell may be inclined to bring those concpts to the Motor City. Detroit already signed Corn Elder in free agency to fill the depth chart; however, they should draft a player to compete for the starting role.
Ohio State’s Shaun Wade could fit the bill nicely. Wade struggled as a replacement for Jeff Okudah on the outside. In Detroit, he could line up inside his former Buckeye teammate in the role he enjoys playing. Wade is solid and robust; he brackets receivers very well while he tracks the ball adeptly. With his lackluster 2020 season, Wade could fall to Detroit in the late rounds. He is a schematic fit and owns chemistry with the Lions’ franchise cornerback.
Draft In Full:
7. Jaylen Waddle, Alabama (WR)
41. Zaven Collins, Tulsa (LB)
72. Josh Myers, Ohio State (iOL)
101. Andre Cisco, Syracuse (S)
112. Jaylen Twyman, Pittsburgh (DT)
153. Shaun Wade, Ohio State (CB)
Tayyib abu
CfB/NFL Analyst
TAYYIB IS AN AVID NFL FAN AND, AS A FOLLOWER OF THE DETROIT LIONS, IS A PERMANENT RESIDENT IN THE HONOLULU BLUE HEARTBREAK HOTEL. WRITING FOOTBALL ARTICLES SINCE 2019, TAYYIB LOVES EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SPORT EXCEPT THAT WINS ARE NOT A QB STAT. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @TAYYIBABU