The Lions haven’t had a true WR-X in almost three seasons, and Thomas would be a plug-and-play starter at that spot. Stylistically he would fit in beautifully and would immediately upgrade the Lions’ top-five offense even further. But would general manager Brad Holmes spend a first-round pick on an offensive skill player for the third year in a row? I’ve learned my lesson and am not ruling anything out.
Offensive linemen
None
Erik’s Thoughts:
It’s a bit surprising to not see an offensive lineman linked to the Lions this week—especially with both starting guard’s contracts expiring—but I attribute this to the Lions having glaring needs on defense as well as analysts still learning about this offensive line class.
Defensive tackle
Byron Murphy, 3T, Texas
If you’re not familiar with how the Detroit Lions roundup works, each week we collect data from the latest expert mock drafts published over the last seven days and compile them (with links to the original pieces) in one easy-to-access article. In addition to providing Lions fans with the names of prospects being paired with Detroit, we also provide commentary that points to trends, player fits, and overall team philosophy.
the original pieces) in one easy-to-access article. In addition to providing Lions fans with the names of prospects being paired with Detroit, we also provide commentary that points to trends, player fits, and overall team philosophy.
In this week’s Mock Draft Roundup, we take a look at 27 mock drafts that were recently published, and unsurprisingly, they paired the Lions with a defender a whopping 26 times. Let’s take a look at how things were spread out and which players were getting matched up with the Lions.
Offensive skill players
Bryan Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Source: Bleacher Report scouting department
“Detroit’s offense is already good, but imagine replacing Josh Reynolds’ snaps with a fast, explosive presence who still has room to grow as a player. That’s Brian Thomas Jr. At 6’4” and 205 pounds, Thomas is a little skinny for his frame, but he is incredibly explosive, both as a route-runner and with the ball in his hands. Though he isn’t yet a complete route-runner, he displays flashes of technical ability and enough agility to suggest he can blossom into something fierce.” — Derrick Klassen.
