Unfortunately for us, the Lions have entered draft season in January, yet again. The Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl kick it off, and we will be in person at this year’s Senior Bowl. Lets take a look at a few players to watch for the Lions.

This year’s draft is absolutely loaded in the trenches, and the Lions have big needs there. Let’s begin with my favorite defensive linemen.

IDL DEONE WALKER, KENTUCKY:

An absolute mammoth of a man, measuring 6’7″ and weighing 340lbs, he is also a very good athlete. He wins with his strength in the run game, and has a surprising ability to rush the passer. The big knock on him is his work ethic. He has a low motor and seems to take plays off regularly. But with his size and movement traits, he could be a star in the NFL. He is currently seen as a 2nd round pick. Some have mocked him top 20 as well. I could see first round, as someone will likely fall in love with his physical traits.

IDL LANDON JACKSON, ARKANSAS:

Another big people mover, Jackson stands at 6’7″ 280lbs. He is a long, strong, interior lineman. He has a high motor, and does a good job vs both the run and the pass. His real issues all have to do with athleticism. He’s not the quickest, fastest, or the most bendy. He will likely make his money in the run game, with some ability to rush the passer based on his length and strength. He is likely a day 2 pick, landing somewhere in the 2nd round.

IDL TY ROBINSON, NEBRASKA:

Another big, long, strong linemen prospect. Robinson stands at 6’6″ weighing 311lbs. He is versatile, lining up all over the defensive front. He has great explosion, plays violent, and you never have to worry about him taking plays off. He could use some work with his pass rush moves, and needs to do better to anchor against double teams. He fits the Lions mold, though, as a relentless, high motor, versatile defender. Similar to Jackson, he will likely be drafted somewhere in round 2.

IDL JARED IVEY, OLE MISS:

Ivey stands at 6’6″ 280lbs, and uses his length well. He does a good job of using counters when rushing the passer, and has very good agility and fluid movement for a guy his size. He is also alignment versatile, and has very active hands. His negatives are pad level and tightness in his lower half. Ivey will likely be drafted late 2nd or 3rd round.

IDL TYRION INGRAM-DAWKINS, GEORGIA:

Standing at 6’4″ 278lbs, Tyrion has good length, strength, and is quick off the snap. He has made a living stopping the run, but has shown some pass rush ability as well. He needs work with his hands, particularly rushing the passer, but he has a pretty high floor. He will likely be picked somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd round.

IDL JAMAREE CADLWELL, OREGON:

Caldwell is a large man, standing at 6’2″ 342lbs, but he moves like he’s 50 pounds lighter. He has good burst, impressive power, and a very high motor. He is known to have good character as well. He has some length issues, and hasn’t been able to get consistent pressure throughout his career. Caldwell will likely be picked somewhere between the 4th and 6th rounds, which means its very possible he could end up a Lion.

EDGE MIKE GREEN, MARSHALL:

Green has been mocked to the Lions with pick 28 a lot lately, and I can see why. Standing at 6’3″ 251lbs, he is a twitched up edge rusher with great get off, pass rush moves, and has a very high motor. There are some concerns however, with his strength, thin frame, and his ability to be a true 3 down defender. Most see him as a pass rush specialist, but I think given the right coaching, and addition of weight, he could become a solid run stopper as well. He is likely a late 1st to early 2nd round pick.

Obviously, there are many more players at these positions to watch this week, if I tried to list them all, there would be 100 players in this article. Now, let’s flip to the other side of the trenches, and talk about offensive lineman.

IOL JALEN RIVERS, MIAMI:

Standing at 6’5″ 325lbs, he is a massive, dense man. His strength is apparent on tape, and he has great length, anchor, and strike timing/placement. Rivers has an injury history, and has an upright playing style. But if he can stay healthy, he’s an NFL starter. Rivers will likely be drafted somewhere between the 3rd and 5th rounds, which means the Lions could potentially make the pick.

IOL GREY ZABEL, NDSU:

Zabel has really good pad level, use of hands, lateral movement, and anchor. Standing at 6’5″ 316, he has a thinner frame than most, but it hasn’t seemed to hurt him yet. He is a feisty competitor, and very versatile. He really has all the makings of an NFL guard. He will likely be drafted somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd round.

OT JALEN TRAVIS, IOWA STATE:

Travis is an absolute behemoth, measuring at 6’7″ 341lbs, he’s one of my favorite prospects in this draft. He is a very good run blocker, and has good movement, length, and hands. He needs to be more aggressive, can be a bit slow, and is a very raw player. With that said, I think he could be a legit stud given the right coaching. He will likely be drafted in the 3rd to 5th rounds, so he’s a realistic option for Detroit.

Again, there are many more good players to watch, especially on the offensive and defensive line. Those are just a small sample size of what the Senior Bowl has to offer.