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We are less than one week away from the 1st pick Titans being on the clock, but who should the Lions draft with their first round pick?

There are tons of names flying around this time of year, especially the later you get into the first round. Who could even be available is hard to gauge, but I am going to try anyways.

NOT LIKELY AT 28:

First of all, there are the obvious ones like Abdul Carter or Jalon Walker, but lets not even waste time talking about guys we know for a fact won’t be available.

LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama: Campbell is one of my favorite prospects in the entire draft. He is your prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker, he can rush the passer, defend the run, and play as a stand-up linebacker, if needed. At 6’3″ 235 lbs, he ran a 4.53 40, and had a broad jump of 10’7″, both among the best for his position. In his last season at Alabama, he had 117 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. Obviously, his pass rush production isn’t elite, but he was asked to do a lot of different things. Unfortunately, he is likely to be a top-15 pick. However, I have seen multiple mocks from the ‘big’ names that have Campbell sliding. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lions made a trade to go up and get him.

DL Walter Nolen, Ole Miss: Nolen is another one of my personal favorites in the entire class. He is a twitchy, explosive, dominant interior lineman. He shows great pass rush ability, and tenacity in the run game. He is not an elite athlete, but he makes up for that with his short area quickness. While he is an explosive, physical playmaker at defensive tackle, he has his issues. He struggles to maintain the point of attack at times, needs more consistent hand usage, and needs to diversify his approach at times. He is another guy who likely goes top-15, but I have seen him slide all the way to the Lions in multiple mocks. I don’t know if I would trade up for him, given Detroit’s current situation, but it’s likely Holmes would have to if he wanted him bad enough.

EDGE Mike Green, Marshall: Green is probably the best bet prospect for Detroit, for both his talent and the likelihood he is available at 28. It is not highly likely he slides that far, but there is a solid chance. Green is an explosive athlete off the edge, who, while being a little undersized, does a solid job against the run. At 6’4 248lbs, he could add a little weight, but his 28 bench reps showed he is plenty strong. He led the FBS in sacks last year, and he showed the ability to do it against the best of the best at the Senior Bowl. I do expect Green to be gone before pick 20, but there’s a small chance he falls to us. Prior to the Senior Bowl and Combine, he was seen as a lock at 28. Now, this would likely be another trade up candidate.

EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia: Williams is an upside/projection type of prospect. He wasn’t very productive over his career, with just 5 sacks last year, but his athletic profile is enticing. He is long, strong and explosive off the edge. He has been heavily mocked in the top-15, but there has been recent talk of him falling, and it may be all the way to the Lions at 28. He’s not a guy I’d trade up for, but if he’s there, I’d take him and feel pretty good about it. It is possible, but not probable, that Williams is there when the Lions are on the clock.

EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M: Stewart was the talk of the combine, going from a late-1st round pick to a top-10 pick seemingly overnight. However, it does seem some of that hype had worn off, as he seems to be falling a little in mock drafts. Stewart, like Williams, is an upside type of prospect. Having just 1.5 sacks last season, his production is lacking mightily, hence why he may slide. But, being 6’6″ 290lbs and running a 4.59 while having a 40″ vertical and 10’11” broad jump is just not normal, even for the elite athletes in the NFL. I do expect him to be taken top-15, but I would be more willing to move up for Stewat than Williams, especially if it’s just a handful of picks.

LIKELY THERE AT 28:

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College: Ezeiruaku, or ‘EZ’ for short, is a pass rush specialist, and he is very good at it, notching 16.5 sacks last season. EZ is a little undersized at 6’2″ 247lbs, but he makes up for it with length and strength at the point of attack. He is also a pretty good athlete, with a 35.5″ vertical, 9’11” broad jump, a 4.19 shuttle, and a 6.94 3 cone, the last two ranked first among all linebackers and defensive linemen. He is not an elite athlete necessarily, but he gets the job done. His biggest issue is ability vs the run at the NFL level. He struggled a bit in college to get off blocks, and to not be engulfed by double teams. EZ is a player I fully expect to be there at 28, and could definitely see the Lions drafting. I had him taken by Detroit in my latest first round mock.

EDGE James Pearce Jr, Tennessee: Pearce is an elite athlete all around, posting the top 40 and 10 yard times of any edge rushers with a 4.47 and 1.56 respectively. He has some rumors of off field concerns, mainly with work ethic. However, who knows how true that is. He is ultra explosive, especially off the first step, but he needs to add some weight, which may negate a little bit of that explosion. At 6’5″ 245lbs, he has pretty prototypical size for the position, but as I mentioned prior, he could add 10-15 pounds onto his frame. He is a long, athletic edge that would work great as a stand-up rusher, but can also put his hand in the dirt. He could be available at 28, but it seems he consistently goes between picks 20-25.

EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M: Scourton is a physical, powerful defensive end. He projects as a 4-3 end, but could play as a 3-4 end in certain fronts. He is a mature edge rusher, with a pretty deep bag of moves, and he uses his hands well. He is not an elite athlete, though, as his acceleration and speed are a bit average, but he does have high level change of direction abilities. Scourton is very likely to be available at 28, as I believe he will be an early 2nd round selection. The Lions could potentially trade down and select him.

OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State: Jackson is a wide framed, powerful offensive lineman that offers versatility. He is a guard, but played left tackle at a very high level for Ohio State last season when fellow draftee and teammate Josh Simmons suffered a season ending injury. He is projected as a late first to early second round pick, so he may be someone the Lions could trade down to select. He is a solid athlete as well, and uses his hands well paired with his length. At 6’4″ 315 lbs, he has prototypical size to play guard at the next level. He is a physical finisher, fluid mover, and gets good vertical movement in the run game. I would expect him to be available at 28, and he may even be a trade down candidate. I also could see him being drafted by a team like Houston just a few picks ahead of us.

OL Trevor Booker, Texas: Booker is a dense, strong, physical interior lineman. At 6’5′ 321lbs, he projects well as a mauler at the next level. His combine numbers were a bit lackluster, which probably had something to do with his fall from being the top interior lineman. However, that helps Detroit as he could now be available at 28, when he was originally seen as a top 20 lock. Booker is a dominant run blocker, using his size and strength to subdue opponents. He is also a very smart, technical player, so what he lacks in pure athleticism, he makes up for with high football IQ and strength. His only real negatives are his athleticism, foot usage, and needs to keep his hands inside. Similar to Jackson, he could be there at 28, but there are a handful of teams picking before Detroit who may pull the trigger.

DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon: Harmon is a Detroit native who played at MSU for three years before transferring to Oregon. At 6’4″ 313 lbs, he has the size you want, mixed in with very good athletic traits and versatility. He has the length and strength you want, too, and adds versatility as he can play all over the defensive front. He is a twitchy pass rusher, with a pretty solid bag as well. However, his bend, footwork, and top heavy build could cause some concerns. I would expect him to be available at 28, but he’s another guy heavily mocked in the early 20’s.

DL Kenneth Grant, Michigan: Grant is a very large man, at 6’4″ 331 lbs, but he backs that up with some solid athleticism. He has a great build as well, with long arms and a thick lower body. His length, strength and hand usage are really the big positives to his game. He does have some issues, mainly with his first step explosivity, but he makes up for it in other ways. Grant is a bit different than the rest though, as I have seem him mocked in the top 20, and in the mid 2nd round. I could see Grant as another trade down candidate, but I wouldn’t be against just drafting him at 28.

Lions fans have something to get used to, and that is picking at the end of the first round. It also doesn’t help that this draft is relatively weak at the top, meaning its not as likely a day one starter level player will be available at 28. I also firmly believe Brad will pick the best player available, period. Obviously, we have needs, but his philosophy is build talent first, the rest will work itself out for the most part. Now, I do expect him to be aggressive when it comes to edge rushers, as I think everyone can agree, that’s the missing piece for the Lions.

The NFL Draft is less than a week away, and as NFL fans know, its like Christmas. You get to see what shiny new toy your team will be adding, after a full year of speculation. Luckily for us, the Lions aren’t playing for draft picks in December anymore.

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