NFL Draft: Lions-related Mocks and Rumors

The NFL Draft is Thursday... that is to say, round 1 of the NFL Draft is Thursday, rounds 2 & 3 are Friday, and the rest of the thing is Saturday, because you know they're about milking as much money out of this as possible. Anyway. With the draft imminent, upcoming, looming, and whatever other synonym for "approaching" you can think of, I'd like to take a fresh look at the mocks and any hot rumors regarding the Lions.


First, the mocks. NFL.com currently has 4 different mocks out, dated this week. All 4 have the Lions taking a defensive player - either DE Shaq Lawson, DT Jarran Reed, DE Kevin Dodd, or CB William Jackson III. Any of those would be a good pick, depending on whether or not you believe in Lawson. ESPN's Todd McShay put out his 5th mock last week Thursday, and he also had the Lions taking a defensive player - DT A'Shawn Robinson. Mel Kiper released his A-Grade mock last week, prior to the Eagles trading up to #2, and he had the Lions also taking Lawson.


It's interesting that no one from the two main networks covering the draft have the Lions taking an offensive player, especially considering the offensive line was such a weak point last year. And this brings us to the hot rumor concerning the Lions. A number of sources, most notably Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, have tabbed Alabama Center Ryan Kelly as the Lions' pick at #16. There's a lot there to unpack.

• First, the Lions already have a C, Travis Swanson, who they took in round 3 a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, he was really, REALLY bad last year, to the point where he may have been mainly responsible for Larry Warford and Laken Tomlinson's bad performances last year
• Second, the 16th pick is really high to take an interior offensive lineman. There's a bit of buzz around Kelly right now, so Quinn may be looking to just pick him at 16, he may be looking to trade back, or...
• He might be trying to psych out the Colts, who reportedly are really interested in Ryan Kelly. If the Colts are so enamored with Kelly that they'll trade up to pick him in front of Detroit, that might push back a player that the Lions are more interested in. If that's the case, that is some Belichick-level deviousness right there

It's very possible that Bob Quinn is interested in drafting Kelly, no matter what, and relegating Swanson to the bench. If Ryan Kelly is good enough to boost the play of 3 different positions on the line, I'm all for it. Draft him at 16, trade back, whatever. This is probably the likeliest scenario, since the Lions have supposedly interviewed everyone who ever knew Kelly several times. If it IS in fact a red herring (which I doubt, since so few people are that devious in real life), Quinn COULD be pushing a guy like OT Jack Conklin (who Mike Mayock said the Lions should SPRINT to the podium to pick if available), CB Vernon Hargreaves, or DT Sheldon Rankins back to the 16th pick, where the Lions could scoop him up.

Mike Mayock's mock draft hasn't come out yet, but normally it comes out the day before the draft (which is today, soooo... what's the holdup?). He seems to be in every team's draft room and is rarely surprised by a pick. I place a lot of weight on whoever he has the Lions taking, so I'm a bit disappointed that hasn't shown up yet. To recap, I had the Lions' top 3 options for round 1 (in order) as OT Jack Conklin (less likely a possibility now, as his stock has risen), DE Shaq Lawson (at least possible, if not likely), and OT Tyler Decker (relegated to consolation prize status). Round 1 is tomorrow, and I'll be covering round 1 and previewing round 2 on Friday.