Detroit Lions Mock Draft Roundup 3.0

The Lions defense played much better the second half of the season, but it still needs more upgrades if it's going to become a consistent contender in the NFC North. Kelee Ringo's size, length and speed overshadow his lackluster interception total (four the past two seasons), although he did combined for 15 pass breakups in that span.

The No. 1 high school player in the country a few years ago didn't have his best season in 2022, but the Clemson product still has everything you want in a formidable interior disruptor. Having Bryan Bresee and Aidan Hutchinson along the line will alleviate pressure on the second two levels of the defense.

I won't besmirch Jared Goff too much here, he has had a fine season, but I'm still not convinced he's the long-term answer at quarterback for a promising young Lions team and they might not be picking this high again for a while. Levis' senior season was a mixed bag compared to his impressive 2021 campaign — he lost his top receiver (Wan'Dale Robinson) and offensive coordinator to the NFL — but he features the combination of arm talent, size (6-foot-3, 232 pounds) and mobility that usually sparks the imagination of an offensive coordinator.

The former five-star recruit would pair with former top-three pick Jeff Okudah and hopefully address a leaky pass defense for the Lions. As a red-shirt sophomore, Ringo's size/speed combination is still developing, but parts of his game are already NFL-ready and he will compete to be the first cornerback selected solely based on his talent and potential.

A two-time national champion, it would be a mistake for pundits to mistake Ringo's low defensive stats for ineffectiveness on the field. Ringo showcases sprinter speed (4.3 40-time) and at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, his ceiling projects higher than most of his draft class peers. Ringo's above-average change-of-direction ability, aggressive man to man coverage skills and his proficiency in zone schemes makes him a targeted asset in this top ten.

Branch boasts a legitimate 40-time of 4.4 seconds with complimentary lateral quickness. A physical player, Branch's tightly muscled core and strong lower body create significant torque when driving through opponents on his tackles. Over the past 26 contests, Branch tallied 145 total tackles with 19 tackles for loss and 16 passes defended. Branch is truly one of the best back end, hybrid defensive prospects in the upcoming draft.

Jared Goff has performed well enough as the Lions' quarterback, but they need a smidge more to really put them among the NFL's elite. Bryce Young is small for a quarterback prospect, but he has all the skills that teams look for in their franchise quarterback.

The Lions got their quarterback, and luckily, a strong supporting cast to buoy a young QB. Now they can turn their attention to a defense that was among the worst in the league by adding Porter at cornerback.

The Lions must improve their defense, and that would entail obtaining some talent for the defensive line to complement Aidan Hutchinson on the edge.

Tyree Wilson had a breakout '21 season in which he recorded seven sacks. He could fill out and become a five-technique in the NFL.

The Lions must address their secondary if they ever want to stop the pass.

The son of the former Steeler great is a 6-2 cornerback with high potential.

Jared Goff was fantastic down the stretch in 2022, but the Lions pick Stroud, believing they won't be picking this high again for a while. Stroud has major upside.

Simpson is a highly athletic, three-down linebacker with some outside pass-rushing juice. He'd be a fun addition to the Lions defense, a unit that played better down the stretch.

The moment of truth is coming for the Lions' quarterback plans, as Detroit can no longer count on annual top-10 picks after narrowly missing out on the playoffs. If Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have any concerns about Jared Goff, two picks in the first round and two more in the second provide ammo for a trade up the board. But changing gears might be hard to embrace after that 8-2 close to the season. If the Lions stay the course behind center, Bresee is a sensible option as a force in the middle who can amplify the havoc created by standout rookie Aidan Hutchinson.

Detroit has a strong opportunity to keep its defensive youth movement rolling, but top talent at cornerback is sorely lacking. The Lions should have several potential answers in the first round, and the 6-2, 200-pound Gonzalez proved with four interceptions this season that he's more than just an impressive package of size and speed.

The Detroit Lions had been torched throughout the regular season as one of the league's worst defensive units. The offense, meanwhile, maintained top-five status.

As such, a concentration on the defensive side of the ball seems prudent, starting with the draft class' top cornerback prospect: Joey Porter Jr.

"The son of the former Steeler great had a fantastic final season at Penn State, which launched him into being the top cornerback in this year's draft," Giddings said. "A physical player with very good length, Porter excels in man coverage.

"The Lions must shore up the other cornerback spot opposite 2020 third overall draft pick, Jeff Okudah."

Okudah's continued development is only part of the equation. Both Mike Hughes and Amani Oruwariye are pending free agents.

Porter's toughness and hard-nosed approach, even as a cornerback, should help rub off on the rest of the Lions defense while simultaneously giving the unit a standout cover man. His inclusion will help the franchise continue to build upon the successes it experienced through Dan Campbell's first two seasons at the helm.

Don't look now, but the Detroit Lions are coming in hot with a quarterback selection. But the pairing of Florida's Anthony Richardson with Jared Goff can be viewed as a wise investment to secure the burgeoning squad's long-term future.

"Richardson could use a year of development, and there's no better destination for him to do so than Detroit," Klassen argued. "Richardson has an unmatched athletic profile in this quarterback class.

"At 6'4" and 232 pounds, the 21-year-old is built like a slightly thinner Cam Newton and sports similar athletic tools, both in his mobility and arm strength. Richardson also plays with excellent pocket management and awareness. He's not nearly as inconsistent of a processor as his one-year-starter status suggests.

"To be fair, Richardson is a bit of a scattershot, which is where the year of development becomes important. Though fairly adept at playing the position for someone with so little experience, Richardson has three to five stunning misfires per game, which are enough to swing a game's outcome if those come at the wrong time.

"A year or two of ironing out those issues can unlock the rest of his game and give the Lions a real threat at quarterback rather than a point guard."

Goff is arguably playing the best football of his professional career, yet his limitations as a passer and athlete are obvious. Furthermore, the Lions are now in a position to get out of his contract in 2023 or the following year, depending on when the organization prefers to make a move behind center.

The Rams won the Super Bowl last season, but the Matthew Stafford trade is starting to tilt in Detroit's favor. Bresee, a 6-5, 300-pound junior, should help improve the Lions' 29th-ranked rush defense.

The Lions have had one of the best offenses in the NFL this season, and they are plugging holes on the defense with this draft (added Bryan Bresee with their earlier pick). Gonzalez has all the tools, and he has improved throughout his career, making four interceptions in 2022.

The Lions need to keep investing in a defense that is one of the NFL's youngest. They've already found a pair of edge rushers in Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston IV, and now they form an exciting defensive tackle duo with Bresee sliding into the three-technique role with Alim McNeill at nose. Bresee came back from a torn ACL to earn a career-high 82.0 pass-rushing grade in 2022.

The Lions have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and it could be intact for quite a while. At that point, it could make sense to put an elite talent like Robinson behind it and give opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. Robinson set the PFF college single-season record with 104 broken tackles this past season.

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