If you are not familiar with how to make a Detroit Lions Working Round Every week, we collect data from the most recent expert model drafts published over the past seven days and compile them (with links to original pieces) into one easily accessible article. In addition to providing Lions fans with the names of prospects to be paired with Detroit, we also provide commentary that indicates trends, player spells, and overall team philosophy.
It’s been ten days into the 2023 free agency period and the Lions’ aggressiveness has filled several key holes in their roster. With many vulnerabilities addressed and/or upgraded, it has thrown dummy analyst drafts into the blender and projections are flying all over the place. The majority of projections still have a Lions-looking defense, but there has been a notable uptick in the number of offensive players paired with the Lions this week — including one that Detroit had been mocked by two prominent local pacemakers.
Peter Skowronski, OL, Northwest
No. 6: Justin Rogers (Detroit News), Dave Birkett (free press)
When a Lions player is mocked by a local beatwriter, it’s worth mentioning, but when two people draft the same player in the same week, it makes you sit up and take notice.
Skoronski is arguably the best offensive man in the 2023 draft cycle and currently lands in the top 15 on most major big boards, including finishing fourth on The Athletic’s Dane Brugler board, and sixth on the board. NFL.com Lance Zerlin The eighth ranking Daniel Jeremiah from NFL Networkand 12 on the PFF draft board and 14 for draft network.
For context, Skoronski was so good at left tackle that Northwestern kept him in the blindside over Rashawn Slater (Chargers left tackle and #13 pick in 2022) that they used at right tackle.
Although all of Skoronski’s college snaps (2,363) have come at left tackle, he’s expected to be able to play all five positions on the offensive line. his sports group (RAS:9.28 as a tackle, 9.89 as a guard) Speed, footwork, balance, hand use, and perfect technique are the driving forces in this projection. He can increase his elemental strength a bit but there aren’t many flaws in his game.
The biggest knock analysts have with Skoronski is his lack of arm length (32 1/4 inches—nearly two inches less than the average NFL offensive tackle). It’s rare for an NFL offensive tackle to survive with 33-inch arms, which is why it’s rumored that many teams simply consider him an inside offensive tackle.
However, Skoronski’s positive attributes strongly suggest that if the team moves him inside, he’ll have Pro Bowl potential from day one — which is where the Lions would use him if they picked him up.
The Lions’ offensive line is the strength of their team, and there’s a case to be made for keeping the unit strong in order to sustain success, but is the cost of having it worth the investment?
Place value is important to lions. There’s a reason they drafted an offensive tackle, defensive end and wide receiver in the first round of the last two drafts, while waiting until the third day to tackle positions like tight end and linebacker, which are considered less valuable from top to bottom.
While Skoronski has the positional range he’d be a guard for the Lions for at least two seasons (if not his entire career), guards tend to have lower positional value across the league. Let’s take a quick look at where the starting point guard has been selected in the most recent five drafts:
- 2022, Kenyon Green, pick #15
- 2021, Alijah Vera Tucker, No. 14
- 2020, Robert Hunt, No. 39
- 2019, Chris Lindstrom, No. 14
- 2018, Quinton Nelson, No. 6
Nelson is the oddity of the group but for good reason, he totally dominates the interior. But it is the exception rather than the rule. Normally, even the top offensive linemen come off the board in their teens, finding their starting value all day 2.
For example, on the Lions’ starting inside offensive line, Pro Bowler Frank Ragnow was taken with the 20th pick, Pro Bowler Jonah Jackson was picked with the 75th pick, Graham Glasgow with the 95th pick, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai with the 164th pick (fifth round) in general.
So this begs the question: is Skowronski the dominant player Nelson and worth his price as a 6 pick or is he worth a closer 14/15 pick due to place value?
In my opinion, it’s a fancy pick to take an inside offensive lineman inside the top 10, especially when you can historically find value on the second day. But at the same time, the Lions have a long-term need in the position – Jackson, Glasgow and Vaitai are all in the final year of their contracts. The roster is now set up for you to craft some fancy, and Skoronski looks like a Pro Bowl level player right out of the gate.
Well, let’s move on to the rest of this week’s roundup.
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
No. 6: Feni Air (sports news)
#18: Brentley Weisman (network draft)
Eric’s thoughts:
Most mock drafts have Bryce Young (Alabama), CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and Anthony Johnson (Florida) knocked out of the plate in the first four picks, so if the Lions don’t move up, it looks like the Leafs will have their next choice at quarterback.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
#18: Chris Trappso (CBS Sports)
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
#16: Chris Trappso (CBS Sports) — Trade Lions No. 6 pick, receiving picks No. 16, 97, and 2024 first round pick
Michael Meyer, TE, Notre Dame
#18: Mill Keeper (ESPN), Nate Davis (USA Today), Pete Briscoe (CBS Sports), Jonathan Alexander (Houston Chronicle)
Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
#18: Greg Ohman (Fox Sports)
#27: Colton Pouncey (the athlete) – Black Trade No. 48, 55, 183 and 194 in Bills No. 27 and 137
Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
No. 6: Feni Air (sports news)
Eric’s thoughts:
Hi, Bijan.
Johnston has once again returned to projections for the Lions, and with DJ Chark now in the Carolinas, I expect to see wider receivers—especially WR-Xs—being paired with the Lions. It is worth noting that the Lions met Johnston in the NFL.
The biggest ramifications of the Lions’ free agency move seem to be finally being felt. This would be another fancy pick for the Lions, but at pick #18, it’s a lot more palatable. Meyer and Washington represent more than what the Lions are looking for, given their blocking skills, while Kincaid is arguably the best pass catching tight end in the draft but has plenty of work to do as a blocker.
Galen Carter, DT, Georgia
#6: Mail Keeper (ESPN), Nate Davis (USA Today), Doug Lesmerices (Cleveland.com), Jonathan Alexander (Houston Chronicle)
Brian Pressey, DT, Clemson
#18: Doug Farrar (landing wire), Shane Hallam (Countdown project)
Calleja Kansi, DT, Pittsburgh
No. 18: Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com)
Eric’s thoughts:
As we discussed in last week’s report, Carter’s projected fall due to off-field concerns is notable, but also likely exaggerated. In our open topic on Friday, we asked the question: Would you support Carter Lyons’ drafting? And at the time of this posting, 75% of Lions fans have said the affirmative.
Even if Carter isn’t in the Lions’ starting sixth lineup — because he was drafted earlier or passed to him — defensive tackle depth remains one of Detroit’s most obvious needs, and the Pressey vs. Kansey debate against them will continue over the next month.
Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama
No. 6: Jeff Risdon (Wire pulling)
Terry Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
#6: Colton Pouncey (the athlete)
No. 7: Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) – Black Commercial Pick #6 for picks #7 and #70
Miles Murphy, Edge, Clemson
#18: Dave Birkett (free press), Nick Guarisco (work network)
Lucas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
#18: Justin Rogers (Detroit News)
#21: TJ McCreight (Team 33) – Commercial Black Pick No. 18, Receipt of Screws No. 21 and 85
Nolan Smith, LB, Georgia
No. 6: Charles Davis (NFL.com)
#18: Michael Renner (pff), Russell Brown (The beauties of imagination)
Eric’s thoughts:
Despite renegotiating contracts for Romeo Okwara and Charles Harris almost confirmed they will be on the roster for 2023, many analysts continue to “recruit for the future” for the Lions on the brink.
Bottom line here, there is value at the rushing edge in this draft class, and Black drafting value has become a common projection.
Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
#16: Cam Mellor (Pro Football Network) – Black trade picks No. 18 and 81 for No. 16
Eric’s thoughts:
I like Simpson as a player and his coverage skills would be a huge upgrade to the Lions defence, but I don’t like the value here and I’m not sure how he’ll get onto the field in their current scheme – especially with CJ Gardner-Johnson in the mix for the Lions’ opening/holding role.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
No. 6: Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com), Doug Farrar (landing wire)
No. 11: Greg Ohman (Fox Sports) – Lions trade pick #6 for Titans pick #11 and #41
#18: Jeff Risdon (Wire pulling)
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
No. 6: Michael Renner (pff), Russell Brown (The beauties of imagination), Brentley Weissman (network draft), Pete Briscoe (CBS Sports), BJ Rudell (Pro Football Network), Nick Guarisco (work network), Shane Hallam (Countdown project), TJ McCreight (Team 33), Cam Mellor (Pro Football Network)
#18: Charles Davis (NFL.com)
Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
#18: BJ Rudel (Pro Football Network)
Duent Banks, CB, Maryland
#18: Colton Pouncey (the athlete)
#22: Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) – Commercial Lions selection No. 18 for selectors No. 22 and 2024, third round
Eric’s thoughts:
The Lions have invested heavily in defensive tackles this season but there is still a potential long-term need, so selection for a cornerback in the first round is a real possibility. Witherspoon, Gonzalez, and Banks were the most popular choices to pair with the Lions and they all matched the Lions’ blueprint and athletic preferences.
Keep an eye on the banks that have seen his stocks rally recently. After testing at elite levels at the Combine, analysts have combed through its game film, and there’s a lot to like — especially for Lions.
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