5 predictions for the 2023 NFL Draft Detroit Lions

We make five predictions about what the Detroit Lions will do during all seven rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.

• by
  
  Jeremy Reisman
  

• on April 27, 2023, 1:00 p.m

At this point, even the hardiest of people will probably get tired of 2023 NFL Draft coverage. We’re now just hours away from the NFL Draft, and mock draft simulators are in the last stretch. Rumors fly, and if you’re anything like me, I just submitted the actual results. There’s no point in trying to find the real answers to what’s going to happen over the next three days, because we’ll know soon enough at this point.

…but let me fill you in one last time. I’m not a big fan of doing dummy drafts. So instead, let me give you five predictions for the 2023 NFL Draft Detroit Lions that I guarantee will either come true or not come true.

The Lions would not take a quarterback at all

While I think the Lions are keeping their options open at the quarterback position, I think eventually they will pass on drafting a quarterback – even late in this draft. Detroit’s continued insistence that they won’t “force” a quarterback tells me they won’t trade the top five for one, and I think the only reasonable person who would be available in the sixth is Florida’s Anthony Richardson. I think the Lions are a nice place for him, but I don’t think Detroit is looking to do a project that high.

I’m not a big fan of taking a spin on any of the prospects late in this draft, and it wouldn’t upgrade Detroit’s backup point over Nate Sudfeld, which I still think the Lions are looking to do. Plus, with Teddy Bridgewater’s offer currently from the Lions on the table, Detroit has no reason to force it.

The only player I think has a small chance of being drafted by the Lions is Hendon Hooker. Detroit has done their research on it, but, again, it’s a long-term project and I don’t think that’s something they’re going to spend money on in the first round. If there was at 48, though…

Detroit would be traded out of 18 and eventually make it to the fourth round

We’ve been hearing rumors that the Lions have made waiver calls for the 18th overall pick. However, I think they are more likely to trade higher 18. Lions general manager Brad Holmes – like it or not – is a bold pick when it comes to draft day.

“No matter what we did at the end of the season, we again have to stay aggressive, keep our foot on the gas and make sure we get the best players,” Holmes said last week.

As of Thursday morning, the Lions have an 81st pick (third round) and then don’t pick until the 152nd pick in the fifth round. I’d be shocked if the lions didn’t find a way to take it in between then. They have enough late ammunition to trade in that fourth round, but they can also get it by trading early in the draft. Either way, the middle of the draft is too valuable for Holmes to sit on his hands for several hours.

The Lions would select a tight end on the second day

I never bought the hype that lions were happy with their tight crew. Yes, they managed to score plenty of touchdowns after TJ Hockenson was traded, but the blocking skills of James Mitchell, Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra are mediocre at best. I’m sure the Lions have a lot of faith in Mitchell – who’s only scratched the surface in his rookie season coming off a torn ACL – but they need a top-level player to pair him with.

And this just so happens to be a unique, tight final draft. It’s hard to tell where these guys fell, but Darnell Washington, Dalton Kincaid, Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft, Sam LaPorta, and Luke Schoonmaker look like realistic options for Day Two.

The Lions will recruit a guard who will not start in 2023, but will start in 2024

Detroit has done a lot of homework this year’s offensive line class, especially with guards. A look at the 2023 NFL Draft Visits Tracker shows no fewer than six top 30 hits with offensive linemen: Darnell Wright, Steve Avila, Jordan McFadden, Osirus Torrence, Antonio Maffei and Chandler Zavala. That’s 20 percent of their visits they spend in one post.

However, even if they draft one of those players in the first three rounds, they will likely spend the first year as a reserve. Detroit has restructured the contract Halapoulivaati Vaitai – a player they really like and who seems to be close to health. He’s now charging $5 million for the cap and will count more if the Lions choose to cut him. He’s not going anywhere, and that’s a lot of money to spend on a player you intend to get. However, with his contract automatically canceled in 2024, the long-term need remains.

The addition of Graham Glasgow gives the Detroiters depth in case the right player doesn’t fall for them, but they’ve done enough research to suggest that filling that long-term need is a priority.

Mini Mock

Well, here’s the dart for the first six picks in the draft:

1. Carolina Panthers: QB Bryce Young
2. Houston Tx: Edge Tyree Wilson
3. Tennessee Titans (via Trade): QB CJ Stroud
4. Indianapolis Colts: QB Will Leaves
5. Seattle Seahawks: Edge Will Anderson
6. Detroit Lions: CB Devon Witherspoon

As much as I want Galen Carter to be the man, I just think the Lions value character is too much to take a potential risk here. I’m not convinced Carter is a bad guy or someone who just won’t work hard, but there’s enough smoke here to think the lions won’t take chances. Plus, Carter thinks it will be the Philadelphia Eaglesuggesting he thought Detroit would transfer him.

However, Devon Witherspoon should not be considered a consolation prize. He’s a great player, and there’s a reason everyone is laughing at him against the Lions this week.

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