The NFL draft is a few days away and most teams have their draft boards pretty much set.
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said he still has some tweaking to do on his board but feels “pretty good” about how things line up for the 17th pick in the first round.
“I think we’ll still be able to be able to get a good player,” he said. “I do think that this draft is not too much different than what it’s been in the past probably couple of years. But I do feel – obviously we’re picking higher than we have been in the past, so hopefully that’ll put us in position to get a better player.”
Here’s my second-to-last mock draft, with a new prospect in the mix for the Lions in Round 1.
1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza
School: Indiana.
Buzz: No secret what the Raiders will do at No. 1.
2. New York Jets: EDGE Arvell Reese
School: Ohio State.
Buzz: If I’m the Jets, I’d take Reese’s upside and versatility over David Bailey’s production.
3. Arizona Cardinals: EDGE David Bailey
School: Texas Tech.
Buzz: If I’m the Cardinals, I’d be quite happy to get Bailey at No. 3.
4. Tennessee Titans: LB Sonny Styles
School: Ohio State.
Buzz: It’s hard to take an off-ball linebacker this high, but Styles fits as a Fred Warner-type in Robert Saleh’s defense.
5. New York Giants: S Caleb Downs
School: Ohio State.
Buzz: Giants GM Joe Schoen had high praise for running back Jeremiyah Love this week, but in smokescreen season, I’m sticking with the draft’s best safety for John Harbaugh’s defense.
6. Cleveland Browns: OT Francis Mauigoa
School: Miami (Florida).
Buzz: As long as the medicals on his reported back issue check out, Mauigoa should be the first lineman off the board.
7.Washington Commanders: RB Jeremiyah Love
School: Notre Dame.
Buzz: The Commanders could be scary on offense with Love and a healthy Jayden Daniels.
8. New Orleans Saints: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
School: Miami (Florida).
Buzz: Short arms or not, Bain is a force off the edge.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: TE Kenyon Sadiq
School: Oregon.
Buzz: Travis Kelce’s on his last legs and Patrick Mahomes is at his best with a really good tight end.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Spencer Fano
School: Utah.
Buzz: The Bengals don’t have an obvious need at tackle, but they still have to do a better job protecting Joe Burrow.
11. Miami Dolphins: WR Carnell Tate
School: Ohio State.
Buzz: Dolphins get the draft’s best receiver by staying put at 11.
12. Dallas Cowboys: CB Mansoor Delane
School: LSU.
Buzz: Delane is the best cornerback in this draft and the Cowboys had the worst pass defense in the NFL last year..
13. Los Angeles Rams: OT Monroe Freeling
School: Georgia.
Buzz: With no real pressing needs, the Rams can afford to take a developmental tackle with big upside.
14-Baltimore Ravens: OG Vega Ioane
School: Penn State.
Buzz: The Ravens haven’t taken an offensive lineman in Round 1 since Ronnie Stanley in 2016.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Jermod McCoy
School: Tennessee.
Buzz: McCoy would be tough to pass up if he makes it to No. 17 for the Lions.
16. New York Jets: WR Jordyn Tyson
School: Arizona State.
Buzz: If not for health concerns, Tyson might be a top-10 pick.
17. Detroit Lions: EDGE Keldric Faulk
School: Auburn.
Buzz: I swore I wouldn’t deviate from giving the Lions an offensive tackle in my mock drafts this spring. They need a long-term starter to play opposite Penei Sewell and they probably get one after the first round. But I came away from the NFL’s annual meeting last month thinking the Lions finally recognize they need more pass rush help on defense and the only way they’re going to get it is through the draft. Faulk had just two sacks last season at Auburn but he’s a capable interior rusher and plus edge run defender who has plenty of development ahead at age 21.
18. Minnesota Vikings: S Dillon Thieneman
School: Oregon.
Buzz: Every mock draft on the internet has Thieneman to the Vikings at 18.
19. Carolina Panthers: WR Makai Lemon
School: USC.
Buzz: Lemon has drawn comparisons to Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.
20. Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Akheem Mesidor
School: Miami (Florida).
Buzz: The age and injury concerns are real, but so is the production.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Kadyn Proctor
School: Alabama.
Buzz: The Steelers have taken an offensive or defensive lineman with five of their past six first- and second-round picks.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: DT Kayden McDaniel
School: Ohio State.
Buzz: Jim Harbaugh takes a Buckeye.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: OT Max Iheanachor
School: Arizona State.
Buzz: Iheanachor is the type of athlete the Eagles like in their tackles, and he can apprentice for a season under Lane Johnson before he has to step in.
24. Cleveland Browns: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
College: Toledo.
Buzz: McNeil-Warren is one of the best defensive playmakers in this year’s draft.
25. Chicago Bears: EDGE Malachi Lawrence
College: UCF.
Buzz: The Bears made Colston Loveland the surprise first tight end off the board last year. Maybe they surprise again this year by taking a pass rusher most project to go in the second round.
26. Buffalo Bills: EDGE T.J. Parker
College: Clemson.
Buzz: There were a couple receivers I considering giving to the Bills here, but Parker is a talented edge and stylistic fit for Buffalo’s defense.
27. San Francisco 49ers: OT Blake Miller
School: Clemson.
Buzz: Miller is another player I considered for the Lions at 17.
28. Houston Texans: OT Caleb Lomu
School: Utah.
Buzz: The Texans signed Braden Smith in free agency but still need help on their offensive line.
29. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Omar Cooper Jr.
School: Indiana.
Buzz: Two first-round picks, two new weapons for Mahomes.
30. Miami Dolphins: EDGE Cashius Howell
School: Texas A&M.
Buzz: Howell won’t fit every system because of his measurables but he’s one of the draft’s best pass rushers.
31. New England Patriots: LB Jacob Rodriguez
School: Texas Tech.
Buzz: Rodriguez seems to inched ahead of Texas’ Anthony Hill and Georgia’s CJ Allen as the No. 2 off-ball linebacker in the draft.
32. Seattle Seahawks: WR Denzel Boston
School: Washington.
Buzz: After spending all that money on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks need a young, cost-controlled weapon for their receiver room.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mock draft 3.0: A new name in the mix for Detroit Lions at No. 17
Reporting by Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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