The Detroit Lions have passed on quarterbacks in each of Brad Holmes’ first two drafts as general manager, but their patience could be rewarded in a big way next spring.
ESPN analyst Todd McShay unveiled his way-too-early mock draft for 2023 on Thursday, and with the second pick he had the Lions selecting Alabama quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.
Reuniting Young with Jameson Williams, who the Lions traded up to get in last week’s draft, seems ideal, but the Lions likely will have to suffer through another down year for that to happen.
McShay used inverse Super Bowl odds from Caesars Sportsbook to set his draft order. Oddsmakers currently put the Lions at +15,000 to win the championsip, tied for the second-longest odds in the league.
Many observers expect the Lions to take a significant step forward in Dan Campbell’s second year as head coach, which could have them drafting outside the top 10 for the first time since 2018. But if the season plays out the way Vegas expects, the Lions might finally have a long-term solution at the most important position on the field.
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McShay projected five quarterbacks to go in the first nine picks of the draft: Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud No. 1 to the Texans; Alabama’s Young No. 2 to the Lions; Florida’s Anthony Richardson No. 6 to the Carolina Panthers; Kentucky’s Will Levis No. 8 to the New York Giants; and Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke No. 9 to the Seattle Seahawks.
Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec is another potential first-round pick at the position, according to several early mock drafts.
The Lions have been content to let Jared Goff run the team since acquiring him in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams last winter.
Goff, who took the Rams to the Super Bowl in the 2018 season, had a choppy first season in Detroit. He threw for 3,245 yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions, but failed to win a game until early December.
Holmes reiterated his faith in Goff after last week’s draft, when he spent six of the Lions’ eight picks on defense and added Williams and Virginia Tech tight end James Mitchell to the receiving corps.
“I really admire and appreciate what (Goff) did with what he worked with last year,” Holmes said. “So I wouldn’t say it’s no excuses (next season), but we just expect him to be set up for success, which Dan and I said that’s what we’re going to do for Jared.”
Along with the quarterbacks, McShay’s initial 2023 mock was heavy on receivers and pass rushers. Alabama’s Will Anderson was the first non-quarterback selected, No. 3 overall to the New York Jets. Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba went fourth to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Lions took North Carolina cornerback Tony Grimes at No. 28, with the final draft pick they acquired from the Rams in the Stafford trade.
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Here’s what McShay wrote about both Lions’ selections:
No. 2: Bryce Young — Detroit wisely focused on the rest of its roster last week, but it will likely have to find its franchise quarterback in 2023 and has a prime chance to do so at No. 2 with Young still on the board. A former five-star recruit, Young is only 6-foot but has solid accuracy and plenty of mobility in the pocket. And he clearly has chemistry with receiver Jameson Williams, one of the Lions’ first-round picks this year, considering nearly a third of Young’s 4,872 passing yards in 2021 went Williams’ way. Jared Goff’s dead money dips to just $10 million next offseason, making the Lions’ QB easier to move on from.
No. 28: Tony Grimes — Grimes has 6-foot-1 size and good speed, and he broke up seven passes last season. A duo of Grimes and Jeff Okudah should help turn things around for Detroit’s lackluster pass defense.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.