With the Detroit Lions in the playoff hunt entering the final stretch of the season, NFL Draft talk has been a little more muted around these parts.
It’s admittedly a nice change of pace, but it doesn’t negate the fact the Lions are on track to have a top-five pick, thanks to the first-round selection they’re getting from the Los Angeles Rams, the final piece of last year’s Matthew Stafford trade.
So while the franchise’s rebuild is on the right track, there’s going to be an opportunity to kick it into high gear next offseason with that premium pick.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Todd McShay released his first mock draft. But instead of using that Rams’ pick on a player who could contribute immediately, particularly on a defense that still ranks 31st in yards and scoring, McShay, like many other pundits, is still of the belief the Lions will snag a quarterback with the choice. In this projection, it’s Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
“Everything fell perfectly for the Lions here, allowing them to draft their signal-caller of the future without moving up,” McShay writes. “Stroud has thrown 37 touchdown passes this season — and still has as many as two games left — and is third in the nation in QBR (87.7). Jared Goff has played well under center of late, but he’s not the long-term answer. Stroud — who makes good decisions with the football, displays great touch and has a big arm — could learn behind Goff for a season before Detroit moves on and builds around a talented passer on a rookie deal.”
The logic is reasonable, but ignores how much the Lions and general manager Brad Holmes have been committed to Goff, who remains under contract for two more seasons beyond this one. And for whatever skill set flaws Goff might have, he ranks seventh in passer rating and sixth in QBR this season. Plus, Detroit’s offense, which has battled through a number of injury issues, still ranks top-five in points and yards.
More: Rogers: Momentum building for Lions to stick with Goff well beyond 2022 season
Later in the first round, with Detroit’s own pick, McShay gives the defense some help in the form of Penn State cornerback Jerry Porter Jr.
“We’re all excited about the potential of C.J. Stroud in that offense, but if they keep giving up 6.2 yards per play (last in the NFL), it won’t matter too much,” McShay writes. “Jeff Okudah has been up and down after being the No. 3 overall pick in 2020, and Amani Oruwariye and Mike Hughes are both expected to be free agents in the spring. Porter — the son of former Steelers edge rusher Joey Porter — is my top cornerback, showcasing high-level recognition skills, and he’d give that defense more scheme flexibility. He didn’t have a pick this season, but he did have 11 pass breakups. Detroit walks away from Round 1 with two playmakers on either side of the ball.”
While you can never have too many quality cornerbacks, it’s interesting McShay ignores Detroit’s second starter, Jerry Jacobs, in the commentary. And while he’s unlikely to ever play at a Pro Bowl level, it’s tone-deaf to not acknowledge what Jacobs brings to the defense with his physical, high-energy style of play, both in coverage and in run support.
Of all the spots on defense, a strong argument can be made that the secondary is the least of the Lions’ concerns. But with no viable front-seven players on his board (the next selected in the mock is Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness at No. 29 to Dallas), the choice of Porter, or any top cornerback, makes more sense.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers
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