It’s finally NFL Draft week in Detroit, and come Thursday, the Lions will welcome a new batch of prospects hoping to add to a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
But before the festivities get going and Lions GM Brad Holmes starts slamming tables in excitement, it’s time for our final seven-round Lions mock draft of the 2024 cycle. Rejoice.
In this mock draft, the Lions address a number of future needs, adding impact players at guard, wide receiver and cornerback, a high-upside edge, the best kicker in the class and some Day 3 depth.
Let’s discuss.
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Lions NFL Draft 2024 guide: Picks, predictions and key needs
No. 36: Jordan Morgan, OL, Arizona
Trade: Lions trade pick Nos. 29 and 73 to the Washington Commanders for Nos. 36, 67 and 100.
One of the most popular questions Holmes has been asked this offseason is whether the Lions would consider a trade that would take them out of the first round. If Holmes agreed to one, that would mean Lions fans at the draft Thursday night would not get to see them make a pick.
“Look, we have to do the right thing for the organization,” Holmes said last Thursday. “If it makes sense and it lines up and it’s the right thing to do, then we have to do the right thing. Say that happens where the fans have been waiting there all night for this pick and we get an offer that we can’t really turn down and makes sense, we’ve got to do the right thing and hopefully our fans will forgive us.”
Here, the Commanders chose to come up from early in the second round. NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein tweeted he’d be “pretty shocked” if the Commanders don’t try to package picks for a move back into the first. This trade would accomplish that for Washington, while allowing Detroit to remain high in the second round, move up six spots in the third and add a fourth-rounder in the process.
With the 36th pick, the Lions address a future need along the offensive line with a versatile player in Morgan. The Arizona product projects as a guard/tackle at the next level, making him a high-upside backup in the event of an injury and a flexible piece for the future. He’d be afforded time to learn behind some excellent veterans until there’s an opening in the starting lineup. During his pre-draft news conference, Holmes said the offensive line is where the game is won. The Lions could win a lot of games with Morgan.
Note: The other scenario that received serious consideration here was a trade-up for UCLA edge Laiatu Latu. An exciting prospect and the most refined pass rusher in the class. But we stuck to the board, received a quality trade-down offer and struck.
No. 53: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
Trade: Lions trade Nos. 61, 100 and 201 to the Philadelphia Eagles for Nos. 53 and 120.
After trading down in the second, the Lions use capital acquired to move up in the second round for a potential impact starter. This is the benefit of a trade down. After starting the weekend with pick Nos. 29 and 61, the Lions essentially swapped those for 36 and 53. That could be the sweet spot in a draft like this. Here, the Lions send their second-round pick (No. 61), the fourth-rounder acquired from the Commanders (No. 100) and pick No. 201 (via the Carlton Davis III trade) to the Eagles in exchange for Nos. 54 and 120. It allows the Lions to move up eight spots, while keeping a fourth-rounder in No. 120.
The Lions have been doing their homework on wide receivers, and while it’s unclear which flavor they’re looking for, Coleman is a realistic option in this range on Day 2. Coleman is No. 37 on Dane Brugler’s big board, but could be available later in the second round. While he lacks top-end speed, Coleman’s in-game speed is better than his 4.61 40 time would suggest. His size, leaping ability and yards after catch potential make him an intriguing prospect in this range for a team looking to develop an X receiver. The idea of adding Coleman to an offense that already features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery should terrify the division, and make Jared Goff a very happy man.
Keon Coleman gauntlet:
Plays faster than the 40. pic.twitter.com/6QgT4eS2d2
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) March 2, 2024
No. 67: Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
The Commanders trade helped the Lions move up six spots from No. 73, getting this pick to No. 67. After going offense-offense with the first two picks, the Lions turn their attention to defense by selecting Phillips. The Lions hosted Phillips, viewed as a feisty cornerback prospect who loves football, on a top-30 visit earlier this month. While Phillips lacks ideal length, he offers inside-out versatility, he’s aggressive in the run game (though his technique needs work) and has the competitive mindset to play the position. He’s No. 61 on Brugler’s top 100, so the Lions would be getting some value here. It feels like he’s rising at this stage of the process.
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner recently wrote about Phillips. Worth your time.
No. 120: Jalyx Hunt, edge, Houston Christian
Hunt is an exciting prospect from a small school in Houston Christian. Physically, his toolbox has everything you need. He’s nearly 6-foot-4, has 34 3/8-inch arms, a 37 1/2-inch vertical and 4.64 speed at 252 pounds. His relative athletic score of 9.22 highlights the sort of athletic package we’re talking about. A former safety at Cornell who switched to edge in college, Hunt has untapped potential as a pass-rusher and NFL teams must believe they can coach him up. With the Lions, he’d be afforded time to develop and watch Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, adding to a rotation that includes Josh Paschal and James Houston. That’s a good mix of pass rushers, and in this range, Hunt is a lottery ticket.
.@HCUFootball @jalyx_hunt has my attention. I think his best football is in front of him. Lots of defensive coaches would love the opportunity to coach and develop JH. #nfldraft #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/08ejyJC19O
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 15, 2024
No. 164: Will Reichard, K, Alabama
Reichard is viewed as the top kicker in the class, with Brugler giving him a fifth-round grade. He was absolutely money at Alabama, going 22-of-25 and 5-of-5 from 50-plus in his final year. The Lions don’t have many glaring needs, but they have yet to add competition for Michael Badgley, who lacks the desired range for the position. They can afford to draft a kicker in this range, and if he hits, they could have their guy for the next 15 years.
No. 205: Sione Vaki, S/RB, Utah
Vaki is an intriguing prospect, given his background. He delayed the start of his collegiate career to do a mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When he finally joined Utah’s roster, he immediately contributed at safety, before developing into a two-way prospect as a running back. This past season, Vaki totaled 51 tackles and eight tackles for a loss, while recording 520 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns. He feels like he could be an ace special teamer at the next level, similar to C.J. Moore when he was in Detroit, and he might be able to provide some defensive snaps as a depth piece. He’s a football player, as Holmes likes to call it.
No. 249: Khristian Boyd, DT, Northern Iowa
The Lions love the East-West Shrine Bowl, and Boyd showed out there. Though he lacks length, Boyd’s strength (38 bench reps) shows up on tape. He can eat up space and offers some untapped pass-rush upside. The Lions brought him in for a top-30 visit, so they’re familiar with his makeup. That could be enough to make him a late-round option for the team, adding interior depth behind Alim McNeill and DJ Reader.
(Photo of Jordan Morgan, No. 77: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
