NFL Rumor: Lions Might Choose Slater over Sewell

Offensive lineman Rashawn Slater is considered the 'safer' draft pick by many draft pundits

The Detroit Lions might have the option of choosing between two of the top offensive lineman available in this year's draft. 

If the Atlanta Falcons decide to select one of the talented quarterbacks at No. 4, the Bengals pair Ja'Marr Chase with his former quarterback and the Dolphins select tight end Kyle Pitts, Detroit would have a decision to make. 

That is the scenario that plays out in Detroit Free Press beat writer Dave Birkett's latest mock draft. 

Birkett has the Lions choosing Penei Sewell out of Oregon in his fourth mock draft, but also reveals what one NFL scout speculated about the possibility Rashawn Slater is the pick for Detroit. 

"I had a scout speculate to me the other day that the Lions might go Rashawn Slater over Sewell if both are on the board," Birkett writes. "Slater is the safer pick, and can play any position. But Sewell is a stud with the potential to be one of the premier tackles in the game."

Patrick Gorski, USA TODAY Sports

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky also sees the Lions targeting a player in the trenches early in the draft.

“Just a gut feeling, because of who their general manager is and where he comes from, and how the Rams rebuilt their football team, which was the defensive line and offensive line, and knowing Dan (Campbell) and having played with Dan and kind of knowing how he’s wired, I would imagine that they’re doing whatever they can to impact the bigs on either side,” Orlovsky said during a teleconference this week. ”Whether that’s sitting at seven and taking, I don’t know if it’s Penei Sewell or Rashawn Slater, whether that’s trading out -- that’s one of the teams I think New England probably is in conversation with for a quarterback -- but I think they would want to impact both sides of the football big-wise, before they ever start to entertain the pretty part of football, which is the skill position guys.”

Slater weighs in at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, which is slightly smaller than the average tackle playing in the league. His performances against Chase Young of Ohio State have to be taken into consideration for any team's scouting department. 

As the draft nears, it appears as though there are a couple of leaders in the clubhouse to aid the offensive line. 

More from SI All Lions:

Jim Mora Wants to See More 'Fiery' Attitude from Jared Goff

Frank Ragnow Ranked in Top 25 Under 25

Why the Lions Should Avoid Drafting LB Micah Parsons

Justin Fields Reveals Epilepsy Diagnosis Ahead of NFL Draft