5 Players Lions Should Target in 2021 NFL Draft
It is early to start looking ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft, but never too early.
I have identified five areas on the Lions that desperately need to be addressed, and I have found five players on mock draft boards that just might be available when the Lions will be making their selections.
All five of these guys resonate with me. I want gamers.
I am not like all the executives in the league who fall in love with how fast they can run around three orange cones or how fast they can run the 40-yard dash in gym shorts.
I want football players -- guys who show football is important to them.
I want leaders, not track guys who thought the money was in football.
I want ballers -- guys with attitude, fire and the will to win.
What I want is what the Lions need most -- difference-makers and game-changers.
The one commonality these guys all have is they look and feel like playmakers.
These are the kinds of players that will raise the team’s level of play and catapult the Silver and Blue into the driver's seat in the NFC North.
1.) Wide receiver. First round.
Detroit might be able to trade down a little, maybe pick up an additional third and still get this guy -- a guy who really excites me.
Detroit lacks a pure No. 1 stud at the position, and this is a real area of need. Right now, the Lions simply do not have anyone who is electrifying.
Detroit has not had a gamer since Calvin "Megatron" Johnson was in the house. And now with the futures of Kenny Golloday and Danny Amendola up in the air, send the card in.
Rashod Bateman, MINNESOTA, 6-foot-2, 209 pounds
Grade: A (Blue-chip player and elite)
Dynamic and fluid, natural receiver who looks natural playing the position. Has a lot of confidence in his strong-looking hands. Able to pluck it out of the air and out of a crowd, even on contested 50-50 balls. Catches well in traffic. Good concentration. Looks it into his hands. Very confident-looking catcher. Tough. Courageous.
The thing that stands out is his ability to catch short passes and pick up good yardage after the catch (YAC). Glides. Able to break tackles. Looks graceful. Reminds me of Jerry Rice that way. Makes it look easy. Tracks deep balls well, and gets underneath the arch smoothly. Has a lot of visible confidence. Looks special.
2.) Defensive end. Second round.
Currently, Detroit ranks 25th in the league with an anemic average of 1.4 sacks per game.
After being drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, left DE Da’Shawn Hand has only logged three -- that’s right, three -- career sacks in nearly three seasons (none this season).
As Bill Parcells once said, “If they don’t bite as puppies, they’re generally not going to bite.”
Detroit must do a better job getting to the quarterback, and that starts by drafting a 4-3 LDE high. And the team can find what it is looking for in its own backyard.
The Lions need a guy who can bring it, and from everything I am seeing, this is the guy.
There are some sexier names out there, though.
And his injury history should also keep him on the board and drop him into the second round.
Aidan Hutchinson, MICHIGAN, 6-foot-6, 269 pounds
Grade: B (Good player, but not elite; he's good enough to win with, however)
© Anntaninna Biondo, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC
A tough, physically strong and instinctual, athletic defensive player with explosive snap and a relentless attitude. Reminded me of Jared Allen. Good first step, and showed he can explode into blocker to create separation. Can deliver brutal punch. Powerful upper-body strength. Uses hands well to take on and shed blocks. Can slide into gap or stunt and burst into the pocket. Glides, and accelerates up into the pocket. Showed short-area burst. Wants to get to the quarterback. Quarterback-minded. Has a knack for deflecting passes. Devastating hitter. Solid tackler. Breathes fire. Contagious. High motor.
The Wolverines like to slide him around on the line, as he has that flexibility to him. Will pursue runs inside out. Competes. This kid is a four-down defensive end. A pure football player.
Early reports indicate he is expected to be at 100 percent in four months, which is why his grade was dropped into the "B" range. Pick hinges on a clean medical report and him declaring.
3.) Safety. Third round.
The Lions' pass defense ranks near the bottom of the league, according to PFF.
And despite the emphasis on the corners, Duron Harmon’s consistently reluctant play at safety -- defending against both the pass and the run -- leaves a lot to be desired, in my mind.
The Lions do not have a true "ballhawk," but if they get this guy, they will.
Despite the injury sustained this season, the below individual is still projected to be the second-best safety in the draft.
The Lions must stop focusing on former Patriots who supposedly can “change the culture" and get somebody in there who can produce. They need some attitude in the secondary.
This guy might go early, and some boards have him sliding into the third round.
If Detroit can get him, he would be a serious upgrade.
Andre Cisco, SYRACUSE, 6’0, 203 pounds
Grade: B (Good player, but not elite; he's good enough to win with, however)
Well-rounded safety against the pass and run, with above-average effort. Solid-looking frame and build. Plays big. Hybrid safety/corner type who can come down in the box and attack. Provides that flexibility.
A ball-hawk safety, with 13 interceptions and 14 passes defensed during his college career (2018-2020). He can also deliver devastating hits. Has the ability to read and jump routes and make a play on the ball. Has coverage skills. Able to come on blitzes. Solid in run support. Has play-making ability.
4.) Outside linebacker. Fourth round.
I am just not feeling it with Jamie Collins. I have never felt it with Jamie Collins.
I have not felt it in Cleveland, and I have not felt in in Detroit.
Sam I am, I have not ever felt it for Jamie Collins.
Every time I write him up, I give him a bad grade.
He is a lackadaisical player with ability, but he only plays when he wants to. That does not win in the NFL. It is just an excuse to collect a paycheck.
He is also bad for the morale of the defense. That kind of energy is horrible for a team trying to win.
The Lions need some get-up-and-go in this position, and they need someone who can actually cover a tight end.
And there is a player out there that can do that, who is projected to go in the fourth round.
JaCoby Stevens, LSU, 6’0, 228 pounds
Grade: B (Good player, but not elite; he's good enough to win with, however)
Well-rounded run-and-hit safety/linebacker hybrid type with play-making ability. Athletic tweener who can play down in the box and has short-area burst. Can blitz and close. Can be converted. Has a linebacker feel to him. Hitter. Has coverage skills.
Has showcased he can stay tight in coverage, as exemplified by his performance against Florida’s Kyle Pitts. Shows he can deflect the ball and contend. Shows some emotion. There is something about him.
5.) Return specialist/slot receiver. Fifth round.
One of the most underrated, but biggest game-changing opportunities in the book is having a home run-hitting punt and kick returner.
This changes the complexion of the game, and it is something the Lions do not currently have.
A big-time return specialist gives the offense better starting field and scoring position, and every now and again, the individual can take one to the house.
As I talked about before, Danny Amendola may not be around much longer. Plus, he is 35, and the Lions need a dynamic player who they can plug into the slot.
This player below gives the Lions another legitimate weapon and somebody who can make plays.
This guy fits that profile, and he looks like he just might be available in this round.
He would look good in a Lions uniform.
K.D. Nixon, COLORADO, 5-foot-8, 185 pounds
Grade: B (Good player, but not elite; he's good enough to win with, however)
Quick, agile and tough-looking, with good playing speed and attitude. Thicker thighs and uppers. Able to burst and accelerate into routes. Has a spark to him. Shifty. Good balance. Darts. Catches with hands. Able to catch in traffic. Dynamic ability. Looks like a playmaker.
The Lions are a lot closer than many people realize to becoming a powerhouse in the NFC.
But, it is going to take some subtraction and addition with the roster in order to get there.
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