Mock Draft Roundup: EDGE Tyree Wilson Becomes Popular Lions Target
It's time for the latest All Lions mock draft roundup.
Over the last week, Texas Tech EDGE rusher Tyree Wilson and multiple tight ends have become popular first-round targets for the Detroit Lions.
Let’s explore now who the draft pundits have Lions general manager Brad Holmes selecting in the first round, starting with the No. 6 overall pick.
EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Murphy is presently being picked by the following:
Pro Football Network (Joe Broback)
As Broback opines,
"With Aidan Hutchinson already on the roster, one side of the Lions’ defensive line is set. Imagine how much better this defense would be if they had a terrifying duo on the edge. Detroit needs to get after the quarterback more in 2023, and what better way to do that than by adding Myles Murphy?
Murphy produced 31 tackles for loss and 18 sacks on a loaded Clemson defensive line and improved every year that he played. He’ll need to learn the nuances of the NFL, but the foundation is there to build upon and make him one of the better pass rushers in the league."
Running back Bijan Robinson, Texas
Robinson is presently being picked by the following:
Walter Football (Walter Cherepinsky); Walter Football (Charlie Campbell)
EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
Van Ness is presently being picked by the following:
Sports Illustrated (Gilberto Manzano)
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Witherspoon is is presently being picked by the following:
CBS Sports (Will Brinson); *The Draft Wire (Jeff Risdon); NFL.com (Lance Zierlein); *indicates trade
Defensive lineman Jalen Carter, Georgia
Carter is currently being mocked by the following:
CBS Sports (Pete Prisco); CBS Sports (Kyle Stackpole); CBS Sports (Josh Edwards); NBC Sports Chicago (Josh Schrock); FOX Sports; FantasyPros (Matthew Freedman)
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Gonzalez is presently being mocked by the following:
Pro Football Network (Ian Valentino); FantasyPros (Thor Nystrom); Pro Football Network (Dalton Miller); CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso)
EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
Wilson is currently being mocked by the following:
CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson); The Draft Network (Damian Parson); Pro Football Focus (Michael Renner); NFL.com (Adam Rank)
As Rank writes,
"If the Seahawks pass on Carter, you should totally look into it -- he could be a real Aaron Donald type of force for you up front. But in this case, Seattle is listening to me and taking Carter, so he's off the board. (If you both pass on him, I see a big slide happening.)
You still have to go defense here, though, and since you did such a good job landing cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in free agency, I would pass on Christian Gonzalez, even though he seems like the best player available. Wilson tracks for me as the choice in this spot, giving Detroit another QB hunter to join last year's dynamic rookie duo of Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston."
Let's turn our attention now to who the draft analysts have projected for Detroit at No. 18.
Running back Bijan Robinson, Texas
Robinson is currently being mocked by the following:
Defensive lineman Keion White, Georgia Tech
White is presently being picked by the following:
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Porter is presently being projected by the following:
Pro Football Network (Joe Broback); NBC Sports Chicago (Josh Schrock)
EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Murphy is currently being picked by the following:
FantasyPros (Matthew Freedman)
Wide receiver Quentin Johnston, TCU
Johnston is presently being mocked by the following:
Pro Football Focus (Michael Renner)
Linebacker Jack Campbell, Iowa
Campbell is presently being picked by the following:
Pro Football Network (Ian Valentino)
Tight end Darnell Washington, Georgia
Washington is currently being mocked by the following:
CBS Sports (Kyle Stackpole); Pro Football Network (Dalton Miller); NFL.com (Adam Rank)
As Miller pens,
"The transition from college to pro football for tight ends is among the most difficult of any position. To be an expert at something, one must dedicate an excruciating amount of time to it. Receivers spend their lives running routes and catching passes. Offensive tackles spend theirs working on footwork and striking. Tight ends are asked to do both. It’s practically an impossible task.
When we’ve seen tight ends be productive early recently, they haven’t been first-round players. But they all have one thing in common: Each is an elite athlete in one way or another. Darnell Washington is a freak among freaks. While blocking will be far more difficult at the next level, Washington was outstanding in that respect at Georgia."
Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Witherspoon is presently being projected by the following:
Walter Football (Walter Cherepinsky); Walter Football (Charlie Campbell)
Tight end Dalton Kincaid, Utah
Kincaid is presently being picked by the following:
CBS Sports (Pete Prisco); CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso)
Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
Kancey is presently being mocked by the following:
Sports Illustrated (Gilberto Manzano)
Cornerback Deonte Banks, Maryland
Banks is currently being mocked by the following:
CBS Sports (Josh Edwards); CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson); The Draft Network (Damian Parson)
Safety Brian Branch, Alabama
Branch is currently being picked by the following:
Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, Clemson
Bresee is presently being picked by the following:
Tight end Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
Mayer is currently being selected by the following: