Mock Draft Roundup: Jalen Carter, Devon Witherspoon Popular Lions Picks

After Jeff Okudah was traded, All Lions explores who the Lions pick in the latest round of mock drafts.

It's time for the latest All Lions mock draft roundup.

Over the last week, Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon and Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter have become popular picks for the Detroit Lions at No. 6 overall.

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.

Offensive tackle Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

Skoronski is currently being mocked by the following:

CBS Sports (Will Brinson)

EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama 

Anderson is currently being mocked by the following:

ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr.)

Offensive tackle Paris Johnson, Ohio State 

Johnson is presently being mocked by the following: 

NFL Trade Rumors (Logan Ulrich)

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:

CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)

As Wilson writes, 

"The Lions had a need at cornerback ... and promptly addressed it to start free agency, adding Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley. And while there is depth at defensive end, Romeo Okwara and Charles Harris are entering the final year of their deals and the opportunity to pair Lukas Van Ness with Aidan Hutchinson is too good to pass up."

Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

Witherspoon is is presently being picked by the following:

Pro Football Network (Kyle Yates); *The Athletic (Diante Lee); Bleacher Report (NFL Scouting Department); All Lions (Vito Chirco); The Draft Wire (Jeff Risdon); *indicates trade

As Yates writes,

"The Lions just sent away Jeff Okudah, which means that CB is right back at the top of their team needs list. Emmanuel Moseley and Cameron Sutton were fantastic additions in free agency, but depth at cornerback is crucial in today’s NFL.

Devon Witherspoon fits what Dan Campbell wants in a cornerback so well. He’s sticky in man coverage, tenacious, and he plays more physical than you would expect for a player that’s only 181 pounds. Witherspoon’s addition to this secondary makes Detroit’s defense a young and terrifying unit to deal with in the NFC North."

Defensive lineman Jalen Carter, Georgia

Carter is currently being mocked by the following:

The Draft Network (Jack McKessy); CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso); NFL.com (Rhett Lewis); NFL.com (Charles Davis); CBS Sports (Kyle Stackpole); CBS Sports (Josh Edwards); FantasyPros (Matthew Freedman)

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

Gonzalez is presently being mocked by the following:

Pro Football Network (Tony Pauline)

EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

Wilson is currently being mocked by the following:

Pro Football Network (Ian Cummings); Sports Illustrated (Matt Verderame)

Let's turn our attention now to who the draft analysts have projected for Detroit at No. 18.

Linebacker Jack Campbell, Iowa 

Campbell is currently being mocked by the following: 

Walter Football (Charlie Campbell) 

As Campbell writes,

"The Lions missed the playoffs last year because of losses where they couldn't stop running backs and mobile quarterbacks - e.g. against Carolina, Philadelphia. Detroit needs a linebacker upgrade to go with Alex Anzalone.

Team sources really like Campbell and think he will go in the back half of the first round in the 2023 NFL Draft. They call him a taller version of Chad Muma and say he does some things that remind them of Luke Kuechly. The 6-foot-5, 249-pound Campbell has good size, strength, and enough athleticism to be a three-down starter. Campbell is very instinctive, smart, and showed more fluid pass-coverage skills than expected at the combine."

EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

Van Ness is currently being picked by the following: 

Pro Football Network (Kyle Yates)

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Oregon 

Gonzalez is presently being projected by the following: 

*CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso); *indicates trade

Offensive guard O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida 

Torrence is currently being selected by the following: 

The Draft Wire (Jeff Risdon)

EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia 

Smith is currently being picked by the following: 

FantasyPros (Matthew Freedman)

Running back Bijan Robinson, Texas

Robinson is currently being mocked by the following:

The Draft Network (Jack McKessy); ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr.); The Athletic (Diante Lee); NFL.com (Charles Davis)

EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

Murphy is currently being picked by the following:

NFL Trade Rumors (Logan Ulrich)

Wide receiver Quentin Johnston, TCU

Johnston is presently being mocked by the following:

Bleacher Report (NFL Scouting Department)

Tight end Darnell Washington, Georgia

Washington is currently being mocked by the following:

CBS Sports (Kyle Stackpole)

As Stackpole pens,

"Adding Darnell Washington would do a lot of good for the surging Lions offense. Not only would he open holes for the dangerous duo of D'Andre Swift and David Montgomery, but he'd also be a great red zone option for Jared Goff, taking a lot of attention off Amon-Ra St. Brown."

Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

Witherspoon is presently being projected by the following:

Walter Football (Walter Cherepinsky)

Tight end Dalton Kincaid, Utah

Kincaid is presently being picked by the following:

Pro Football Network (Tony Pauline); NFL.com (Rhett Lewis)

As Lewis pens,

"Detroit's roster has seen major improvements under GM Brad Holmes. Consequently, the Lions are in a good spot here to take the best player remaining on their board. For me, that'd be Kincaid, who is the top tight end in a stellar positional crop. Kincaid gives Jared Goff a big, physical target to pair with young receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams."

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh

Kancey is presently being mocked by the following:

All Lions (Vito Chirco)

Cornerback Deonte Banks, Maryland

Banks is currently being mocked by the following:

Pro Football Network (Ian Cummings); CBS Sports (Josh Edwards)

Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, Clemson

Bresee is presently being picked by the following:

CBS Sports (Ryan Wilson)

Tight end Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

Mayer is currently being selected by the following:

CBS Sports (Will Brinson); Sports Illustrated (Matt Verderame)

As Verderame writes,

"After trading T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings last season, the Lions have a gaping hole at tight end. Adding Mayer would be a steal for Detroit, which could pair him with receivers Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. In 2022, Mayer posted 67 catches for 809 yards and nine scores."