5 Players Lions Should Not Select in 2023 NFL Draft

Read more on the five players the Detroit Lions should avoid taking in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Detroit Lions have an important opportunity ahead of them in the 2023 NFL Draft.

As the team prepares for a 2023 season that will begin with high expectations, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have an opportunity to add immense talent to their roster with two first-round picks.

Along the way, the organization will be looking for players which fit what it's building from a culture standpoint, and have the necessary talent to upgrade the roster.

The Lions will have many opportunities to make upgrades throughout the three-day event. However, there will be players that the organization should avoid drafting, as it looks to build toward playoff contention.

Here are five players the Lions should not draft in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Mayer is one of the draft’s top talents from a receiving perspective. He’s a good athlete who can make plays in the passing game and be a versatile asset for whichever offense he lands with.

Yet, the Lions proved in 2022 that they can be a successful offense without a dynamic talent at his position. After trading away T.J. Hockenson, who is an established top performer at tight end, the Lions maintained a high-level performance throughout the remainder of the season, and finished on an offensive tear.

Mayer would be better suited in an offense where he’d be a top target, while the Lions would benefit from adding a tight end who can contribute more as an in-line blocker. Campbell has said he wants to build his team with a run-first identity, so adding a tight end with better blocking skills would be more in step with what he’s trying to create.

Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

The Kentucky product subverted expectations in his final season, but his performance was hurt by injuries. When healthy, he has the physical tools that can help an NFL team.

He’s certainly a strong-armed signal-caller, but his propensity for making mistakes and inaccuracies are traits that could hurt him at the next level. His mechanics require improvement, and he sometimes extends plays too long to his detriment.

His arm allows him the ability to put up big numbers, but could also lead to frustrating plays. His accuracy will need to improve if he’s going to be a long-term starter at the next level.

Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Once considered a top prospect among the cornerbacks in this year’s draft, Ringo has slipped down big boards as the offseason has developed. For starters, he struggled on the biggest stage against Ohio State’s top receiver, in Marvin Harrison Jr., in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

He followed that up with a subpar performance at the Scouting Combine. He has excellent athletic traits, but underwhelmed with his performance.

The Lions have already made two additions at cornerback, but the position won’t be off the board come draft night. They’re better suited drafting one of the position’s best talents, such as Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez, than taking a chance on Ringo.

Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Kelee Ringo  / Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Richardson has been and will continue to be the most highly debated player in this year’s draft class. He has all the physical traits of a top-tier quarterback, but underperformed during his college career.

His accuracy served as a hiccup in college. Though he has the most powerful arm of any quarterback in the class, he struggled to connect with his receivers at Florida. He’s a dynamic runner as well, but the struggles as a passer diminish his impact as a runner.

The way things stand now, the signal-caller likely won’t be available when Detroit is on the clock at sixth overall. A trade up would likely demand a king’s ransom, which would hemorrhage what Holmes and the Lions have been building. That sort of move wouldn’t be worth the risk for the organization.

Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

Bresee is another former top prospect who has slipped down boards as the offseason has rolled on. He is a talented player, and served as an anchor on Clemson’s defense when healthy. But, injuries took most of his 2021 campaign away from him, and a kidney infection kept him sidelined at times in 2022.

With the injury history and a lack of dominant production, Bresee is better suited as a later pick. His stock has also been hurt by the emergence of Calijah Kancey. The Pittsburgh defensive lineman showed off his athleticism by running the fastest 40-yard dash by a defensive lineman in combine history.

Detroit has two stable presences on its defensive line in Alim McNeill and Isaiah Buggs. If the team is looking to add talent at the position, a player like Kancey, who offers pass-rush upside, would be a more beneficial add.