Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft and the Detroit Lions

The Lions started out day 3 with three draft picks. Eventually they would trade from 181 to 188 and gain pick 237 in the seventh round for a total of four draft picks. I haven't had time yet to do much research on any of the day 3 picks, none of them who were I had thought the Lions would draft, so I am unprepared to go into detail on any of them without researching first. In the end they drafted pretty much every position I figured they would with one exception, no backup offensive tackle and/or backup offensive guard. I guess they had to save something for 2023 on the line of scrimmage.

In round 5, at pick number 177, the Lions selected TE James Mitchell from Virginia Tech. He has no RAS score as his injury prevented him from completing all the drills necessary to produce a score. He'll start out as a backup, learning the craft and working the gym while on an NFL diet to build body mass. His versatility and coachability will allow the Lions to mold him into a great player for the team. If you want to read why I am saying that, read this: https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/james-mitchell/0D6sbufrAw Once you read that you can easily see the appeal to the Lions in acquiring his various talents. Remember though, he's a round 5 pick on day 3, he was not drafted to be a ready-to-play-on-the-first-day kind of player. I had him ranked at 220, a full round later then when he was taken. I can live with that, teams (all teams) were taking players from all over the place ranking-wise.

As I said earlier, at 181 the Lions opted to trade down 7 picks to 188 and gain a mid-7th round pick. At 188 in the 6th round they selected with one of their two picks in this round; LB Malcolm Rodriguez from Oklahoma State. Malcolm has an elite RAS score of 9.28 and I had him ranked at 173. He will play middle linebacker but also be able to handle coverage tasks, a skill many LBs tend to lack. For a 6th round pick it appears at first glance that there isn't much work to do for the coaches, but I think the fitness guys need to get to him first, then the position coaches. For the complete details read: https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/malcolm-rodriguez. In the end, I'm looking forward to watching his development on defense in the middle of the field.

The other pick in round 6 was at pick 217, where the Lions selected DE James Houston IV. I looked up his RAS score, and they have him listed as a LB. His RAS score is 7.92 but I did not have him included on my original board, so I am adding him. Some have him graded as a 7th rounder or undrafted free agent. I believe the Lions took him due to the interest in him from Dallas. My normal sources have no info on him, so I went to the opposition. This will give you all the details you need to see what the Lions have to start working with: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/lists/james-houston-2022-draft-profile/. He's raw, but he's an end of the 6th round draft pick, so that matches up fine. If he can match up with offensive opponents eventually he'll prove to be a good pick as well.

With the acquired pick in the 7th round, the Lions drafted CB Chase Lucas of Arizona State. My board listed him as a nickle cornerback with an RAS score of an elite 8.89. I also had him ranked at 218 on my board, ahead of both TE Mitchell the 5th round pick and James Houston, the second 6th round pick. The Lions drafted him 237th overall, I would imagine they were surprised to still find him available. My source shows him to be rated as a 4th round pick, a bit more than I had him, due to his speed, but I'm not sure if his instincts won't completely negate that shortcoming. Read up on him here: https://thedraftnetwork.com/sr-prospect/chase-lucas-9c4b09df-21b8-4138-b2a9-3db995fbfc7a/. This player may turn out to be my favorite of all the players selected on day 3 by the Lions.

There are the specifics of each pick, my next blog post will be more of a general overview of the entire 2022 draft, and perhaps the state of the roster with these additions, I'm just waiting now for the list of undrafted rookies the Lions sign... my board has quite a number of options there that the Lions might be interested in, but they have room for only a few (unless they make cuts or trades). The next few days should prove as interesting as the past few days.

Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft and the Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions didn't make any more trades on day 2 of the draft. Instead they selected two players that should help the team in positions of need. In fact, I put those very needs in my estimated depth chart weeks ago. So here is my take on the 2nd and 3rd round picks for the Lions this year.

At pick 46 (from last night's trade with the Vikings) the Lions selected DL Josh Paschal. The NFL at the time showed him as being a DE, but he can play anywhere on the DL and my source has him listed as a 5T defensive tackle, a postion I expected the Lions to draft to rotate with Brockers (and evenutally replace him). Paschal was 88th on my board, and he would not have made it to pick 97 (along with many others) so this was their 2nd round target. Paschal has an RAS score of 9.7, which means he is an elite athlete compared to other DL candidates in this draft. TheHuddleReport had him at 71 but they have no bio on him, so I had to look elsewhere. The only link you need to read to see why the Lions drafted this player is right here: https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/josh-paschal. If after reading all of that you don't understand the pick, then you don't understand Holmes.

Next is the Lions pick at 97. Safety Kerby Joseph was ranked 100th on my board, but doesn't have a RAS score due to limited information. TheHuddleReport.com also has no bio on this player, so once again looking elsewhere. Choosing the same site, with a slightly less than glowing bio, here is the read on the Lions late 3rd round pick, which is technically about what you would expect from a player at that spot in the draft. https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/kerby-joseph/wGwqSPGAxb Personally I think, in a year or two, he'll become a good safety, but he's not ready to start just now.

Since that was it for the Lions picks, this should be the end of my blog entry, but allow me to toot my own horn a bit. Each year I check to see how my top 100 does against Mel Kiper and others, and this year is no different. My total for 2022 was 82 right. I won't know the score of the competition for a day or three, so we'll see how I did then. Meanwhile, one other bit of info if I may.

RAS is a score that compares one athlete to the others. It consists of things like 3 cone, and 40 yard times, and long jump, and height and weight, and so forth. It is completely factual. From data less than 2 months old. Above average is usually 5.0 or higher, meaning a good athlete (not football player, athlete) is from around 5.0 to about 7.9, the higher the better. An elite athlete is 8.0 or higher, maximum of 10.0, again, the higher the better. It is no more possible to know if a player with a high RAS will do well in the NFL than an interview or a flip of a coin would. However, NFL teams DO like athletic players, so even though RAS might not prove good or bad players of football, it does have a tendency to help determine if a player will get drafted, purely by accident really, teams don't use RAS score as far as I know.

Oh, I forgot my point. There were 105 selections in the first 3 rounds of the 2022 draft. At 100 I had 82 right (drafted before pick 101). The next 5 picks were taken from my board ranked 93, 74, 58, 209 and 158. That means a total of 20 picks were beyond my top 100 list after 105 picks. Of those 20, eleven were elite, seven were above average to real good, and two were not scored due to lack of information. That leaves none at average or below average. I'll say that again. Of the 20 players taken later then my rank of 100, not one was an average to below average athlete. Does that mean they will have successful NFL careers, you got me, but they did get drafted. There are more elite and good athletes remaining, but there are also 4 more rounds of drafting to go, what happens next should be interesting.

As for the what the Lions will do, my guesses at this point, a cornerback, a backup offensive tackle and/or guard, and a blocking style tight end. Instead they could go in any direction, this is just my guess. Saturday will show what they are really thinking.

Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft and the Detroit Lions

Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft is in the books. The Detroit Lions came away with their original number two overall pick (no trades) and chose Edge Player Aidan Hutchinson (the number one player on my big board) from Michigan. He is a Campbell/Lions type of player. Loves the game. Never stops. Wants to keep getting better. All the things the Lions want in a player. For his bio, check this out: https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=2118

I figured that either Walker (first overall pick by the Jaguars) or Hutchinson was going to be the Lions pick almost a week ago, and that is how it worked out. Hutch was the overall number one player on my draft board and the Lions got him with the second overall pick. If they can coach him up, and I have no reason to believe they can't, he could easily become a Lion to remember for all those watching during his career. As with any draft pick, he could fail utterly, but it is much harder to fail if you are willing to work hard, play hard, and learn from good coaching.

Yes, I like the pick, though I would have liked about a handful of other options too. One of those "can't go wrong" things, possibly. There are no guarantees in the draft.

As the night proceeded suddenly it was announced the Lions had traded up, to 12, from 32. I dreaded learning what it cost. I only realized later on that the Lions traded with a division rival in the Minnesota Vikings. A huge no-no. You don't trade with division rivals. The Lions did, and according to the value charts, actually came out on top, if you care about that sort of thing.

The cost to move up 20 spots in round 1 was to move down 12 spots in round 2 AND to completely give up to the Vikings the 2nd overall pick in round 3 (number 66). I don't know yet who the Vikings will take at 66, and that will play into the value of this trade heavily, but for now just know I absolutely HATE trading two draft picks for one draft pick. That's like trading two dollars for one dollar in my book. True it doubles the odds that you have a counterfeit buck, but I just don't care for it in a general sense.

So the Lions trade two picks to move up and then select a wide receiver. Not just any WR but Jameson Williams, who tore his ACL just a number of months ago. So an injured player. In the first round. Trading away two picks to do it, along with moving down 12 spots in round 2. I was/am not happy about that.

Now, having said all that, Williams is a very fast WR (when his knees are working). He gets open, is a bit underweight but not under height (you can't grow taller but you can gain muscle mass), and he has good hands and plays fearless, when he can actually walk. So it may take some time to heal, to get into condition, to learn the NFL from an injured position which is harder than from a healthy position. But eventually, it is quite possible, the pick will be a huge difference maker on a team that needs that sort of player. There are asteriks all over the place on this pick, it is a gamble, it was a target, it might work out great, or not. Most believe it will work out great, I have no reason to think overwise, but I'm a Lions fan, my thinking on this type of situation might be rather skewed, to say the least.

Williams was the 13th player on my board, despite his injury. The Lions selected him 12th. So the tally to date is, got the 1st place player second and the 13th place player twelth. No reaches, no falling into the lap. The Lions are worse off for round 2, and lost out an early third round pick, so there is ground to be made up, and I'm curious to see what is made of day two. Nervous yes, but curious also. Who will they target next and what will the cost be?

Oh, and Williams bio? Here you go... from the same source... https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=2290 and you might note, that at 1.40, it makes him the best player in the draft based on film alone (no defensive player scored above 1.41 and no offensive player either). So at least one person thinks the Lions did fantastic, and others will surely follow.

Me? I'm still upset about the trade. The drafting of an injured WR in round 1. And having to consider I just might be wrong. That part really sucks.

The 2022 Detroit Lions Roster, What are the Real holes in it?

In order to complete this blog entry I visited the Lions depth chart at https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/pfdepthchart/DET and then compared that to what a team needs at https://www.nfl.com/news/ranking-each-position-s-importance-from-quarterback-to-returner-0ap3000000503855 based on importance. Free agency is about half way over (pre-draft) and the Lions have 9 picks in the upcoming draft so allow me to talk a bit about what the team has and needs (as far as starters go).

QB Jarrad Goff. Do I think he's the complete answer at quarterback? Probably not. But he will be the starting QB for 2022 regardless, and if he proves to be better than in the recent past, he might be the QB in 2023 as well. Meanwhile, the rest of the team needs to be worked on and at some future point, whoever is at QB, will benefit from these improvements.

Designated pass rusher 1 (RDE/ROLB) The actual position depends on what defense the team operates. The Lions are paying Romeo Okwara to be the starter here, with Michael Brockers and him rotating in and out. To this point that isn't working too great, considering the importance of the position, and Brockers is looking to maybe hit free agency next year. A first round draft pick at this position is not entirely out of the question.

Left tackle Taylor Decker. Lions extended his contract and he's been playing the position very well (when not injured). I doubt there are any plans to insert a different player at this position any time soon.

Left cornerback Amani Oruwariye. There is talk about extending his contract this year and his play has improved each of the past two seasons. He isn't exactly as household name or called an island, but until he loses a step he should remain the top CB for the Lions.

Wide receiver 1 DJ Chark. If he can stay healthy this new Lion could prove to be the solution to the top WR position on the team. I am uncertain though if he's the pro bowl type or if he can stay healthy, so depth here is a major concern (his backup is Kalif Raymond).

Defensive tackle Alim McNeil, last year's third round draft pick, is the current favorite to be filling the 6th most important position. He will need to improve his run defense and command double teams to prove it though, and it's unknown if he can do that. Next to him plays last year's second round draft pick Levi Onwuzurike, a much larger player, perhaps better suited for the double team and run stuffing role... but boy if the both of them could up their play and both do well, the defensive line would be boosted an aweful lot.

Running back D'Andre Swift, when healthy, is a force to be reckoned with. The Lions have pretty good depth at RB as well, I don't foresee too much draft capital being spent here.

Designated pass rusher 2 (LDE/LOLB) Charles Harris was re-signed to fill this role, and he was improving last year as time went by, he gets rotated in and out with Julian Okwara (3rd round 2020). Should the improvement continue for both of them this position could be considered well outfitted.

Middle linebacker Derrick Barnes, the 4th round pick from last year, needs to take that next step if he's to be the main starting MLB for the Lions. If the Lions are in the 3/4 scheme he would play next to Alex Anzalone and at times Jarrad Davis. The depth at LB is about as questionable as the starters, so a draft pick or even two at LB isn't out of the question, but neither is the Lions saying they are set out of the question. It all depends on how well they feel about who is going to step up.

Tight end TJ Hockenson is set to have a great season, just like last year, if he stays healthy. There is a lot of potential in the depth behind Hock, no one knows for sure though if they will produce (or can block well).

Free safety Will Harris is definitely a weak link in the defense and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Lions look to upgrade the position and make him fight for his starting role.

Weak-side linebacker Jarrad Davis, if that is what he ends up playing, can fill a gap and blitz. I'm just not sure he is the full time answer for the Lions, and I wonder if the Lions are wondering that too, enough to use draft capital on LB (as explained earlier).

Right tackle Penei Sewell was last year's first round draft pick and after a rocky start proved to be every bit a great RT for the Lions. I fully expect that development to continue and the Lions not worrying too much about this position.

Right cornerback Jerry Jacobs? Ifeatu Melifonwu? I fully expect last year's other 3rd round draft pick to win this positional battle, even though Jacobs played okay later in the year last season.

Right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai plays RG quite well, but was signed to a RT contract. The cap hit to cut him was too steep before and now he's proven his worth at RG (and emergency backup RT) so for now that position seems to be filled.

Wide receiver 2 or possession receiver Josh Reynolds won the job late last year when Quentiz Cephus went down with an injury. I think the Lions consider this position filled.

Center Frank Ragnow along with backup Evan Brown is about as solid of a position on the roster as the Lions can get. No changes foreseen.

Strong safety Tracy Walker III was recently re-signed and is set to fill this starting role.

Strong-side linebacker is probably Chris Board but no one is sure who will be the starter or even if it matters as the Lions aren't likely to play with 3 LBs on the field at the same time too often, they might, but it's not likely.

Left guard Jonah Jackson is not all pro material, yet, but he seems to be holding his own. If the rest of the line plays better then he does the OL will be pretty good for both the run and the pass.

Nose tackle Alim McNeil and John Penisini were talked about above, I think the Lions are pretty much set at this position.

Wide receiver 3 or the slot WR Amon Ra St-Brown was last year's 4th round pick and even as a rookie proved he is the starting slot WR. I look forward to watching him be a 2nd year player for the Lions.

Kicker Riley Patterson proved me wrong and became a solid kicker for the Lions last year. I think they actually found a diamond here.

Punter Jack Fox has also proved to be the guy at punter. No changes foreseen here either.

Return specialist Igwebuike? Raymond? or someone new? Lions haven't exactly proven they have the perfect return specialist just yet. If a draft pick can also return he might be more coveted then an equal player who can not.

The last two not mentioned in the article the Lions are also set at, Long Snapper Scott Daly did well last year as did Fullback Jason Cabinda who was re-signed to that position.

So what upgrades are needed? It differs for different people. I'd say the Free Safety for sure, a designated pass rusher, and a cornerback are up there, in no particular order. Followed closely by a deep receiving threat, a linebacker or two, and perhaps more cornerback depth, heck depth everywhere, but only depth that can actually beat out the current depth players.

State of the Detroit Lions, 2022 edition.

Today the Detroit Lions finished their 2021 season with a win against the Green Bay Packers 37-30 for a 3-13-1 record. Today also is my first blog post since the end of the 2020 NFL draft. What with the pandemic and numerous other issues that I shall not go into, this was the first chance I really had to create an entry.

Instead of trying to catch up with the 2020 season, the 2021 draft, the coaching change last year, and all the roster moves since, I'll pick up where they are at as the 2022 off season officially begins, which is tomorrow. First note, the offensive coordinator hired a year ago has been fired today. Head Coach Dan Campbell has been calling the plays since mid-season 2021, so it remains to be seen if they will search for a new OC or promote from within or have Campbell wear two hats in 2022.

The Lions have a small amount of salary cap space to carry over into the 2022 season, so with the current contracts in place for 2022 they should have roughly $35 to $40 million to work with as they begin the year if my numbers are correct. The Lions do have some dead cap for 2022 already, mostly from the LB Collins cut plus a couple others cut after June 1st. So $8,165,786 is set to be dead cap space in 2022 before they even get started working on the roster. There are also only 37 players under contract for 2022 at this point in time. One player at risk of being let go due to cap reasons is Flowers, who they might not view as being worth a $16 million salary, but cutting him creats more dead cap space, yet saves about $10.3 million in cap space for 2022.

There are a large number of unrestricted free agents they may or may not re-sign, along with restricted free agents they may or may not tender an offer to, and even a number of eRFA's that will either agree to the league minimum contract the Lions might offer them or sit home, as eRFA's don't have enough years in the league to negotiate contracts with other teams, like at all.

Player Pos. Type Snaps Age
Tim Boyle QB UFA 17.2% 28
Jalen Reeves-Maybin LB UFA 51.1%
Nicholas Williams IDL UFA 54.8%
Josh Reynolds WR UFA 39.9% 27
Alex Anzalone LB UFA 77.2% 28
Charles Harris EDGE UFA 75.4% 27
Kalif Raymond WR UFA 67.1% 28
KhaDarel Hodge WR UFA 22.8% 27
Dean Marlowe S UFA 59.3% 30
Tracy Walker S UFA 76.0% 27
Tyrell Crosby RT UFA 0.0% 27
Shaun Dion Hamilton LB UFA 0.0% 27
Joel Heath IDL UFA 0.0% 29

Evan Brown C RFA 71.9% 26
Jason Cabinda LB RFA 0.0% 26
Will Holden LT RFA 3.8% 29
David Blough QB RFA 0.4% 27
C.J. Moore S RFA 13.6% 27
Josh Woods LB RFA 10.5% 26

Godwin Igwebuike S eRFA 0.0% 28
Jack Fox P eRFA 35.6% 26
Matt Nelson RT eRFA 59.1% 27
Jessie Lemonier EDGE eRFA 12.4% 25
Bobby Price S eRFA 14.1% 24
Jalen Elliott S eRFA 8.6% 24
Scott Daly LS eRFA 29.1% 28
Tom Kennedy WR eRFA 12.8% 26
Rashod Berry TE eRFA 0.0% 26
Mark Gilbert CB eRFA 4.4% 25
Riley Patterson K eRFA 6.3%
Tommy Kraemer LG eRFA 20.5% 24
Brock Wright TE eRFA 24.8% 24
Ryan McCollum C eRFA 6.7% 24
Anthony Pittman LB eRFA 6.9% 26

Shane Zylstra TE SFA? 7.9% 26
Rodney Smith RB SFA? 3.4% 26

The Lions also have draft capital, their 3-13-1 record nets them 2nd overall picks in the rounds they still have picks in. Plus an extra 1st round pick for the Stafford trade. Plus comp picks and other moves they have made. The final spots won't be determined until the Rams exit the playoffs, so we'll save that for a future post.

It's too early yet to determine who will get a chance to make the Lions roster in 2022, but a number of years ago an NFL writer ranked the importance of each position on a team. Though running the 3-4 defense makes some of it harder to interpret. The article can be found at https://www.nfl.com/news/ranking-each-position-s-importance-from-quarterback-to-returner-0ap3000000503855

I think if you go through the list in that article, you'd likely agree the Lions are in need of a Safety, a couple of Linebackers, a Wide Receiver, and an Edge rusher to start with (not in this order). There are other positions that could maybe use competition or an upgrade, but those first 5 stand out as must upgrades to me. I was going to go through each and every one, and still might, but for now I'll just leave you with the link as this post is getting rather long as it is.

More to come later. Thank you for reading my State of the Lions report.

2020 NFL Draft, Day 3, Detroit Lions are on the clock.

The final stretch

On day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft the Detroit Lions the Lions had the 3rd pick of round 4 (109th overall) which they traded to the Raiders for the 121st overall pick (12 spots lower in round 4) and gained the 172nd pick (towards the end of round 5). That brought their total draft picks back up to 9 in all.

With the 121st pick of the draft the Lions selected Offensive Guard Logan Stenberg. This gives the Lions two new guards to compete for roster spots on the offensive line. With neither Dahl nor Wiggins winning a starting spot outright last year, and with the Lions not re-signing Glasgow, this makes sense. I had thought maybe they'd draft a tackle and move big V to guard but that isn't the way they played it.

Logan has an RAS score of 6.18 and (like most 4th round picks) needs some quality NFL coaching. I had him ranked as the 107th player on my board. Here is what the draft network has to say about Logan:

PROS: Physical and nasty mauler that works to finish every block. Violent, well-paced and properly timed punch that can jolt pads and create opportunities to accelerate his feet and bury opponents. Has tremendous grip strength which helps him sustain. Assignment driven player that understands his role. Effective puller/trapper. Thick, burly frame to match his play style. Exploits leverage points on his opponents. No question about his ability to widen gaps and generate vertical push in the run game. Started every game over the last three seasons.

CONS: Only average foot speed, that combined with his tall pass sets creates some challenges in pass protection. Lateral mobility is disappointing and staying square to twitchy interior rushers requires him to work overtime. Has to play with better bend. Committed way too many penalties in 2019 (14). Has only ever played left guard.

BEST TRAIT - Power

WORST TRAIT - Bend

RED FLAGS - None

Kentucky guard Logan Stenberg enters the NFL after starting every game across the last three seasons for the Wildcats at left guard. Stenberg shines in the run game where his power and tenacious mentality lead to considerable movement. While no pass rusher is simply going through him, Stenberg’s tight hips, slow feet and sluggish lateral movement skills will create problems maintaining the depth of the pocket on passing downs in the NFL. Stenberg has the upside to start in a gap-power run scheme but his modest range isn’t ideal and consistency in deeper pass drops could be problematic.

In summary, he's a mauling run blocker that needs to work a lot on his pass protection. That gives the coaching staff something to work with and work on. Assuming he makes the roster, and I've no reason to suspect he won't, he should end up a backup guard at a minimum for the team.

The Lions and fans then have to wait until pick 166 in the 5th round for their next pick. With the 166th overall pick the Lions select WR Quintez Cephus. Cephus has an RAS score of 4.54 and was ranked 197th on my board (the 6th round). Now I mocked Cephus to the Lions multiple times leading up to the draft so was kind of excited about this pick until other fans started throwing various items at me. The first issue was he has 8 3/4" hands (which to me is small, more prone to fumbling as I said yesterday). The next issue was his forty time, which is only 4.73 seconds. He has great explosion, good size, but doesn't have the second gear or break-away speed. He does have great body control and can block himself open though, plus his yards after the catch makes him a promising prospect. I wanted to compare him to Golden Tate, but Tate has poor size and great speed... so I'm not sure how well Cephus' game will translate into the NFL. The Lions must feel more confident though. Here's what the draft network has to say about him:

Route Tree - I like his releases, shows balanced and intentional footwork to create freezes and false steps off the LOS vs. press. He's not the most dynamic on hard angles but he's a deliberate mover and if he's not impacted in the contact window, he'll build speed and can create/roll through shallow breaks for separation.

Hands - He's got plucky hands and snatches the ball out of the air with confidence — really like his work in traffic, high point situations and in uncontested scenarios. He has illustrated some good hand-eye coordination on hot throws that test his catch radius to tip himself the football.

Contested Catch - Has mistimed a few opportunities to elevate but he's got a fair amount of bounce and typically will still win favorable positioning when he's got to go above the rim. He's tough and shows good timing with back shoulder balls and timing routes that require body control along the sideline to peel back to the football.

RAC Ability - Doesn't have a lot of explosive cuts in his game, he's more sudden and fluid than he is dynamic unless you give him a notable runway to build speed and accelerate. Good toughness — but he's lost his footing on light contact a few too many times to write off and say he'll rip through light contact down the field.

Football IQ - Was really impressive to see him step back into offense in 2019 after missing full season and be as effective and polished as he was. Innate feel for the position and appreciate his timing, ball skills and nuance. He's a cerebral player whose got a terrific foundation to build upon.

Vertical Receiving - Play him off or in bump and run, he'll challenge you — his flying 20 is effective and he's shown some easy separation beyond 10-15 yards as he opens his strides. He's pretty effective with his releases against press but hand fighting is where he'll really burn DBs and he's got tracking skills and body control to win in tight space.

COD Skills - He's not super explosive with his cuts and hard angles aren't the easiest for him to transfer speed through — he loses his appeal some when he's got to fold back across his momentum. He's fluid at the LOS and does have effective release ability to slip contact — just don't expect dynamic speed cuts.

Speed - Long speed is better than short area burst. Quick game has to feature slants or shallow breaks — he'll allow DBs back into his body on hard breaks because he can't really sell vertically vs. off coverage inside 10 yards. He's got effective open field juice, but not a burner by any means.

Competitive Toughness - He's scrappy and when he flips the switch, he can be pretty tenacious in just about every measure of a WR. Whether that be as a blocker, at the catch point, at the LOS or in RAC scenarios, he's got a good blend of quickness, strength, balance and intensity that blend for a fun mix.

Blocking Skills He can be hit or miss here, not because of effort but rather there are some angles that are too flat pressing into a challenge and he'll leave himself out to dry and let DBs shoot across his face when he's stalk blocking or looking for inside leverage. Mobility and hand strength is effective.

Best Trait - Route Running

Worst Trait - Short Area COD

Best Film - Ohio State (2019)

Worst Film - Michigan (2019)

Red Flags - Missed 2018 season facing sexual assault allegations (case was dismissed)

Player Summary - Quintez Cephus is one of the more undervalued receivers in the class of 2020. Cephus can win from the outside, he can win from the slot and if he played in about 100 other offenses in college football he'd have had drastically better production. Significant off-field allegations (since cleared) kept him off the field in 2018 but Cephus bounced back with a strong 2019 campaign, showing effective releases, strong hands and an assertive mentality with the ball in the air. Potential starter.

At pick 172 in the 5th round the Lions select running back Jason Huntley. Huntley has an RAS score of 8.08 with great speed, elite explosion, okay agility, and poor size... because he's all of 5' 8 1/2" tall. He also only has 8.25 inch hands. He's not known for fumbling though, so he must also work on it constantly. Huntley was the fastest RB at the combine... which may be why he was picked up despite already drafting a RB in round 2. More info and a video; https://nfldraftrite.com/2020/04/08/stop-sleeping-on-jason-huntley/ That article speaks of his ability to break tackles, that could also come in handy when you don't want to be held up and have the ball stripped out from your small hands. This is not my favorite pick, but he is an intriguing pick none the less.

At pick 197 in the 6th round the Lions selected NT John Penisini. He does not have a RAS score as his pro day was canceled as well. I wonder if more players will now participate fully at the combine just in case pro days are canceled again. Anyway, Penisini is a huge run stuffing DT. Think Snacks Harrison only younger (and cheaper). He'll start out backing up Danny Shelton. Here's what the draft network has to say on John:

PROS: Dude is tank against the run. Squatty frame with built-in leverage that is difficult to move. Anchor is stout and he’s aggressive when competing for his gap(s). One guy isn’t moving him off his spot. Doesn’t have great length but he’s deliberate about getting his hands fit and playing with extension. Hands are violent with a ton of pop. Contact balance and leverage are terrific. When he fires into the neutral zone, he does so with urgency and frequently resets the line of scrimmage. Holds his own against double teams.

CONS: Wish he offered more as a pocket pusher on passing downs but his bull rush isn’t that effective. Could use a bit more length. Is not consistent in clearing contact and finishing. One-dimensional player. How will his anchor fare against NFL blockers? Phone booth guy with minimal range.

BEST TRAIT - Run Defense

WORST TRAIT - Pass Rush

RED FLAGS - None

Utah John Penisini is a stout run defender that projects best to the NFL as an early down run stuffer, serving as a nose tackle. His squatty and powerful frame is tough to uproot for blockers and Penisini plays with a hot motor. Overall, he’s simply a load to deal. With that said, his pass rushing profile is underwhelming, even as a pocket pusher. Penisini shouldn’t have trouble finding work in base defense but his pass rushing upside is minimal at best.

In the 7th round at pick 235 the Lions selected DT/EDGE Jashon Cornell. The third Ohio State player. He hasn't yet got an RAS score but he will eventually. Here is his bio from Ohio https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/roster/jashon-cornell/ and here is what pro football network has to say:

Jashon Cornell, DT Career Snapshot: First-year starter who was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and made 30 tackles (6.5 for loss) with four sacks as a senior in 2019. Combined to make 29 tackles (5.5 for loss) with three sacks during his sophomore and junior seasons. Positives: Quick, explosive three-technique prospect who comes off a terrific season. Flashes athleticism and displays the ability to get down the line of scrimmage and make plays in pursuit. Plays with leverage, works his hands throughout the action and gets the most from his ability. Shows great quickness and the ability to make plays in any direction. Negatives: Lacks bulk. Easily out-positioned from the action by opponents. Did not move into the starting lineup until his senior season. Marginally productive. Analysis: Cornell comes off a terrific senior season after he was not even graded by scouts coming into the year and performed well as a starter. He must get bigger, but his quickness, ability to change direction and movement skills lend well to the three-technique tackle spot at the next level.

That for a 7th round pick isn't bad. If he makes the roster he'll be backing up Nick Williams and maybe some of the other DL jobs, depending on how coachable he is and how long it takes to learn all involved.

So, to summarize the draft, the Lions got the best corner back in the draft in Jeff Okudah, a decent RB in D'Andre Swift, and Jack/OLB/DE in Julian Okwarea, a guard in Jonah Jackson that can in a pinch play center, another run mauling guard in Logan Stenberg, a body control WR in Quintez Cephus, the fastest RB at the combine in Jason Huntley, a huge run stuffing nose tackle in John Penisini, and a inside/outside DL 3t DT in Jashon Cornell. It did not address all the needs, and some of the picks won't be looked upon as good choices by fans who wanted someone else (what's new there) but the Lions did address a lot of roster spots that I spoke about before the draft started.

By the way, speaking of before the draft... I had by draft board (posted at http://www.thenetrat.com/draft.html) and 98 of the first 100 were selected in the 2020 draft. In addition, the huddle report keeps track of how many picks of a top 100 list get drafted with the first 100 picks. Mel Kiper, who I always want to beat but have only once, got 81 this year. I got 83 for my second win. ESPN still pays me nothing so I guess it doesn't really matter.

One final tidbit, here is the CBS grade for the Lions draft:

Round Overall Player Selected Grade
1 3 CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State B
2 35 RB D'Andre Swift, Georgia C+
3 67 EDGE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame A-
3 75* G Jonah Jackson, Ohio State A
4 121* G Logan Stenberg, Kentucky D+
5 166* WR Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin B+
5 172* RB Jason Huntley, New Mexico State D+
6 197* DT John Penisini, Utah A-
7 235* DT Jashon Cornell, Ohio State C+

You may not agree with CBS, or me, or the Lions, but this is what we have to work with on the roster, now it's time to see who they sign as undrafted free agents. Then let the competition (for roster spots) begin!

2020 NFL Draft, Day 2, Detroit Lions are on the clock.

Hitting their targets.

The Detroit Lions spent day 2 of the NFL Draft either staying and drafting where they were or moving up to select specific targets as I knew they would. It didn't help, I'm sure, that the Patriots used their draft capital to keep jumping in front of the Lions and most likely drafting other targets. Still, I think the Lions got a lot of the players they wanted day 2.

At overall pick 35 the Lions drafted running back D'Andre Swift. I had him ranked 30th overall, so he went about where I thought he would. Swift has an RAS score of 7.56 (just short of the 8.0 or higher elite athlete rank). My biggest issue with the pick is he only has 9" hands. I consider anything under 9 3/8" hands to be small. The difference isn't much but it does mean the player has to be self conscious of fumbling and must protect the ball every time they come into contact with it. It also makes it progressively harder to catch the ball when playing like a receiver. Swift is noted for his routes and pass catching so it's possible he is aware of this and does work to keep his hands strong and the ball protected when running.

Drew over at the huddle report has this to say about him and I think it pretty much sums it up completely.

D’Andre Swift RB Georgia by Drew Boylhart • February 18, 2020 STRENGTHS D’Andre has good size, quickness, and speed and has been one of the more consistent productive Running Backs in college for the last two years. He does a solid job blocking and in the right offense can impact both running the ball and as a receiver on check-downs or down the field. D’Andre has the quickness to make players miss and when running from the right system and has the vision to bounce the ball to the outside and gain yardage in chunks. He is smart and works well with his teammates and shows leadership skills through his consistency on the field and workmanlike play. CONCERNS D’Andre runs light and high, very much like the Rams Todd Gurley. This makes him susceptible to injuries and fumbling although to my knowledge, neither of these two concerns has been an issue at the college level. When D’Andre lowers his pads, he seems to lose the vision to make yardage when there is no yardage to make. That sends a signal that D’Andre needs to be in a spread offense to impact in the running game more so than a conventional QB under center offense because of the bigger splits in the offensive line.

BOTTOM LINE 2.86
D’Andre will impact in the right offensive system. He has the hands to catch the ball down the field and when his QB is in the shotgun D’Andre does very well running the ball between the tackles when the holes are bigger and the linebackers are spread out. He is not a true speed running back and is not necessarily the type of running back who has explosive lateral agility to make his own yardage but he is a smart player with the talent to run well between the tackles and catch the ball making yardage, that is need to move the ball in chunks and make the important yardage an offense needs to make. I can see some teams rating D’Andre higher on their boards than other teams if I’m correct about him fitting a certain offense to impact. I can also see teams looking at his combine numbers to decide where they might select him. As for me, what you see is what you will get when watching film of him at the college level. For me, D’Andre is an RB that has to be in the right system to impact and not put into situations his talent will not allow him to impact. Don’t ask him to block a blitzing player on third and long. don’t ask him to make the tough yardage on third and short for a first down and don’t ask him to be a goal-line RB. He needs to be in a two-back system.

On to round 3 of the draft. At 67 the Lions selected OLB (Jack)/DE Julian Okwara. If the name sounds familiar it's because his older brother (by 3 years) Romeo Okwara has been a Lion for going on 3 years now. I had Julian ranked 49th overall (2nd round), so he is a pretty good value where the Lions drafted him. Julian has no RAS score as his pro day was canceled due to COVID-19.

The draft network profile on him pretty much sums up what the Lions will get to work with where it comes to Julian Okwara.

PROS: The athletic profile here is exciting. Has the type of juice out of his stance that puts considerable stress on offensive tackles to keep pace up the arc. Surprisingly good ability to convert speed to power and condense the pocket. There is room for technical growth but his hands are active and sudden. Dip and rip/cross-chop are his best moves. Complements his burst with good flexibility throughout his frame and the ability to corner. Comfortable worker in space and he flows well in all directions. Has upside as a standup 3-4 OLB defending the run. Motor runs hot.

CONS: Needs to become more consistent with pad level and surface area reduction to keep hands off his frame. Want to see him take the next step in terms of disengaging when on the same level as the quarterback as a rusher. Can be a touch calculated both initiating his pass rush plan and diagnosing the run. The more space the better and he’s not likely a candidate for even fronts. Had plenty of struggles defending the run and he frequently gets blasted out of his gap. Adding functional strength is critical for his success in the NFL.

BEST TRAIT - Burst and Bend

WORST TRAIT - Functional Strength

RED FLAGS - 2019 broken left fibula

NFL COMP - Barkevious Mingo

Julian Okwara is a bursty, bendy and lean pass rusher who impressed in 2018 but did not quite take the step many expected in 2019 and final season at Notre Dame was cut short due to a broken left fibula. Okwara has a solid foundation of traits to serve as a 3-4 outside linebacker at the next level. His warts as a run defender would be mitigated in that role and he has the movement skills to execute responsibilities in space. I’m not sure he’ll ever be an impact run defender but his flexibility and twitch gives him a chance to affect the passer which is of great value in the NFL. He isn’t a fit for every team, but he should be able to carve out a meaningful role as a situational pass rusher at a minimum.

The Lions later traded the Darius Slay pick (85 overall) to the Colts. The Colts traded their third-round (75th-overall) and sixth-round (197th-overall) picks to the Detroit Lions in exchange for their third-round (85th-overall), fifth round (149th-overall) and sixth-round (182nd-overall) picks. In other words, the Lions moved up 10 spots in the third, gave up the 149th pick (5th round) completely, and moved down 15 spots in the 6th round. With the 75th overall pick the Lions selected Guard Jonah Jackson. Jackson has an RAS score of 6.44 and I had him ranked 97 overall (late 3rd). The Lions didn't wonder all over my board this year like year's past, they pretty much got value for all their picks save the first one.

This is one of his three draft profiles over at the draft network which gives you some insight into how the Lions need to coach him up and have him work on his technique and physique at the same time.

Functional Athleticism - His cadence is really strong, appreciate his ability as a puller, climbing to the second level and in pass protection to slide or hit his marks with swift efficiency and without overextending himself. His mobility is boosted by loose hips and a wide base to stay tethered and balanced.

Football IQ - Transfer from Rutgers who has been exposed to play at both guard and center throughout the course of his college career. Rave reviews for his football IQ and ability to process action up front, which is backed up by rarely being caught out of position or panicking when penetration threatens his gap.

Anchor Ability - Effective hop technique to gear down rushers looking to attack him with power. He's got a well built frame with ample density through the hips and showcases good e-brake in the interior to halt penetration. Boosted by effective length and striking timing to put off defender's momentum.

Hand Technique - He puts his extension skills to good use and does well to adjust as defenders look to slip his first punch to ensure he's set the hook. Pretty potent and well timed punch power — he's not overwhelmingly powerful but he's compact and clean with his hands, even when playing laterally at the LOS.

Balance - Watch him work and enjoy the show, he'll slide effortlessly and pops his hips open to transition and ride out defenders and create vacancies at the POA for his ball carriers. Body control is really smooth and he's effective to break down on the second level and square up LBs, too.

Pass Sets - Rarely caught out of position, he'll take compact but smooth steps to set up on his hips and shows comfort driving to wall off gap penetration or converting into squat to gear down power rushers looking to destroy up field momentum. Like his lower body density and hip mobility to drop and hold ground.

Flexibility - Fluid. Pretty smooth in pulls and can open himself effectively to get width. When he's stringing out blocks, he's effective to work across face and rarely looks to have issues with opening his base to gain ground and build leverage as the play is strung out along the LOS. Good initial pad level and hip drop.

Power at POA - He's not necessarily the most powerful mauler when he's tasked with charging forward and gaining real estate, but his functional strength is at a better place than some of the past OSU IOL to have passed through the NFL draft process and he'd be fine in gap/power concepts if charged with it.

Length - His anatomical reach is effective, especially in zone to stay sticky on blocks and ensure he's maintaining control of the play while defenders look to press or shuck the block. He does well to establish contact early in reps and won't give up his chest very often.

Competitive Toughness - He's pretty tenacious thanks to his foot mobility and balance. He's persistent to push and stay into the body of defenders throughout the play — mirror skills aid in his stickiness in pass pro and shows good effort to recover on reps when he's conceded some initial penetration into a hip to hip relationship.

Best Trait - Balance

Worst Trait - Raw Power

Best Film - Michigan State (2019)

Worst Film - Clemson (2019)

Red Flags - None

Player Summary - Jonah Jackson projects as a viable NFL starter at the next level. Jackson, who transferred from Rutgers to spend his final college season in Columbus, has ample body control and strong cadence on the interior to set up clean framing of his blocks and was a consistent catalyst for big plays in the run game throughout the 2019 season. Jackson projects best to a zone scheme, given his lateral mobility and footwork — but he would be a viable option in a gap heavy scheme as well.

Updated: 02/24/2020

He played some center and mostly right guard at Rutgers and played left guard at Ohio State earning him awards for his work there.

The Lions did a good job hiding their interest in these players and that will likely carry on into day 3 which makes it very hard for me to guess who they might target there. Here are a few names that just might come up though.

DT Larrell Murchinson RAS of 7.1
OT Colton McKivitz RAS of 4.35
QB James Morgan RAS of 3.87
S Jalen Elliott RAS of 4.1
S Josh Metellus RAS of 7.79 (better)
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones RAS of 9.63
WR Antonio Gandy-Golden RAS of 6.15
WR Gabriel Davis RAS of 6.89
WR John Hightower RAS of 8.03
WR Joe Reed RAS of 9.35

They may select one slot WR and one deep threat WR yet this draft. They could also look at a 4th QB, maybe a safety, possibly a DT or NT, even an offensive tackle. They could also double up and take another corner or linebacker. Day 3 is all about potential, usually unrealized, so this is where the scouting department needs to shine the most.