Todd McShay 2-Round NFL Mock Draft: Bijan Robinson to Lions, Hendon Hooker to Vikings

The Detroit Lions will be in playoff-or-bust mode in 2023, and they might have a game-changing rookie in their offense to help make that postseason push.

ESPN's Todd McShay released the latest version of his mock draft Tuesday and projected the NFC North team to select Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the No. 18 overall pick. Detroit wasn't the only team in the division to make a notable move, though, as McShay had the Minnesota Vikings landing Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker at No. 23 overall.

In a testament to how many impact quarterbacks are in this draft and the overall importance of the position, Hooker is the fifth signal-caller taken in the first round in McShay's projection.

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud (No. 1 to Carolina Panthers), Alabama's Bryce Young (No. 2 to Houston Texans), Florida's Anthony Richardson (No. 3 to Indianapolis Colts) and Kentucky's Will Levis (No. 14 to Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are all listed ahead of him, but Hooker going in the first round would be quite the development for his career.

There is no doubting his talent, but he also suffered a torn ACL in a November loss to South Carolina.

That injury dropped him out of the Heisman Trophy race, but he was still excellent throughout the campaign and completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 430 yards and five scores on the ground.

McShay noted going to the Vikings would allow him to sit behind Kirk Cousins while his torn ACL fully heals and further adjust to the NFL game before eventually stepping in as the team's potential franchise quarterback if the veteran—who is entering the last year of his contract—leaves in the near future.

Hooker would be battling Robinson in the NFC North in this scenario.

The Texas playmaker was unstoppable for much of his college career and ran for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns in his final season with the Longhorns. He would help replace the departed Jamaal Williams and join D'Andre Swift and David Montgomery in a somewhat crowded backfield in Detroit.

Yet Robinson has a much higher ceiling than the two veterans already on the roster and would be a potential home-run swing from the franchise that relied on Barry Sanders for so long.

Comparing anyone to Sanders may be unfair, but the Lions would surely see Robinson as a game-changing running back who could add a difference-making burst to their offense if they are going to take him in the first round even with Swift and Montgomery in place.