Detroit Lions Mock Draft Roundup: What the Experts Are Saying
The kickoff to draft week is the dinner bell for mock drafts.
NFL draft experts know this. They understand that the moment the 16th pick is selected, anything written up pre-draft regarding the Detroit Lions officially becomes moot. So these experts already have their mocks up and predictions made.
But when would you ever have enough time to scour the Internet and read all of these mocks?
The answer is now. Like any good entrepreneur, we saw a problem, and we aimed to fix it.
Click through to find out what the experts had to say.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN
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No. 16: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson
No. 46: Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn
No. 95: Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas
Perhaps the most well-known draftnik kicks us off with a trio that will bolster the defensive line and provide another question mark on the offensive side.
Mel Kiper has gone with a somewhat popular pick in the first round, snatching up talented defensive end Shaq Lawson. He sees the former Clemson product "jump[ing] into the rotation and tak[ing] some pass-rushing pressure off Ziggy Ansah."
He's not wrong, although it's fair to wonder how accurate that statement will be.
Lawson has a great blend of strength and speed. Kris Kocurek, Detroit's defensive line coach, put the 21-year-old through an "explosive workout" and told him that only he and Jadeveon Clowney were able to "jump over seven bags and picking up two tennis balls on the run," per Michael Rothstein of ESPN. That's heady company.
However, Lawson finished with the 22nd-highest pass-rush productivity score, according to Pro Football Focus' draft guide. His tape doesn't reflect the level of explosion exclaimed above, so it's debatable if he can find pure pass-rushing success in the NFL.
He can, however, help greatly against the run. He led the NCAA with 25 tackles for a loss in 2015.
In the other rounds, Hassan Ridgeway would be a nice pickup in the third round. Shon Coleman is already 24 years old and would be a big-time reach in the second.
Louis Riddick, ESPN
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No. 16. Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
Louis Riddick only does one mock draft. It turns out that was all he needed to turn #DraftTwitter on its head.
Riddick semi-famously had three offensive tackles go in the top 10, with both Ronnie Stanley and Jack Conklin taken ahead of Laremy Tunsil. He also had Shaq Lawson fall to 19th overall and placed Andrew Billings outside of the first round altogether.
That left the Lions with Jarran Reed.
Pro Football Focus named him the best interior defender in a 2-gap system against the run as well as the best at the point of attack. Reed also turned in the fifth-highest pass-rushing productivity score, but was better known for his ability to eat up blocks and stifle running games.
Despite Detroit's large stable of defensive tackles, Reed would be a welcome addition. Few rookies will be able to control the line of scrimmage and finish plays as well as Reed.
Plus, the Lions will ultimately need someone to take over Haloti Ngata's role and spell him in 2016. Reed checks off all the right boxes and would dramatically improve the interior defensive line rotation immediately.
Jeff Risdon, RealGM
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No. 16. Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio St.
There aren't any credible mock drafts that list either Ronnie Stanley or Laremy Tunsil as this year's 16th pick. The odds of them slipping that far are so astronomical that nobody is willing to damage their credibility for a way-too-bold prediction.
That leaves Taylor Decker, Jack Conklin and Jason Spriggs as contenders for the offensive tackle-needy Lions. Jeff Risdon of RealGM and SideLion Report chose the rugged tackle from Ohio State in his mock of what he would do if he ran each team.
Risdon cites Detroit's "loaded" offense and a "desperate need" for a better front line, before explaining that Decker could push Riley Reiff to the right side during training camp. All of these assertions have merit.
Decker would certainly upgrade Detroit's run blocking immediately. It's questionable how long it will be before the 21-year-old can handle quick edge-rushers who meet him in space.
It's interesting to note that he "resisted Reggie Ragland's charms here," if only because the once-popular pick for Detroit isn't named by any of the experts here.
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Alex Reno, Pride of Detroit
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No. 16. Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
If you follow Alex Reno on Twitter, then you know Andrew Billings is the apple of his eye.
The Pride of Detroit scribe had a chance to take him in a SB Nation community mock draft. The only unfortunate fallout was he received second-degree burns from typing his pick in so quickly.
All jokes aside, it's not hard to understand the love for Billings. He only just turned 21 years old and is possibly the strongest prospect in this year's draft.
Billings is built similarly to Jarran Reed in that both would fit in the Haloti Ngata role. He'll be able to handle double-teams thanks to his grown-man status and still make plenty of plays.
Yet Billings has more upside than Reed in the pass-rushing department. He needs to learn better counters and add another move besides his bull rush, but Billings could be an All-Pro if brought along properly.
Luckily for Detroit, coaching defensive linemen up is something the franchise has done well historically.
Todd McShay, ESPN
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No. 16. A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
There's nothing wrong with Todd McShay's pick in a vacuum, but it isn't the most enticing on this list. In fact, it's probably the least.
A'Shawn Robinson can certainly handle the gig of block-eating immediately. It's just not certain that he has the drive or the tools to raise his game to another level.
He would, however, be a solid rotational defensive tackle as a rookie and would be a competent starter down the road. Yet the first round isn't the place to settle for a player that hasn't show the consistency or quickness to evolve past a guy who helps his linebackers run free.
Again, a definite need on any team, but Robinson doesn't strike me as a dynamic player.
McShay has Chris Jones, Andrew Billings Myles Jack going somewhere in the later half of the first round. All of those guys would be better selections at 16th overall.
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report
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No. 16. Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
Surprisingly, we haven't seen many offensive tackles. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller provides just the second and coincidentally final offensive linemen to be mocked to Detroit here.
Jason Spriggs is seen by many to have incredible upside because of his athleticism. Miller explained that he 21-year-old was "[a] reach on [his] board," but that he "has the athleticism to wow teams much like Ereck Flowers and Andrus Peat did last year. He's the type of tackle the Lions can draft to move Riley Reiff away from the left side."
It should be noted that moving a tackle from one side to the other isn't as easy as advertised. These guys have to go the opposite of every instinct they've built since they were kids.
Plus, the distinctions between right and left tackles are dwindling as teams are moving their best pass-rushers around to find an optimal matchup.
Miller is right that Spriggs is a reach. While the Lions may believe in the Indiana prospect's potential enough to make him a mid-first-rounder, this is too high considering the other talent left on the board. Specifically, Andrew Billings, Reggie Ragland and Darron Lee in this instance.
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
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No. 16. Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press wasted no time explaining that he understands Detroit's needs before the comment section set him straight.
In defense of his pick, Birkett explained that Detroit's "most pressing needs are at offensive tackle and defensive end, but Rankins is the type of three-technique interior rusher the team lacks. He’s undersized, but a super clean prospect who should have a long career."
That's actually an understatement regarding Sheldon Rankins.
The Louisville product gets up the field in a hurry and disrupts whatever he finds in the backfield. He leverages his initial burst off the line by finishing with power, decimating one-on-one blocks on his way to the quarterback.
At 6'1" and 299 pounds, it's possible his size scares off the top 10 teams. Any such slide would be a huge boon for Detroit's defense, as many have hinted that he could be the next Aaron Donald. Lions fans surely remember the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle since he went a couple picks after a certain tight end just three years ago.
One thing Lions fans must remember this coming Thursday is that general manager Bob Quinn isn't likely to reach for a need. He's going to take the player who best helps his roster.
Rankins is most definitely one of those picks.
Brandon Alisoglu has covered the Detroit Lions for five years. You can find his work on About.com, Bleacher Report, Yahoo, CNN and others. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter @BrandonAlisoglu.
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