The Lions added some defensive line help for Aidan Hutchinson in free agency, including former Saints pass rusher Marcus Davenport. Robinson can be more of a regular with his array of moves as his nickname would suggest.
Powers-Johnson has “Dan Campbell type of player” written all over him. That he can play center or guard at a high level is a nice trump card for the man known as JPJ. No change from the last mock, though Brian Thomas is very difficult to bypass here.
A two-time All-SEC selection who goes through his pro day paces on a broken foot – running a sub-4.5 40 in the process – seems like HC Dan Campbell’s kind of guy. There’s also a need here after Detroit abruptly cut Cam Sutton in the aftermath of a domestic violence incident.
Chop Robinson is explosive. He ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash while standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 254 pounds. Detroit couldn't find a pass-rush complement to Hutchinson last season, so it gets a dynamic athlete at that spot here. That should give the Lions defense a critical boost with the team squarely in contention for NFC supremacy.
Even after adding Carlton Davis III and Amik Robertson this offseason, the Lions could stand to improve their cornerback room.
While he’s not an elite athlete like the cornerbacks who went before him, McKinstry still deserves to be in the CB1 conversation. His 91.5 PFF grade from 2022 to 2023 ranked fourth among college football cornerbacks.
Lions Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow turns 28 in May, and he’s been very banged up the last few years. Plus, Detroit’s in the market for a guard today. Powers-Johnson could be the team’s future center while filling an immediate need on the depth chart.
You are a really good football team, but the defense has room for improvement. Aidan Hutchinson could use some help up front, but the top four edge rushers and top two defensive tackles are all gone. Regardless, Aaron Glenn's unit could certainly use a physical corner like Rakestraw, especially after the sudden release of Cameron Sutton.
Fit: The Detroit Lions’ run defense needs some help up the spine, and nobody is more disruptive on the interior than Jer’Zhan Newton. His lower body explosiveness and agility are impressive at his size, and there’s a lot to like with his motor and hand placement as an interior pass rusher.
Detroit has invested so much into its front four, and I can imagine some fan exhaustion here, but the trenches must be built to sustain the Lions long-term.
In the first round, a surprising steal was available in the form of Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean. A foot injury hindered his draft stock somewhat, as does uncertainty about where he will play at the next level.
However, this plays well for the Lions. Whether DeJean winds up as a corner or a safety, the Lions need players at both positions. Therefore, he was an easy pick at No. 29 overall.
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