The Super Bowl is in the books, Matthew Stafford got his ring, so maybe it’s finally safe to shift attention to something actually relevant to the Detroit Lions: The NFL Draft.
The Lions are still in the early stages of their post-Stafford rebuild and the heart of the process is the draft, which offers an annual influx of young talent to build a foundation.
In his first year as the franchise’s general manager, Brad Holmes found some true building blocks in offensive tackle Penei Sewell, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and defensive tackle Alim McNeill. And while the jury is still out on Levi Onwuzurike, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Derrick Barnes, with steady development, it has the makings of a potentially stellar class.
This year, the Lions hold two first-round choices. They’re scheduled to kick things off with the No. 2 selection, the earliest the team has drafted since taking Ndamukong Suh at that spot 12 years ago. And they’ll cap the first night with the No. 32 choice, acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in the Stafford trade.
Obviously, we’re still early in the pre-draft process. The Senior Bowl, which the Lions coached, is in the rear-view, but there’s still plenty of information to gather through the testing and interview process at both next month’s scouting combine and the pro days and individual visits that follow.
But while the draft board is still being finalized, it’s a good time to offer our initial projection on how the first round could shake out, which, if nothing else, should help familiarize you with the top prospects in this class and the current needs of the teams selecting in the first round.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers