Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes has been known to move around a lot in the NFL Draft. The Lions made six trades in last years draft and Holmes has already publicly brought up the idea of trading out of the first round in this years draft twice.
To start the week I did a mock draft that had the Lions doing just that. One of the more popular comments that I received was the idea that the Lions would trade up in the first round of this years draft. It’s not a stretch. The Lions traded the 32nd pick to move up to 12 to draft Jameson Williams. Trading the 29th doesn’t seem like a stretch either.
But is it worth it this year? I don’t think it is. This is an interesting draft this year. There’s strengths to it, but nobody really stands out from the pack. If the Lions needed a quarterback, this would theoretically be the draft to make your moves in, but they don’t. Is there really anyone in this draft that you just have to have at any of the positions of need for the Lions?
There’s some good pass rushers that are slated to go early in the draft. Guys like Jered Verse or Laitu Latu should be good in the league, but are they worth trading up for if guys like Darius Robinson, Bralen Trice or Chop Robinson could be there for the Lions with the 29th pick? I’m just not seeing that big separation that makes any of these guys so good that you have to move mountains to get them.
A good example of what I mean is last years draft. Will Anderson was the clear leader of the pack there. You knew that guy was going to be very good and a team wound up trading up for him. There were some other good pass rushers in the draft like Will McDonald or Lukas Van Ness, but Anderson was the guy. There doesn’t seem to be a the guy this year.
I’d say the same for corners. There are some top guys in this draft that will likely go early, but this is a pretty deep draft at corner and the Lions should be able to find some help late in the first or even in the second, third and fourth. There’s plenty of good corners in this draft. Trading up for one seems like wasting picks.
The same can be said for guard, receiver or tight end. The Lions just don’t need to move up for any of these positions because they can get good talent in other places.
The last point here is that this Lions team is already very good. That does not mean you can’t get better, but it does mean you can afford to be a little picky and choosey about the way that you do it. The Lions also have money to be able to fill some of these positions in free agency and make them less of need once the draft rolls around.
I’m not saying it won’t happen. The Lions are all about getting their guys in the draft and doing it however or whenever they want. I am saying that this year it would feel like a mistake because there just doesn’t feel like there’s anyone worth doing that for. Maybe it will change after the combine or pro days, but right now they should stick or trade down for best results.