It’s mock draft season! This year’s class is interesting, and I haven’t had the pleasure of doing a mock draft for you guys yet. I’m using PFN’s mock draft machine here, which I find to be pretty reliable. There’s no trades here – only the picks we have. I’m also sticking just to Detroit’s picks, and only in the first three rounds. With that being said, let’s get to the action.
6. Jalen Carter – DT, Georgia
I have no idea how Carter fell this far, but I’m not going to ask questions. If this is how things work out in April, Brad Holmes is going to wrestle the microphone away from Roger Goodell to scream with joy. Carter is an incredibly disruptive player every time he gets in position. He is an elite physical specimen and can play in any scheme. There’s not much I can say about him that hasn’t already been said.
18. Christian Gonzalez – CB, Oregon
Another surprising fall for a top player in the draft. Gonzalez is arguably CB1 in this class, and had the PAC-12 on lockdown this past year. He’s not a big bruiser and physical like Devon Witherspoon, but rather quiet and understated. He works the receiver and plays the ball. He’s long, rangy, and incredibly athletic. I can see marquee matchups between Gonzales and Justin Jefferson for years to come.
48. Dalton Kincaid – TE, Utah
I absolutely LOVE Kincaid for Detroit. His game is clean and polished as a receiver, but as a blocker, he fights with the force of twenty men. He runs routes better than most tight ends too. That being said, he didn’t play a lot in his first few years in college ball, so he lacks some of the experience of other guys in this class. He actually reminds me a lot of Hockenson, but younger and cheaper. He’s definitely TE2 in this class, and in my opinion, he’s got an argument to be number one.
55. Brandon Joseph – S, Notre Dame
Those of you who have read some of my other draft prep articles know that the safety position could end up being one of the most interesting things the Lions will play with this offseason. They are deep there, especially if DeShon Elliot resigns. However, Joseph can provide reliable depth, since the Ifeatu Melifonwu experiment seems to be crashing and burning in front of our eyes. He has some ballhawk traits and can play deep, but isn’t afraid of getting down and dirty with the run. He’s also incredibly smart – to the point where the Ivy League wanted him.
81. Jack Campbell – LB, Iowa
I like a lot of the LBs in this class in later rounds, but some of them are undersized, and I don’t want to pair Rodrigo with another small LB. Jack Campbell does not have that problem. He stands at 6’5, 243 lbs, and those aren’t his most impressive numbers. He dots every single category in the box score for Iowa. He can detonate just about anybody, and somehow has impressive speed as well. This guy could be big for anyone – hopefully, for Detroit.
