Life comes at you fast in the NFL. For the Detroit Lions, their life now no longer includes cornerback Jeff Okudah. The Lions dealt Okudah, a starter for most of the last three seasons when healthy, to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2023 fifth-round pick on Tuesday.
In the trade, the Lions acquired the No. 159 overall pick from the Falcons. It’s a fifth-round pick that originally belonged to the Jacksonville Jaguars; Atlanta picked it up in the trade for WR Calvin Ridley.
Adding in the extra pick and factoring in the slightly altered need chart, here’s a quick updated projection for the Lions in the 2023 NFL draft
No. 6 overall: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
A healthy Witherspoon held an impressive private workout, an event where Lions CB coach Dre Bly ran the show. Witherspoon’s blend of physicality, experience in the exact defense the Lions run under Aaron Glenn, and impressive “dawg” attitude are all perfect fits for the Lions.
I do still believe Alabama EDGE Will Anderson or perhaps Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson are in play here, too. At this juncture, anything else would be surprising to me.
No. 18: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
This spot becomes a more difficult prediction when CB is (almost certainly) off the board. There are many options at a variety of positions.
My guess here is Van Ness, a player with a lot of John Cominsky to his game — though not yet close to being as effective. Ben Raven of MLive has had this pairing featured in a couple of mock drafts and it’s certainly plausible. High-end athlete with positional versatility and hyper-competitive attitude? Van Ness checks those requisite Lions boxes.
If the pick at No. 6 isn’t a cornerback, Maryland CB Deonte Banks definitely jumps up the list of Lions options. I don’t think Texas RB Bijan Robinson lasts to this spot, but he would likely be a consideration if he’s still on the board. This regime has typically eschewed using high picks on RBs, but Robinson could be a Todd Gurley-type of exception for GM Brad Holmes.
No. 48: Steve Avila, OG, TCU
Avila isn’t going to appeal to every NFL team, but that’s to the Lions’ benefit. He’s not going to be rated so highly by zone-based blocking schemes due to his lack of quickness and range. Avila is a natural fit for Detroit’s gap-blocking scheme, which plays more to his power and short-area movement skills.
No. 55: Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
One of the standouts from Senior Bowl week, Benton fills the need for an active nose tackle in the middle of the defense. He was productive in college (4.5 sacks, 10.5 TFLs in 2023) and his wrestling background makes him arguably the most effective block-shedder in the draft. Benton would be an instant starter who makes the LBs behind him better. The Lions have met with Benton multiple times and he passes the “grit” test with flying colors.
3rd round: Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
Recent projections have elevated Mingo into this range of the draft. His size (6-2/220), reliable hands and toughness working as a heavy slot are all traits the Lions can use. Mingo can also block well enough and use his frame as an outside possession-style receiver, an opening on the Lions roster with Quintez Cephus’ injury issues.
5th round: 2 picks
154 (Lions own pick): Jaren Hall, QB, BYU
159 (Falcons pick via Okudah trade): Ivan Pace, LB, Cincinnati
Hall is a no-nonsense character fit of a backup QB who can stay as an inexpensive, upgraded No. 2 for some time. His accuracy, decision-making and agility are all nice fits for Ben Johnson’s offense behind Jared Goff.
Pace adds pass-rushing oomph and between-the-tackles downhill power even though he’s built more like a speed backer. He was very productive across two different college programs and can thrive on special teams.
6th round: 2 picks
No. 183 (from Broncos in the Trinity Benson trade): D.J. Dale, DT, Alabama
No. 194 (Lions own pick): Mark Evans, OG, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Dale is an interior space-eater in the mold of Isaiah Buggs, who preceded him in the same role at Alabama. He’s lankier than the prototypical nose tackle but he doesn’t move backward and Dale has some pocket-collapsing pressure generation on film.
I projected Evans here in the last mock draft and don’t see any compelling reason to change the pick. If the Lions are interested in drafting a kicker, this is the spot.
