The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is one of the most knowledgeable and respected NFL Draft experts out there, and he recently took the time to make a full seven-round mock draft for every pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Brugler gave clear and concise defenses of his picks in the first round as well as a few key selections in the other six. Even without any trades, his projected selections for the Detroit Lions would leave most fans happy.
Here’s a breakdown of his picks for Detroit:
Round 1, Pick 6: CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Brugler opted for one of the more popular choices among Lions fans in Christian Gonzalez.
If this were the pick, it would easily round out Detroit’s cornerback depth chart while providing some hope for the future at the position.
Detroit recently signed cornerbacks Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in free agency while also trading away former first-round pick Jeff Okudah. Sutton and Moseley should be penciled in as starters for this upcoming season, but only Sutton will be under contract for 2024.
Drafting Gonzalez, while seemingly unneeded right now, will alleviate the long-term need at cornerback for the next few years. As it is one of the hardest positions to acclimate to in the NFL, Gonzalez would get a chance to develop behind Sutton and Moseley and serve as the next man up at the position.
As a player, Gonzalez has all of the physical tools to succeed. He’s strong, fast, and great in coverage. He’s widely considered to be the top cornerback in this draft class and should be available when Detroit drafts at sixth overall.
Round 1, Pick 18: DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
This pick by Brugler seems right on par with a Brad Holmes draft pick.
While to some, this pick is a little bit of a reach, Holmes has not shied away from getting his guy, regardless of what pick it is.
Kancey is an undersized interior defensive lineman, which seems to be becoming a trend among NFL defenses. He would likely be a starter alongside Alim McNeill, providing physical pass rush in the middle of the line.
Defensive tackle is still a major need for the Lions, and Brugler did a fantastic job projecting him to Detroit.
Round 2, Pick 48: TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
After two straight defensive picks, Brugler flipped the script to offense and selected Darnell Washington out of Georgia.
Washington is a massive tight end prospect who prides himself with his skills as a blocker. He’d best be utilized as essentially an extra offensive lineman, but he’d be a major contributor in the run game for Detroit.
Far too often, Detroit has drafted a pass-catching tight end with the hopes they’d develop as a blocker. Brugler states that this would be the opposite, and that this staff would be able to develop Washington into a receiving option later on.
While this would be a fantastic pick here, many have a first-round grade on Washington. It will be interesting to see if he actually does fall this far.
Round 2, Pick 55: LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
Holmes has gone after linebackers on Day 3 over the past two drafts, so this pick would be a bit of a change of pace for the Lions. At the same time, linebacker is another position that Detroit needs to look at for the future.
Campbell would be a great addition to the defense as a run-defending inside linebacker. He would have to compete with Malcolm Rodriguez for some playing time, but the two together would be a force for many seasons to come.
Round 3, Pick 81: G Chandler Zavala, NC State
With right guard being the only spot on the offensive line without a clear starter moving forward, Zavala would be a smart pick here to either compete with Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Graham Glasgow, or provide key depth behind them throughout the season.
He has the size, but athleticism has been a concern. Regardless, Brugler knew guard was a need for Detroit and took the best option available.
Round 5, Pick 159: WR Michael Wilson, Stanford
For Detroit’s first pick of the later rounds, Brugler went with Michael Wilson out of Stanford. At 6’2”, Wilson would be poised to be a core special teamer while also backing up the outside receivers,
On special teams, he can play gunner and has some experience returning punts. Injuries have been the biggest concern for Wilson, but he would have time to get healthier as he wouldn’t be taking the field too much.
Round 5, Pick 159: EDGE Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan
Maybe Brugler saw the magic that Holmes worked with James Houston last year and hopes it can happen again?
No matter what, a backup pass rusher is an underrated need for the Lions as they relied so heavily on Aidan Hutchinson and John Cominsky last season.
He is a very physical pass rusher and could be a hand-in-the-dirt option behind Cominsky.
Round 6, Pick 183: DT Jerrod Clark, Coastal Carolina
Brugler double dips into the defensive tackle position with this selection and it would be a good depth pick.
Clark is a true nose tackle at 334 pounds and would be a fitting replacement should McNeill or Isaiah Buggs miss some time. Detroit could always use another pass-rushing nose tackle in their toolkit.
Round 6, Pick 194: T John Ojukwu, Boise State
With the final pick for Detroit in the 2023 draft, Brugler projects that they go with an offensive tackle.
As of now, their only backups behind Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell are Matt Nelson, Obinna Eze, and Darrin Paulo. Ojukwu would be a guy who would be able to come in and easily unseat most, if not all, of those guys for a job as the third tackle.
Another upside for Ojukwu is that many see his skillset suitable for guard in the NFL as well, and versatility is always needed in this league.
