GM Brad Holmes and Head Coach Dan Cambell wrapped up their first NFL draft as the new regime of the Detroit Lions Sunday night, and I think it’s safe to say it was a good one. The Lions had a very simple draft approach, take best available. Looking at their roster, they are weak at every postition besides running back and the left side of their offensive line.
Detroit has been notorious for poor draft selections in the past. Eric Ebron, Jarrad Davis and Brandon Pettigrew, to name a few. I like to think this draft was different, though. We came out of the draft filling positions that needed to be addressed. And finally, we didn’t select a tight end in the first round.
Let’s take a look at their draft picks and give them a (unbiased) grade.
Round 1, Pick 7: OL Penei Sewell, Oregon
Grade: A+
I think a lot of people expected the Lions to take some sort of playmaker here. However, with Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and Kyle Pitts off the board, the Lions decided to beef up the offensive line, selecting the best offensive lineman in the draft, Penei Sewell.
The A+ grade is given for a multitude of reasons. The Lions now have arguably a top 5 offensive line in the league now. With center Frank Ragnow already being a top 5 center in the league, along with Taylor Decker at tackle with Logan Stenberg and Jonah Jackson at the guards, Sewell is the final piece to the puzzle. Sewell will give Jared Goff protection from the right side of the line, even with the tough pass rush from NFC North defenders.
I’ve seen some criticism of this pick, and I can’t understand why. Sewell was the best player available, plain and simple.
Round 2, Pick 9: DT Levi Onwuzurike, Washington
Grade: A
Onwuzurike is a first round talent on tape, and the Lions grabbed him in the second round. Defensive line was one of the Lions weaker points last year, and I think they addressed it perfectly taking Onwuzurike here. He has a punishing first initial hit off the line, forcing o-lineman to fall back on their heels. He adds a little bit of a pass rush from the interior as well, which the Lions haven’t had since Ndamukong Suh.
I think he makes an immediate impact on the defensive line, so I gave this pick an A.
Round 3, Pick 8: DT Alim McNeill, NC State
Grade: B-
McNeill is a great player, but not the direction the Lions should’ve gone here. With recievers Dyami Brown and Nico Collins still available at this pick, I feel as if this is where the reciever position should’ve been addressed. Yes, it was addressed later in the draft, but we could’ve gotten a lot more talent here than we did in the later rounds.
McNeill brings a lot of things that Onwuzurike brings, big, strong, and a good gap shooter than can occasionally can get to the QB. However, I don’t know where he fits on this d-line. With newly added Michael Brockers and Levi Onwuzurike in the trenches, McNeill will be nothing more than a rotational guy in the interior for the Lions.
The talent is definitely there with McNeill. The only reason I am giving this pick a B- is because I would’ve liked to see reciever here.
Round 3, Pick 38: CB Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse
Grade: A-
Melifonwu was a very solid selection here in the back-end of the third round. He has a very high ceiling with his size and explosiveness. Some have put him as a second round talent, which I can definitely see. He should stack up well against bigger recievers on the outside for the Lions, and could easily be the number three corner on the depth chart to start the season.
The secondary was a glaring weakness for the Lions last year, and they took the best available corner here, which is why they get an A-.
Round 4, Pick 7: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC
Grade: C+
The Lions finally go reciever in the fourth round in Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown’s expectations for his last season at USC were sky high, but he failed to live up to them. St. Brown does nothing exceptionally well, but doesn’t have any huge noticeble weaknesses, either.
This was just a high floor, low ceiling pick for the Lions here, which is safe. The reason behind the C+ grade is the fact that his he isn’t the playmaking reciever we needed. Overall, not too bad of a pick nonetheless.
Round 4, Pick 8: LB Derrick Barnes, Purdue
Grade: B+
The Lions traded up to pick back to back in the fourth round to select Derrick Burnes out of Purdue. Burnes is a converted EDGE who played his final season at Purdue as a linebacker. He was very good against the run, who was able to come downhill and make plays in the backfield. However, you can very much tell he is an EDGE playing LB, due to his lack of coverage skills. Cover linebackers are something the Lions have struggled to find in the past, but if Burnes can develop that trait, he will be a great linebacker for years to come.
I like this pick a lot actually, I couldn’t give it an A though due to the weaknesses in Burnes’ game. If Burnes can develop some sort of pass coverage skills, this is an A pick for me. For now, I give this a B+, though.
Round 7, Pick 30: RB Jemar Jefferson, Oregon State
Grade: B
The Lions had three rostered running backs before this pick, so I can 100% understand why they wrapped up the draft with a running back. Jefferson really doesn’t do anything too well, but he will be serviceable as an emergency running back. Especially with COVID, it’s important to have depth at every position, so I really don’t mind this pick here.
Jefferson will fill out as the 4th running back on this Lions’ roster. It wasn’t the most glamorous selection, but I’ll take it in round 7.
Lions Draft Grade: A
I know what you’re thinking, how can I give the Lions an A overall when I only gave three players A’s? If you are not a Lions fan, you wouldn’t understand how good this draft was for us. Year after year we saw questionable picks rounds 1-7. Now with Brad Holmes, he essentially went best available throughout the whole draft. This draft deserves nothing less than an A in my books.
We are not expected to win next season, so we should be picking in the top 10 again next year. Quarterbacks Sam Howell and Spencer Rattler will be waiting for us there, and maybe we’ll find our franchise guy.
