Lions seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft: Detroit grabs Devonta Smith in Spherical 1, then shifts focus to protection

The Detroit Lions utterly overhauled key items of their group this offseason, and for the primary time in additional than a decade, Matthew Stafford will not be the staff’s beginning quarterback. New GM Brad Holmes, head coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff misplaced a trio of beginning receivers in free company — Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola — in order that place figures to be a prime precedence within the draft. 

However the Lions have a litany of wants, outdoors of operating again and the offensive line. Which rookies might be on their radar? Which positions will they prioritize?

This is one stab at how the Lions’ whole 2021 draft will play out:

Smith was a no brainer at No. 7 total, given the vacancies within the receiver room. He is an elastic separator with misleading velocity and the catch radius of a 6-foot-5 receiver. 

Even after choosing Jeffrey Okudah at No. 3 total in 2020, the Lions have large wants at cornerback, and Campbell is one other tall, man-coverage specialist with high-level athletic traits. He’d symbolize fantastic worth on the prime of the second spherical. The linebacker spot has lengthy plagued Detroit’s protection, and Davis in Spherical 3 would offer the Lions with an extended, rangy, three-down, second-level defender who can comfortably sink in zone or run with tight ends down the seam. 

As for the remainder of the Lions’ draft — Odighizuwa is a leverage monster on the within who routinely pushes the pocket with a nasty bull rush and fast pass-rushing strikes. He is even athletic sufficient to take some reps on the sting if want be. In all probability the very best worth decide within the class got here at No. 112 total with Johnson from Indiana. 

He has reputable free-safety vary in protection however hits like a powerful security and has the athletic juice to stay with some receivers and backs in protection. Powell provides extra depth to receiver, and he is an enormous, chiseled perimeter goal who runs crisp routes and tracks it fantastically downfield.

What’s lacking? In all probability an edge rusher, however the re-signing of Romeo Okwara mitigated that want for the Lions.