Detroit Lions Bye Week Mock Draft

The Detroit Lions enter their bye week after an encouraging performance, albeit against an average, injury-plagued Arizona Cardinals side. It’s been a disappointing start to the season for Dan Campbell’s side, with the defence struggling under second-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, despite the defensive front having success rushing the passer, amassing a league-leading 20 sacks. The outlook is brighter on the other side of the ball; new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has led the offence to 32.8 points per game; joint first. Jared Goff is currently second amongst quarterbacks in yards (1,485) and is top 3 in passing touchdowns (12) while being one of a few who have yet to throw an interception. Despite this, they are still starting slowly, averaging only 2 points in the first quarter of games so far this year.

So, as the Lions go into the week off with a winning record, it’s a good time to look ahead at potential future Detroit Lions with a mock draft. Is a mid-October, 7-round mock draft going to resemble the actual NFL draft in April? No. Is that going to stop me? Also, no.

This mock will be a good opportunity to look at players the Lions might consider adding to their roster in six months in the nation’s capital. I will give my rationale for each pick, how the player fits, and their strengths & weaknesses. I will also briefly discuss other players I considered at each pick, hopefully giving you a myriad of players to watch for the rest of the college season; there is still a lot of football to be played.

Currently, the Lions are slated to pick at #25 in the first round, so let’s get on with it.

1.(25)

Chris Cole – LB – Georgia

I’ll be honest, I wanted a cornerback here, but the Steelers got their Joey Porter Jr. replacement in Mississippi State’s Kelley Jones a few picks in front of me. Jones is CB4 for me currently and the last cornerback I feel comfortable taking in the first round. So I pivoted to the highest-graded player remaining on my board. Chris Cole is a freak: he has elite sideline-to-sideline range, the core strength to absorb and play through contact, and, most appealing to Lions fans, the ability to cover tight ends in man coverage. Cole even lines up on the edge at times for the Bulldogs and has flashed some juice as a pass rusher.

Would I be ecstatic at spending another first-round pick on a linebacker? No, but Cole is currently my 5th overall player, and he’s the perfect complement to Jack Campbell. All of the Lions’ linebackers have struggled in coverage this year; Cole solves that problem while adding speed and dynamism to a defence that is crying out for some athletes.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: With cornerback off the board, I considered safety here, namely Brontae Johnson (Notre Dame) and Kingston Lopa (California); both are athletic, rangy players who are alignment versatile. Johnson is a top-10 player for me, and Lopa has 5 interceptions this year already. I also looked at guard, Greg Johnson (Minnesota), another top-10 player for me and the best offensive lineman in this class. Ultimately, I decided to wait on safety as this is a stacked group, with starting-calibre players available on days 2 & 3, and with the way Christian Mahogany is playing right now, guard just doesn’t seem like that much of a need.

2.(57)

Jaylen McClain – S – Ohio State

If you ask me, the biggest issue on this Lions’ defence is the lack of any player able to fill the shoes of Kerby Joseph at safety; we have no one with the required range, athleticism or ball skills. At this point, I’m about 95% sure we never see Joseph again, which would be heartbreaking for the team and the player. Well, here we get his replacement. McClain is a natural deep zone safety with a good build, 6-0, 203lbs, he plays a lot of single-high and split zone for the Buckeyes. He possesses the range on the back end to cover either sideline from a single-high position and I like his aggression at the catch point to knock the ball away. McClain is a leader on one of the best defences in college football; he is continuously communicating to his teammates prior to the snap. I am not overly convinced by his tackling technique; he doesn’t seem to use great form often, having said that, he is yet to miss a tackle this year per PFF.

McClain’s fit with the Lions’ is a clear one: a day-one starter at free safety. Having a player back there with his skillset opens up more options for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard (or his successor) with regard to coverages they can run and how they can disguise them.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Sam LaPorta’s contract is due to expire at the end of this season; according to reports, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure the former Iowa Hawkeye is in Detroit for the long term. I think the Lions’ front office and LaPorta’s agent will eventually agree to terms on a new deal; even so, I think the depth at tight end needs improving; Luke Reynolds (Virginia Tech) is clear TE3 for me. He’s not an elite athlete but utilises technique and nuance to gain separation as a receiver, plus he’s a good run blocker. I also considered other defensive backs Zach Lutmer (Iowa) and Vicari Swain (South Carolina). Lutmer is a positionally versatile CB/S who possesses great athleticism and is technically sound; Swain is an outside corner, a natural, fluid mover who triggers quickly on anything in front of him; quarterbacks are rarely throwing his way. Swain’s been getting some first-round buzz; I’m not quite there yet, but he’s certainly an intriguing prospect. Guard was again in my thoughts here; Austin Siereveld (Ohio State) is a very good player with some tackle versatility, but again I am content with where our starting offensive line is at for now.

3.(89)

Jalen Mayo – CB – Houston

We finally get our cornerback! At 6-2, Mayo offers size and quickness we are lacking in the secondary; he is equally adept in man or zone coverage and is aggressive when coming downhill versus the run; sounds like a Lions cornerback to me. By the time April rolls around, I think Mayo will be a top-50/60 player in this class, but if he falls to 89, Lions’ GM Brad Holmes should sprint that card in! For those that liked Charles Demmings from Stephen F. Austin in the 2026 draft, Mayo was the cornerback opposite, and frankly is the better prospect.

Of the current cornerbacks on the roster, only DJ Reed, Ennis Rakestraw and Keith Abney are due to be back in 2027. DJ Reed has a bonus due, and with the way he’s playing, I don’t think the Lions are going to pay that, so he might not be back and Abney seems to have started transitioning to safety, so clearly we need reinforcements.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: The other cornerback I looked at here was Kayin Lee (Tennessee); a great athlete (he’s my early pick to run the fastest 40 at the combine) but he falls for simple head fakes and gets beaten across his face too often, then panics and grabs the receiver; he’ll get flagged early and often in the league – high upside, low floor player. I also looked at the trenches again with another guard Evan Tengdesdahl (Cincinnati) who has incredible heavy hands but again, I’m happy with Mahogany at left guard. I also looked at Bryce Young.........no not that one! This Young plays defensively for Notre Dame; he’s 6-6, 260lbs with a fairly explosive get-off, a variety of pass-rush moves and a motor that doesn’t quit. Young needs some polish with his hand placement at times but he’s an ascending player this year who I believe will be a top-75 pick.

4.(126)

John Nestor – CB – Minnesota

Back-to-back cornerbacks! Nestor is one of ‘MY GUYS’ in this class and I was very surprised to see him available at pick 126. The former Iowa Hawkeye is a high-energy, high-motor defender who always seems to be around the ball. He is predominantly an outside corner, but at 6-1, 210lbs he has the physicality to play in the slot. Nestor might not be an elite athlete but he has a smooth backpedal and a quick trigger on anything underneath. He does have a worrying missed tackle rate of 21.4% but this is due to his (at times) over-aggressiveness when approaching that ball carrier so not necessarily a true reflection of his tackling technique.

Nestor would provide great competition in the cornerback room, which is likely to look very different after the 2027 NFL draft, and I would expect him to contribute early. He strikes me as a player the coaching staff would love; he’s rarely out of position and I genuinely don’t think there is any glaring hole in his game.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: I looked at another defensive back in the shape of Earl Little II (Ohio State) who I am higher on than others as a potential Brian Branch replacement should we not re-sign the star safety. Little II plays that robber role really well; he’s light on his feet with a quick burst and elite eye discipline. I am always keen for the Lions to add some depth and competition along the offensive line, I considered Desmeal Leigh (Youngstown State); he is a tackle who could probably also play some guard, he is a better pass blocker than run blocker at this point of his career. At 6-7, 325lbs he has prototypical NFL size and although he’s played at a lower level in college, when he played SEC contender Kentucky earlier in the year, he more than held his own. 

5.(163)

Keyjuan Brown – RB – Louisville

Another one of ‘MY GUYS!’ At 5-10, 215lbs Brown is a bruising downhill runner with great contact balance and the habit of breaking tackles. I love many things about Brown’s game, but the thing I adore the most, is his pass protection, the PFF grades don’t agree but I think his technique is very good, and getting better. I’m going to hit you with some stats now; 365 yards on 38 carries; that’s 9.6 yards per carry. 302 of his yards have come after contact, an incredible 7.95 yards after contact per carry – most of any running back with at least 20 carries. Not bad considering he’s not even the starter for the Cardinals. Now, he did fumble twice in week 5 against NC State, but these are just his 2nd and 3rd fumbles on nearly 200 career carries.

All in all, Brown is just what the Lions need to complement the highest-paid running back in the league, Jahmyr Gibbs. As much as I like Jacob Saylors and have been impressed with Sione Vaki, I would really like Brad Holmes to invest in a long-term replacement for David Montgomery.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: This was a close call between Brown and another one of ‘MY GUYS’ at the same position, Fluff Bothwell (Mississippi State). Bothwell is even more stockily built at 5-10, 230lbs; he, like Brown is a downhill runner, doesn’t have the same contact balance as Brown but is a touch more twitchy and always seems to fall forward when tackled. I took another look at tight end here with the Brit Peter Clarke (Temple); it’s been a slow start to the year for Clarke, the Owls seem to have changed their offence and it doesn’t really suit him; however, when you watch the tape you see a good blocker, in both the pass and run game, and a receiver who can get open despite not being a top-end athlete.

6.(204)

Maraad Watson – DT – Texas

I wasn’t planning on hitting the interior of the defensive line, but Watson sitting here at 204 is crazy value; he is currently my 62nd overall player, admittedly, I am higher on him than most. At 6-3, 327lbs he may lack the prototypical length coveted by NFL teams, but I challenge you to watch his tape and find me a bad rep. As his size suggests, he’s more of a run-stuffing 0-1T defensive tackle, which frankly, the Lions are missing in my opinion. Watson takes on double teams better than anyone else I’ve watched so far in this class, but don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all he does, on numerous occasions this year, I have seen him walk a guard back into the lap of the quarterback with pure power, he also flashes some lateral quickness and fast hands to beat offensive linemen. He has 9 pressures and 3 sacks so far this year.

Watson would serve as a great rotational piece along the defensive line, primarily as Tyliek Williams’ back-up but would also get snaps in goal-line and short yardage packages. This might be my favourite pick of the mock!

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Before I saw Watson was still on the board, I was dead set on drafting a tight end. I mentioned earlier that we don’t yet know what will happen with Sam LaPorta, and we need to improve the rest of that room anyway. The players I looked at were Jeremiah Hasley (Duke); a former linebacker, primarily a blocker but his receiving skills are developing. Ethan Davis (Tennessee); backed up current Lions practice squad tight end, and proud member (I’m sure) of my 2026 ‘MY GUYS’ list, Miles Kitselman, Davis is more of a receiving tight end with a developing blocking skillset. Unfortunately, he injured his ACL in week 2 against Georgia Tech and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.....Brad loves injured guys?? If there’s one college coach who knows what a good tight end looks like, it’s Bill Belichick at UNC and he dipped into the transfer portal to bring Jelani Thurman to Chapel Hill after three years at Ohio State and it’s started well for Thurman. Lastly, I considered another’MY GUY’; Olsen Patt-Henry (Clemson) - we’ll talk about him in a minute......

6.(216)

Olsen Patt-Henry – TE – Clemson

I considered taking him at 204, so 12 picks later it’s a no-brainer for me. Now, the stats are not going to blow you away....at all – he has a total of 62 receiving yards this year on 7 receptions. But similarly to some others, the tape tells a different story. The route tree is limited but Patt-Henry is effective at getting open, especially on crossing routes where he is adept at finding the space between the linebackers and safeties. But his receiving prowess is not why I like him; his run blocking is dominant.....when he gets it right, it is still a little inconsistent, but the highs are great, i don’t think I have seen a tight pancake defensive end like this guy. He blocks with great pad level and keeps his legs churning to create movement.

Patt-Olsen is unlikely to ever become a TE1 for an NFL team, but he certainly could be a high-end TE2 which is just what the Lions need right now. I am considerably higher on the Clemson Tiger than anyone else I have seen; a lot of draft simulators don’t even list him as an option, maybe I am putting too much stock in the highs, but those highs are so good!

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Offensive line depth was the other focus for me here. I thought about the Kentucky duo of centre, Coleton Price and guard, Tegra Tshabola. Price is a hard-nosed centre with a nasty streak, who could also probably cover guard; he has a great anchor in pass protection. Tshabola is an Ohio State transfer who seems to have taken a step in his development; not a great mover in space, but very technically sound in a phonebox. The other one I looked at was Justin Evans (Nebraska) who impressed me with his strength and ability to cause displacement in the run game when I watched over the summer. I have not yet caught up with any of his 2026 tape, but he plays my struggling Oregon Ducks this week so I’ll have a good look at him then.

7.(246)

Coleton Price – C – Kentucky

I talked about him above; 30 picks later, I turn the card in here. Ultimately I think Price will get selected on day 2, but he falls to us in the seventh round in this mock. His calling card is his anchor in pass protection; he does a good job of dropping his hips and locking his hands onto the defensive lineman, rarely giving up any ground at all. In the run game, it’s not quite so dominant; he rarely gets outright beaten but doesn’t usually generate displacement, but if he does get a defender off balance, he always looks to bury them into the ground. He’s the pivot on what has been one of the best offensive lines in college football so far this year.

Getting depth along the offensive line is something every team strives for; I am a firm believer that all teams should invest at least one pick there every draft. I think Price can provide cover at both centre and guard and potentially challenge to start after a year or so. 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Linebacker Arion Carter (Tennessee) was a possibility for me here, a superb linear athlete; if he knows where the ball is going, he will get to that place. He struggles a bit more laterally and is still developing his coverage skills. But I love that he appears to have great character on and off the field; Carter is another of ‘MY GUYS’. Slot/safety Khalil Barnes (Georgia) is an experienced player having started since his freshman year at Clemson.

7.(254)

Kamari Wilson – S – West Virginia

With the ninth and final pick in the draft, I select my type of player. Wilson is a hard-hitting, downhill safety; he triggers fast on the run or any route in front of him, which can leave him susceptible to play-action. He’s not been great in coverage this year but has the athleticism and football IQ to be successful in zone coverage in my opinion.

Wilson would be a tone-setter on special teams with the upside of being a contributor on defence too. He’s the type of player who infuriates you one play, then reminds you why you love him on the next.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Before last season, safety Terry Moore (Ohio State) was regarded as a top-50 prospect. He then missed all of the 2025 season through injury. So far in 2026 he has barely played, only 38 snaps since transferring from Duke. At this rate, he may be available as a free agent but is definitely a player who can back up at the free safety position. Offensive tackle Jesse Perry (Tennessee) had a very good start to the year before coming across the juggernaut that is the Texas Longhorn defensive line, but he’s shown some good ability in the run specifically, worth a look at as a depth option with some upside. Lastly, a player who I think will go much, much higher than this; Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (Kentucky) has been on a tear in the SEC so far this year. 6-4, 271lbs, he has good size for an edge defender; he’s very stout against the run and has flashed some pass rush too.

So that ends the first of many mocks. Let me know what you think; would you have done anything different? If you want more information on these or any other prospect, let me know in the comments.