Inside the Article:
The 2023 NFL Draft is officially over and done with, and the Detroit Lions have taken several new players that they hope will be critical components as they work to get into the upper echelons of the National Football League. And while there has been plenty of reaction from the fans, what do the experts say?
Why It Matters – Full list of the Detroit Lions 2023 Draft Picks
Several outlets including USA Today have released their renditions of where they believe the Lions now stand compared to the rest of the NFL after the Draft. First, take a look at the full list of the Detroit Lions selections:
Round 1: No. 12 (from CLE through HOU and ARI) – Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Round 1: No. 18 – Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
Round 2: No. 34 (from ARI) – Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
Round 2: No. 45 (from DET) – Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Round 3: No. 68 (from DEN) – Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Round 3: No. 96 (from ARI) – Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky
Round 5: No. 152 – Colby Sorsdal, OL, William & Mary
Round 7: No. 219 (from HOU through MIN via PHI) – Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina
What do the experts have to say?
Take a look at how a handful of outlets have ranked the Lions after their selections. First, an analysis from USA Today, who rank the Lions at No. 10:
“Love their draft or hate it, you probably have to like them as divisional favorites coming off a season when they had the best record (5-1) in NFC North games.”
The Lions have slipped one spot from that ranking, coming in at No. 11 according to NFL.com, who decided to label Detroit’s haul as “not necessarily a bad draft, but a curious one”:
“With two picks in the first round, the Lions entered the draft with a golden opportunity to significantly improve their defense overnight. While they did use the No. 18 pick on linebacker Jack Campbell, they actually spent their top pick — No. 12 overall, following a trade down from No. 6 — on running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a move that prompted D’Andre Swift’s trade to the Eagles two days later.
If Gibbs becomes a star, no one will take issue with the choice. But was this the best use of Detroit’s assets? They could have paired Aidan Hutchinson with another promising edge rusher, or added elite young talent at cornerback after cutting ties with former first-rounder Jeff Okudah. Not necessarily a bad draft, but a curious one.”
Next, we’ll take a look at what CBS Sports has to say, as they also have the Lions at No. 11:
“This is a team on the rise with a lot of good, young players in a division that isn’t great right now. That’s usually a formula for success. Watch out for the Lions.”
And finally, the Lions slipped even further down the list with this ranking from Fox Sports, who have them coming in at No. 13 overall:
“We’ll be arguing for weeks about whether the Lions understand how positional value works. What we can’t argue is that they drafted four players who should push for starting jobs this year. Combine that with the work they did in the secondary in free agency, not to mention the addition of David Montgomery, and they do look like the NFC North favorites.”
Wrapping It Up: How do the Lions rank to you?
There were plenty of Lions fans who raised their eyebrows when Detroit’s first-round selections were announced, but the team brain trust believes they know what they’re doing in order to further navigate the Lions towards a successful 2023 and beyond.
How are you feeling about the team’s standing opposed to the rest of the NFL after this year’s Draft?
