Inside the Article:
The Super Bowl is in the books, and before too long, the 2023 NFL new year will begin, which means teams will be able to sign free agents to bolster their rosters for next season. Not long after that, it will be time for the 2023 NFL Draft, and it is going to be very interesting to see what Detroit Lions decide to do in the opening round, where they currently hold the No. 6 and No. 18 overall picks. In a recent 2023 NFL Mock Draft released by Kent Platte of Pro Football Network, the Lions trade the No. 6 pick and then select a wide receiver with the No. 18 pick.
Key Points:
- Detroit Lions trade away No. 6 overall pick to Carolina Panthers
- Lions select a wide receiver with No. 18 overall pick in 2023 NFL Mock Draft
- This move is a departure from previous mocks that had the Lions selecting a quarterback at No. 6
- Lions acquire additional draft capital through the trade
The Big Picture: Lions look to rebuild through the draft
The Detroit Lions finished the 2022 season with a 9-8 record, despite starting off 1-6. GM Brad Holmes has made it clear that the Lions are looking to rebuild their team through the draft. The decision to trade away their No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for additional draft capital would a bold move, but it could pay off in the long run. By selecting a wide receiver with their No. 18 overall pick, the Lions, according to Platte, would be looking to add a dynamic playmaker to their offense.
9) Detroit Lions: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
(TRADE: from Panthers)
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is returning after being passed over for several head coaching opportunities, which makes him best suited to fixing a defense that struggled over the past two seasons. Many Lions fans were clamoring for the team to take Sauce Gardner in 2022, but the Lions took the more popular choice in Aiden Hutchinson. It’s hard to fault them for it.
Christian Gonzalez is a tough, physical corner who uses his size and length well to deter quarterbacks from throwing his way. He improved his ball skills dramatically in 2022, hauling in 4 interceptions to go with 7 pass breakups.
18) Detroit Lions: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
After years of putting it on the back burner, the Lions seem to have figured out that blazing speed gives your team a huge advantage on offense. Bringing in Jameson Williams last season and a player like Jalin Hyatt in 2023 would give them an edge by forcing opposing safeties to stay off the line.
This has a dual benefit of allowing their creative play caller, Ben Johnson, carte blanche to call whatever new run designs he’s thought of that week.
2023 NFL Draft By the Numbers
The Detroit Lions currently hold the No. 6 and No. 18 overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft
- In a recent mock draft, the Lions trade away their No. 6 pick to the Carolina Panthers and select a wide receiver with their No. 18 pick
The 2023 NFL Draft is an important event for all NFL teams, but it is especially crucial for a team like the Detroit Lions that is still looking to add key pieces to its roster. The decision to trade away their No. 6 overall pick for additional draft capital shows that the Lions are looking to build for the future. By selecting a wide receiver with their No. 18 overall pick, Platte believes the Lions are looking to add a playmaker to their offense that can help them win games in the future.
The Bottom Line – Lions look to the future with bold draft move
In this mock draft from Kent Platte, the Detroit Lions are taking a bold approach to the 2023 NFL Draft by trading away their No. 6 overall pick for additional draft capital and selecting a wide receiver with their No. 18 pick. The Lions are hoping that this draft will help build upon the success they had over the final 10 games of the 2022 regular season.
