Can you believe it has already been about a week and a half since the 2020 NFL Draft concluded? Thanks to COVID-19, it is starting to seem like every day just blends into the next and so on and so forth.
This coming Thursday, the 2020 NFL regular-season schedule will be released and we will finally get to see who our Detroit Lions will open up the season against.
But how will the Lions fare in 2020? Did they make a big enough splash in the NFL Draft?
In a piece recently published by The Athletic, NFL executives (unnamed) commented on the Lions 2020 NFL Draft haul.
From The Athletic:
Detroit Lions
|
ROUND/PICK #
|
PLAYER
|
POSITION
|
SCHOOL
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 (3)
|
Jeff Okudah
|
CB
|
|
|
2 (35)
|
D’Andre Swift
|
RB
|
|
|
3 (67)
|
Julian Okwara
|
Edge
|
|
|
3 (75)
|
Jonah Jackson
|
OG
|
|
|
4 (121)
|
Logan Stenberg
|
OG
|
|
|
5 (166)
|
Quintez Cephus
|
WR
|
|
|
5 (172)
|
Jason Huntley
|
RB
|
|
|
6 (197)
|
John Penisini
|
DT
|
|
|
7(235)
|
Jashon Cornell
|
DT
|
Ohio State
Georgia
Notre Dame
Kentucky
Wisconsin
New Mexico State
UtahThe Lions got the first cornerback, second running back and third guard selected in a draft that falls at a pivotal time for third-year coach Matt Patricia and fifth-year GM Bob Quinn.
“Loved what they did,” an exec said. “They did not reach. They got the best corner on the board (Jeff Okudah). They got what some would say is the best running back on the board (D’Andre Swift). They got a versatile ‘backer that can come in and play (Julian Okwara). They got some good toughness on the interior of their line, and then the rest of the guys are just solid. I really do respect how they went about it.”
An offensive coordinator who studied the running backs closely said he thought Swift would be the first one selected.
“Swift and Kerryon Johnson complement each other very well,” an evaluator said. “My concern about Detroit’s offense is at tackle, where they have average starters who lack the athleticism needed to go against the edge players in Chicago and Green Bay.”
Detroit did get help at guard, appearing to read the market correctly by trading up 10 spots to select Jonah Jackson in the third round. No guards were selected over the next 33 picks.
“They will need Swift to be an offensive rookie of the year candidate and (Matt) Stafford to be healthy all year to make a run at that division,” an exec said. “I don’t think the defense will be good enough to carry them.”
