Todd McShay’s latest Detroit Lions 2023 NFL Draft buzz, includes QB talk

Could the Detroit Lions end up selecting a quarterback with the No. 6 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft? Personally, I don’t think there is any chance of that happening, but I also don’t have the connections that NFL Draft guru Todd McShay has. In a column posted on Monday, McShay discussed the latest Lions draft buzz, and he mentions them as C.J. Stroud‘s “parachute slot” if he ends up dropping out of the Top 5.

Key Points

• NFL Draft expert Todd McShay suggests that the Detroit Lions may select quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 6 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft if he drops out of the top five.
• If Stroud is not available, the Lions will likely choose one of the top two edge rushers or a cornerback such as Devon Witherspoon or Christian Gonzalez.
• The author of the article is not a fan of Stroud as an NFL QB and hopes that McShay’s prediction is wrong.

Todd McShay’s latest Detroit Lions 2023 NFL Draft buzz, includes QB talk

Here is what McShay has to say about the latest buzz surrounding the Lions. As you can see, he believes the Lions might me in the QB market, specifically if Stroud drops to No. 6. He also mentions that if Stroud is gone at No. 6, then one of the top two edge rushers would likely be the pick, followed by CB Devon Witherspoon, or Christian Gonzalez.

This is another franchise that perhaps surprisingly might be in the QB market, and I consider this Stroud’s parachute slot if he drops out of the top five. He’s a younger, less expensive version of Jared Goff with better physical traits, and if he’s there, you bet the Lions would take a close look. I have not heard Richardson’s name connected to Detroit, though.

Either of the top two edge rushers would probably be the pick if Stroud isn’t there. But if both Anderson and Wilson are gone, this might be where the cornerbacks start coming off the board, and either Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon or Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez would likely be the selection. My guess is Witherspoon has the edge based on his physical play style and how he can help in run support. Detroit brought in veteran cornerback reinforcements in March, but it also traded Jeff Okudah earlier this month, and its opponents averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt last season, 31st in the NFL.

Bottom Line: Hopefully, McShay is wrong on this one

I have made it clear for some time now that I am not a big fan of C.J. Stroud as an NFL QB. There is just something about his demeanor that bothers me, and now, with the reports surfacing that he scored lower than any other QB prospect on the S2 Cognition Test, I would be absolutely shocked (and upset) if the Lions selected him at No. 6.