I think his athleticism at such a hard position to find quality players will push him up the board as well. To me he is a very boom/bust kind of prospect which is a tough sell at 18, but I would understand if that is what happens.
I’ve been reading that his hands are bad, drops alot of balls, precisely why he’s not a WR.
Only issue I have is his weight. Last year Dan kept saying we needed to add some beef to the line, adding a 3T at 270-280 only exacerbates the lack of beef (more Beef is better!). But, where there is smoke there’s fire. So if we add a player like AA do they grab a 330 NT/1T later?
Bresee or Adebawore?
2 Likes
Bresee
2 Likes
I feel like Benton is one of the players that have the “IT” factor that Dan Campbell mentioned. He’s a solid player. @Thats2 you think his range 35-45 in the second?
1 Like
First round
No. 6 (via the Rams): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
6-1, 197 | 32-inch arm | RAS: 9.96
Baumgardner: OK, Colton, we’ve sent the first card in. This conversation was as much about cornerback versus edge as anything else. First, I want your thoughts on Gonzalez as a prospect and if you think he’s the corner the Lions would take at 6 — or if someone else would be the pick here.
Second, we talked about the entire board at corner: Could we go elsewhere at 6 and still get the guy we want at 18?
Pouncy: So, Gonzalez obviously isn’t a new name. The Lions need corners and he’s long been viewed as one of the best. I was curious to see if he’d separate from the pack at the combine. We all knew he’d light it up and he did — with the highest relative athletic score among corners in this class. I think at times we get caught overthinking it with Gonzalez. Is he an Aaron Glenn guy? Is he physical enough? In the past when you’d see Gonzalez mocked to the Lions, you had to wonder if it was just based on need rather than getting the best player available. But he seems to be solidifying his status as a premium player in this draft.
And for those wondering why we stayed at 6: There wasn’t an obvious trade partner. The Panthers traded up from No. 9 to No. 4 to select Anthony Richardson in Brugler’s mock, which was probably our best bet. We didn’t want to force anything else.
The other option at 6 might have been Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson. He’s probably in the same discussion with Gonzalez for best defensive prospect not named Will Anderson Jr. or Jalen Carter. If we didn’t go with Gonzalez, I also would’ve been fine taking Wilson and trying to snag a corner at 18 or maybe even the second round. I doubt Devon Witherspoon will be there at 18. Same with Joey Porter Jr. So you’re talking about that next tier of corners, a guy like Maryland’s Deonte Banks.
Edge isn’t as big of a need, but it’s a fun conversation.
No. 18: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
6-0, 190 | 30 3/4-inch arm | RAS: 6.10
Baumgardner: It’s possible Branch (who played for the same Georgia high school, Sandy Creek, as Calvin Johnson) doesn’t make it this far down the board. The fit with Green Bay at No. 15 feels perfect. I do not care what his 40-yard dash result was for the same reason I didn’t care what Kyle Hamilton’s 40 was a year ago. Branch still might be the third-best defender in this draft.
I think he can play either safety spot, his fit next to Kerby Joseph would be outstanding and Tracy Walker could serve as a mentor/rover until his deal runs out. It’s no secret that Detroit’s biggest issue is pass defense in general. Branch and Gonzalez?
What’s not to like?
Pouncy: I don’t think I’ve seen a mock that has had both Gonzalez and Branch to Detroit. Apologies if that’s been done already. But the more I think about it, the more I like it. Branch is one of the best defenders in this class and feels like a player you draft and figure out where to put later. He’s versatile enough to make it work. Nickel, safety, doesn’t matter.
Remember where the secondary was in 2021? Two years later, the Lions could potentially add Joseph, Gonzalez and Branch to the mix. That would serve as the influx of talent this defensive backfield so desperately needs. You’d have to think Glenn would be on board with this, and it allows us to get a little more creative on Day 2 and beyond.
Baumgardner: I would add something about the safety position: Too many people get too caught up in measurables and metrics. A player’s intelligence, and specifically his fit, is far more important. You can go through the RAS database and find a ton of outstanding athletes who tested off the charts and had no idea how to play football — and were bad NFL safeties.
Branch is a sound athlete and an elite football player. If I’m a GM and he’s there at 18, I’m very happy.
Second round
No. 48: Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
6-2, 282 | 33 7/8-inch arm | RAS: 9.85
Baumgardner: Maybe my favorite player at the Senior Bowl, and a guy who would fit in more ways than one, Adebawore is an oddly shaped edge prospect in this class who I think can also line up inside at the three-technique. He’s short but he’s long and he’s really explosive. His combine workouts were must-see television and I’m not sure what exactly they did for his stock.
I gave the Lions Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton here in my last mock before the combine, but honestly Adebawore’s good enough to go here, too. Especially given Detroit’s roster.
Pouncy: Among the big winners from the underwear Olympics, Adebawore did some jaw-dropping things at the combine. A 4.49 40 at 282 pounds is absurd. I also liked that he did drills as a defensive tackle, defensive end and even linebacker. Not that he’ll play all of those positions at the next level, but it did display a certain competitive edge and confidence in his ability. Love that.
I almost wonder if he finds a way to sneak into the first round before this is all said and done, but as we’re still in the information-gathering period, we’ll happily scoop him up here in the meantime.
Final note: As we learned last week, Levi Onwuzurike’s status following a back injury that wiped out his sophomore season is still TBD. The Lions can’t afford to run it back with the same crew and hope Onwuzurike is ready to go. That’s why we’re adding now and worrying about the rest later.
No. 55: Matthew Bergeron, OL, Syracuse
6-5, 318 | 33 3/4-inch arm | RAS: N/A
Baumgardner: This is the best option in this scenario, as Bergeron is my favorite mid-round guard-tackle swing option. He could be a favorite of others, too. This pick requires some long-term thinking, as Bergeron is athletic enough to move inside and play guard between Frank Ragnow and Penei Sewell right now. Whenever Taylor Decker is ready to move on or retire, Bergeron becomes the tackle opposite Sewell.
The best part about this entire thing is that both Sewell and Bergeron could play left or right tackle. They’re both also athletic enough to play guard. We all know the importance of versatility. Drafting a talented, versatile offensive lineman is never a bad idea.
Pouncy: Bergeron has been your guy since the Senior Bowl, and it didn’t take much convincing to get me there with you. This pick sort of (but not necessarily) assumes the Lions part ways with Halapoulivaati Vaitai in the near future, saving $6.5 million in cap space and allowing Bergeron to step in as a starter at right guard. But I like the fit a whole lot.
You really don’t need an All-Pro at that position when you have Sewell and Ragnow, so the idea of getting someone young and cheap who could play the position, kick out to tackle if someone goes down and factor in as a long-term piece makes a ton of sense. So much value with this selection.
Third round
No. 81: Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
5-10, 201 | 30 3/4-inch arm | RAS: N/A
Baumgardner: This is a really deep running back class and Spears is a big part of that. He’s an explosive back (20.3 mph on the GPS at the Senior Bowl) who had a really good showing against higher-level opponents in Mobile.
This prompts a two-part question: How much does Holmes want to draft another running back? And what does this mean for D’Andre Swift?
Pouncy: The Rams drafted six running backs in eight years while Holmes was their director of college scouting. Since 2013, Holmes has been part of a draft team that selected running backs in every round except the fourth. The only one he’s drafted for Detroit, though, is 2021 seventh-rounder Jermar Jefferson.
Holmes has talked with Jamaal Williams about a return and that feels like the right move, depending on the numbers. He shouldn’t break the bank. But adding another running back into the mix would lessen Swift’s workload in 2023, which could keep him fresh over the course of the season and, ideally, into the playoffs. It also gives Detroit the flexibility to move on from Swift if the two sides can’t reach a long-term agreement. Again, the draft isn’t just for immediate needs.
I’m a big fan of Spears’ film and think he could carve out a role in the offense early. I still like the idea of drafting Bijan Robinson at 18, but this would likely appease the “RBs don’t matter” crowd.
2 Likes
Thanks, what I thought I had read.
I expect it to change now.
3 Likes
Pre FA
Tough one. Probably Adebawore for me but I’d be fine with either. I’ve got all 3 of Bresee, Adebawore and Kancey ranked from 24-35 overall on my personal board, and all in the same tier.
I think that’s Benton’s ceiling, yeah. Could see him going later 2nd or even very early 3rd. You never know with the draft. I do agree that Dan, Brad and the rest of our FO is gonna love him.
1 Like
He would definitely be our penetrating 3t, which I think we need along with a beefier guy. If we go with Adebawore or Kancey I could definitely see adding a Jerrod Clark or Brodric Martin later to add the beef.
1 Like
I like it. You can never have too many coverage pieces.
If we do let Chark walk I do think we need another WR though.
1 Like
Well said, couldn’t agree more.
1 Like
I personally prefer Adebawore to Kancey.
I know that Kancey has better tape - but I just worry that he’s maxxed out and comparatively one - dimensional. He’s very, very good at one particular thing and that concerns me as it restricts how you can use him and if that one particular thing doesn’t translate - he’s suddenly very limited. My concern is that he’s really a specialist.
Conversely, my impression is that you can plonk Adebawore at any position on the defensive line on any down and he’s going to be at least solid. The argument about Adebawore is really whether you believe his limited production is a function of how Northwestern used him or whether you think it’s a problem with Adebawore himself. But someone is going to bet on his scary athleticism and his unusual proportional length - especially given that at the Senior Bowl the coaches seemed to get more out of him in a week than Northwestern had previously managed. Everything I’ve read about the guy also suggests he’s a very good culture fit for the Lions.
My hunch is that Adebawore’s floor is the Eagles at #30.
5 Likes
Word for word how I feel. Great post.
Nolan Smith is another player I have to believe embodies what MCDC is looking for. While he is categorized as an Edge, can he be a 3 down LB? I look at he and Drew Sanders in a similar light. I know the staff don’t place a premium on the position, but an ILB with speed that excels at blitzing (need to be good at coverage and defending the run also) would add a lot to this defense.
Good post, well thought out.
I’ll still take Kancey.
If you pass on Aaron Donald and Aaron Donald Lite, you don’t get to pick again ever.
If I’m wrong, I’m happy to be wrong.
Because if I passed on him and he turns out to be what some think he could be…then that’s it. It’s over
But what if AA is Aaron Donald lite?
