Beat me to it…
Only way I see Sewell getting past Cincinnati is if they want to pair Burrows up with Chase. Otherwise it’s a no brainer.
I am a BPA guy and I would not pass up an elite talent that was superior to what was on the board. If Parsons or another player graded up with him positional value would be the tiebreaker. There is a long way to go before we have any serious grades on any of these guys. Laurence seems to be everyone’s #1 at this point, but past that it is all up in the air. The Lions will be in position to get a very talented player wherever they pick.
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So all we have to do is find an idiot coach who’s trying to be a GM and makes stupid trades like DeAndre Hopkins for David Johnson. 
For the record Tunsil was still on his rookie deal when the Dolphins traded him. It was the Texans that gave him the big contract extension. I’m thinking the Texans should fire that guy. 
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Yeah, you’re right. I think these mock simulators don’t seem to understand how good Sewell is and how badly the Bengals need O-Line help. He’s their Parsons.
If the Lions trade Stafford or he retires, then maybe they better sign a QB at 7. And if they do not sign Golladay then I can see them taking a WR that high to replace him. And finally if they can get that LB from Ohio State then maybe the team would be better off.
Yes you would take him.
Even though the lions need defense in the worst way you don’t pass on a guy who will be a 10 year starter. This would improve the o-line which means a running game and less time for the defense to be on the field.
This is a rebuild. It’s not a quick fix.
That said, I doubt he will be around. by the time Lions have their pick.
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Would probably be BPA no question. At a golden three position. I think you have to take him and let him groom a year at RT. Hoping he’s better than Decker in year two, then I think you flip them. Move Vaitai to the bench as a costly mistake and hopefully your 4th round OG can move into a starting role.
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Agreed he seems like a lock to go to Cincy.
I would never tell a team NOT to draft a talented player, but if you are Cincy can you really afford to spend ANOTHER 1st round pick on a WR? It seems like a terrible way to build a roster when you have so many needs.
I think the reason he might make it past Cincy wouldn’t be because they drafted somebody else, but because someone gave them a haul to trade up for a QB
They lost their rookie 1OA pick who was lighting up the league to shitty protection.
Don’t overthink this one guys
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I’d imagine that protecting Burrow will be of extreme value to them. It’s not a bad OL class so that doesn’t have to be Sewell, but I think a Munoz level LT prospect is probably chicken soup for their football souls right about now.
It depends. PFF isn’t going to back me up on this, but from what I have watched, I like what Crosby and Nelson bring to the table. Nelson has pleasantly surprised me given he’s learning on the fly. Both have outplayed Vaitai imo.
I guess it comes down to BPA value. If Sewell is there and rated highest? I say I would really be on the fence. Some would say Tackle is a bit overglorified, and they might be right. This team is bleeding with flashing red critical needs for upgrade, mostly on defense. That’s hard to ignore. It’s also hard to ignore trading the rights to draft Hall of Fame Tackle Willie Roaf for Pat Swilling. Or looking at teams that drafted BATFAN up that high and came up snake eyes.
In the end, if he was highest on the board, I’d pull the trigger and take him. On a rookie deal it’s not a huge financial investment, and it’s a pretty awesome insurance policy if Decker goes down and you can kick him over. There comes a point where you have to trust your scouting, especially when the price of failure is your head on a platter.
It is however, a pretty huge investment of draft capital, so I would really be working the lines and see what I could drum up for trade offers.
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If he’s there, as much as I hate tondo it, I think I would. Decker and Sewell for the next 4-5 yrs would be nice. Ragnow and hopefully better guard play with Jackson, Dahl, Sternberg, or big v hopefully improves and we can control the LOS, have a run game and protect Stafford would be a huge boost.
My preference would be a nasty DT that can collapse the pocket and get pressure, or Parsons, but I wouldn’t complain at all with Sewell. If he’s truly the next Munoz or Thomas, Id be stoked
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It was the guard
Be that as it may, Burrow was on pace to be sacked 50 times and took games of 7 and 8 sacks.
Herbert has taken 3 max a game.
Like I said in my OP … I just can’t see him getting past Cincy.
They need help along that OL and I can’t see them passing on a stud LT.
Cincinnati is one of the handful of teams with serious money to throw around during free agency, in a buyer’s market. By the time the draft rolls around, their biggest need could be something completely different than what it is now.
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I just got a notice from the Athletic about what the Lions should do if Sewell fell to 7.
This is a five rd mock, so the post is a little lengthy.
The last time we tried our hands at a 2021 Lions mock, the dust barely had settled on the blockbuster Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade. A few weeks later, with free agency on the horizon and some enormous roster decisions facing first-year GM Brad Holmes, has the picture come into any clearer focus?
Because we cycled through a bunch of different scenarios in Mock 2.0, including a trade down, Mock 3.0 plays it straight up — no trades, just picks. Our latest test run, with the help of The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine:
Round 1, No. 7 overall
Chris Burke: Just fired up the mock to run through the first six picks, but before we get there: Nick, has your opinion of this class or of the Lions’ needs changed since Mock 2.0, right after the Stafford deal?
Nick Baumgardner: There’s still a little mystery there with how these quarterbacks are going to shake out, and whether Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell are going to land on a “must-have” guy this year. But overall, I think I’ve spent more time looking at the board as it sits 1-20 — because, in reality, the Lions are surely going to at least entertain the idea of moving back.
If they stay at No. 7, though, there are still a few ways they could go. They need so much. I’ve spent more time looking at the tackle board. We’ve even had a short conversation about “what if Kyle Pitts is there?” So, really, there’s just a number of different ways this could go and that may remain right up until draft week. Have you had any differences of opinion lately on a guy or two?
Burke: My opinion on the receivers has come into a little focus (and we can get into that as we make this first pick). I’m also starting to dig in against forcing a defender at No. 7, but I could be talked into Micah Parsons or even a cornerback there. But I’m still basically in the same spot, which is that the world is Brad Holmes’ oyster at this point.
So, let’s dive on. The first six picks in this run went:
- Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
- Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
- Dolphins: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
- Falcons: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
- Bengals: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
- Eagles: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
We’re not trading in this mock, but the Lions probably would have options to do so. What’s your reaction to picks 1-6?
Baumgardner: The first thing that stands out is Penei Sewell still being available. I think most would agree that either Waddle or DeVonta Smith is going to be on the board at No. 7. Seems more doubtful right now that Chase would slide, but we’ll see. So you’ll have the option of a receiver, at least one quarterback and, perhaps, a guy like Sewell.
The only question is whether the Lions think he can play right tackle. I think he’s gifted enough to do it, but we’ve really never seen it. And the Lions are already invested in Taylor Decker, who can’t really be a right tackle. So, this is the question that’s nagged me for a while. If Sewell is there: Does Detroit take him and then never worry about its offensive line again, or is it more complicated?
Burke: I try not to do the whole “just change his position, what’s the big deal” thing much, but I also think Sewell could be a starting guard for a year or two if he needed to be. He’s outstanding on the move and does really well when he can lock up pass rushers. So, on the one hand: No, it’s not all that complicated. If he’s the best player on your board, you take him and keep moving toward having an elite offensive line.
On the other hand … Smith is still there. Parsons is still there. Caleb Farley and Patrick Surtain are still there. And, of course, Trey Lance is just waiting to be the fourth QB off the board.
Baumgardner: It’s also important to note here: The Lions’ wide receiver situation is likely going to be a mess next year, or at least very uncertain. Same time, you’re not making this pick just for next year — or even necessarily for Jared Goff. Smith has grown on everyone over the years and rightly so. He’s not as fast as Waddle and Chase is a really dynamic player. But Smith’s ability to get open and make plays basically from the minute he arrived at Alabama can’t be ignored.
In this case, I think you still go with the best guy. Farley and Surtain are worth considering if they’re available, even despite the fact the Lions just drafted Jeff Okudah last year. But Smith or Sewell feels like the “best available” option right here.
Burke: So, here’s my receiver talk. I love Smith. He’s a nuanced route runner who should be able to produce early. He’s also my WR3 at the moment, behind Chase and Waddle — that works out here, but I’m trying to do the mental math on positional value. Either way, with how this class stacks up, you might want to come out of the first two days with a wide receiver and offensive tackle.
I think it’s Sewell.
Baumgardner: Sewell feels like a potentially generational offensive line prospect who can potentially wear many hats. Knowing Campbell and Anthony Lynn’s desire to kick-start the run game, this would make sense. And it’d feel like a steal, if I’m honest, with how talented he is.
The pick: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Round 2, No. 41 overall
Best available, according to The Draft Network board:
Burke: Did our plan already backfire? We’re sitting at 41 with Liam Eichenberg, Alex Leatherwood, Wyatt Davis, Creed Humphrey and a handful of other high-level offensive linemen on the board. I guess you can’t pick early planning to hit on a guy a round later, but that group really highlights how strong the O-line class might be.
Assuming we’re not taking another lineman here, which names jump out for you?
Baumgardner: The Lions need everything. So, TCU safety Trevon Moehrig-Woodard — a pretty versatile player who can play deep or in the box — jumps out. Georgia corner Eric Stokes is a fringe first-rounder. And there’s also Purdue lightning bolt Rondale Moore, who could wear many, many hats in a Lynn-operated offense.
This is a good exercise, as I’ve gotten used to just going O-line here. But who else stands out?
Burke: In the past, I’ve leaned toward the defensive line at this slot. And I’m looking at Daviyon Nixon, Levi Onwuzurike and Jay Tufele as possibilities. We’ve talked a lot about the Lions losing a huge chunk of their receiving corps, but they also could pull a near-complete reset at defensive tackle, too.
Baron Browning and Chazz Surratt would be interesting options. A guy like Carlos Basham is down there a little bit if we want to focus on the edge. Again, tons of options because this Lions team needs a bit of everything.
Baumgardner: Also, how long can you realistically wait on the defensive tackle class this year? As you point out, this might be the best situation from which to choose. I feel like there are still quality options at safety and linebacker later on in the draft, but I’m not sure we’ll get a better interior tackle if we wait.
In this group (Nixon, Onwuzurike, Tufele), I’d vote Nixon.
Burke: Yeah, same. My only question — and I’ll be asking this a lot over the next two months — is just how much we can trust 2020 performances. Because there’s not a ton to go on with Nixon before that. But the Lions badly need a disruptive player like this.
The pick: Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa
Round 3, No. 72 overall
Best available, according to The Draft Network board:
Burke: We’ve reached the range of “Everyone who had a good Senior Bowl week” — Payton Turner, Jabril Cox, Osa Odighizuwa, Jordan Smith, a bunch of receivers. It shouldn’t go overlooked how valuable that extra third-rounder will be for the Lions, thanks to the Stafford trade. There are starters available.
Baumgardner: Absolutely. Cox is a guy I’ve grown to like recently and, again, the Lions are looking for pretty much anyone who can actually run in the back seven. Cox might be able to help the Lions find something they don’t have in the middle: a linebacker who can cover in space. Question is: Can you wait on him and still get him later in the third?
Burke: Uh, I am not waiting. That is my pick right here without much hesitation. The Super Bowl showed again what having athleticism on the second level can do, and Detroit has none. OK, maybe Jamie Collins, but you’re not rebuilding around him with an eye on 2023-24. Cox would solve a lot of problems at linebacker and in terms of keeping a safety like Tracy Walker from having to squeeze into awkward coverage assignments.
If it’s not Cox, is there anyone else in the conversation for you?
Baumgardner: I would note that this is probably about as far as I’d want to wait on both the offensive tackle and defensive tackle prospects. I think you can wait a little longer at receiver and still come away with something pretty good in the third.
We’ve both run through the board a few times: I don’t think you can wait on Cox if he’s there. He’s rising, and another guy who should be able to come in and fill a need for the Lions right now.
The pick: Jabril Cox, LB, LSU
Round 3, No. 88 overall
Best available, according to The Draft Network board:
Burke: I’m starting to get a little nervous at wide receiver, bordering on that dangerous desperation zone that you want to avoid at all costs in the draft. If the Lions are sitting there in late April with Kenny Golladay, Quintez Cephus and a cheap free-agent veteran, though, how much longer can they hold off getting a guy?
Baumgardner: This is where it has to happen, especially if they don’t take Waddle or Smith in the first. The wide receiver class isn’t as deep as last year, but there’s still value at this point in the draft: Clemson’s Amari Rodgers, UCLA’s Demetric Felton, Ole Miss’ Elijah Moore and Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace are all available here.
You pointed it out earlier: The Lions should not leave Friday without a playmaker.
Burke: Do you have a preference out of those names? Arizona State’s Frank Darby, who lit up the Senior Bowl, and Wake Forest’s Sage Surratt also are still around. A lot of different styles of receivers, which is part of the conversation as well.
Baumgardner: I really liked Rodgers and Felton at the Senior Bowl. Both created separation against just about everyone they faced. For me, it might be between those two. I’m not as sold on Sage Surratt. Though, again: The Lions need everything. Speed would be my priority here.
If wide receiver Elijah Moore slides on Day 2, he could be a steal for Detroit. (Matt Bush / USA Today)
Burke: Moore is drawing first-round buzz, so that’s one of the challenges of these simulations — do we pick what’s there or try to be realistic with it? If he’s actually around in the 80s, I think it’s a steal. He’s an explosive slot option who’s much further along in his development than, say, Felton, a RB-turned-WR (probably). I want to make sure whomever is the pick here doesn’t cut into the opportunities for D’Andre Swift.
I’ll vouch for Wallace quickly, too. If Golladay is back, he might look very nice opposite him. He was an outside, vertical guy for Oklahoma State.
Baumgardner: I literally just wrote Moore’s name down and then forgot about him. So, I’d be fired. He’s the fastest guy in this situation, as you point out. In our case, he feels like the best available receiver, so that’s what I’d do here. A guy who can run and get open — the Lions need more of that. A lot more.
The pick: Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
Round 4, No. 103 overall
Best available, according to The Draft Network board:
Burke: Should we spend a moment on Jamie Newman, Davis Mills and/or Kellen Mond here? We’re into “Day 3” of our mock, which puts us beyond any QBs who might push Goff immediately. Still could be a draft-and-develop option who catches Holmes’ eye, though.
Baumgardner: I really wanted to see Newman play the year at Georgia, as he was super intriguing as a raw-ish prospect at Wake Forest. One of many pandemic-related bummers in college football.
Either way, if the Lions want a quarterback in this draft who’s not named Trevor Lawrence, they can probably get him. I’m not sure about using a mid-round pick on a developmental QB, unless they fall in love with a guy like Newman later. But that’s me.
We haven’t talked much about the QB options outside of the obvious top four — where do you land on the rest of the board?
Burke: Indifferent? I could get behind a little Mac Jones exploration, but that’d have to be early. At this range, I just don’t know. I asked our draft guru, Dane Brugler, what he thought of Newman and he said he reminded him of Jacoby Brissett with a “much lower floor.” So …
At this point, I think I’m punting the QB situation until the 2022 draft, riding with Goff and seeing what I can accomplish. Which brings us to the current options. And I’m having a hard time erasing Cameron Sample’s Senior Bowl from my mind. (He was just off the top 10 available at this spot, per The Draft Network’s board.)
Baumgardner: Oh yeah, he was everywhere. There’s some positional versatility with him, too, depending on what the Lions want to run out up front. He plays so hard and he seemed to score wins up front across the board in Mobile.
We’ve also got San Diego State safety Tariq Thompson, another versatile back-end piece, here. But if we’re going edge — and we need to at some point — Sample would feel like a great value in Round 4.
Does a running back, at any point, scare you? I only bring this up since Memphis’ Kenneth Gainwell is still available for us. And the Lions do need someone to work with Swift.
Burke: I was just going to ask you about Trey Sermon. It doesn’t scare me down here; it would scare me up in the top 75, and the Rams have had a history of using early draft capital at that position. Both running back and safety, I’d be fairly confident that the Lions could find a piece via free agency. That’s not the case on the edge, so I’m again tight-roping the need/best-player approaches, but Sample might check off both boxes.
The pick: Cameron Sample, edge, Tulane
Round 5, No. 137 overall
Best available, according to The Draft Network board:
Burke: End of the line for the Lions (for now). I’m still not sure how people will react to going offensive tackle in the top 10, but this feels like a good haul. Anyone catch your eye for the last piece?
Baumgardner: I’m half-tempted to take another receiver, to be honest. Am I insane?
Burke: Hooooo boy. There are a few good ones left — Shi Smith, Anthony Schwartz, Cornell Powell. Personally, I’d rather find out what Cephus can do with an expanded role, but it’s going to take more than two or three wide receivers to get through the year. Is Smith the player you’re eyeing?
Baumgardner: Smith and Illinois’ Josh Imatorbhebhe would be the two who stand out. Imatorbhebhe made plays against just about everybody in the Big Ten after transferring in from USC.
If we’re being responsible, though: We still need a safety and Missouri’s Tyree Gillespie is still on the board. (Like Sample last round, he was just outside the top 10 available.) He’s a box safety. The Lions don’t want Tracy Walker in the box as much any longer or, at least, he doesn’t want to be in the box any longer. Is Gillespie an upgrade over Will Harris? Either way, it feels like safety could be another area of need.
Burke: When I did a quick set of picks after Dane’s last mock, I took Middle Tennessee State safety Reed Blankenship here, so we’re on the same wavelength. That was more a pick to help on the back end/in the slot. Gillespie would give the Lions another weapon near the line, like you mention. Gillespie isn’t all that big (6-0, 202), but he buzzes around. He popped Najee Harris once this year, and, uh, that’s not easy to do.
Baumgardner: Right. A physical presence who can spend as much time in the box in run support as you need him to. If nothing else, perhaps a pick like this lights a fire under Harris and maybe we see more emerge there. Dan Campbell talked about fresh starts for guys. Still, someone who can tackle and run with tight ends — the Lions have to start adding guys like that.
The pick: Tyree Gillespie, S, Missouri
Lions Mock Draft 3.0
| ROUND | PICK | PLAYER | POSITION | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Penei Sewell | OT | Oregon |
| 2 | 41 | Daviyon Nixon | DT | Iowa |
| 3 | 72 | Jabril Cox | LB | LSU |
| 3 | 88 | Elijah Moore | WR | Ole Miss |
| 4 | 103 | Cameron Sample | Edge | Tulane |
| 5 | 137 | Tyree Gillespie | S | Missouri |
Burke: There we have it. Final thoughts?
Baumgardner: The Sewell question — if it even happens — is going to be really interesting. You can absolutely get good tackle value in this draft deeper, so maybe the move is to take a wide receiver at No. 7. It’s hard to hate on a talent like Sewell there, but taking a tackle early changes the rest of the board for the Lions pretty quickly.
And, again: I have to think a trade is going to be on the table somewhere. The board from 7-20ish still features plenty of great value.
Burke: They have to trade. If not in Round 1, then somewhere down the line just to make sure they’re maximizing this draft. Sitting out the final 90 or so picks for a team in a full rebuild doesn’t make a lot of sense. But you can see the challenge of their No. 7 slot: probably too low to get Lawrence/Wilson/Fields, still enough talent on the board to convince them to stay put and pick.
As you mentioned, it was a good idea to take Sewell and just see where that took us. We haven’t gone down that road yet, and we came out of this with the Lions’ offensive line now boasting at least four long-term guys, plus we rounded out the class later.
Baumgardner: Absolutely. The extra third already helps. But more would be better. I also think a lot of what the Lions are going to do here could depend on their Trey Lance scout. If they think he’s capable of being the guy, they might just sit there and take him at No. 7.
Regardless, the Lions are in position to draft strong players who can help right away at areas of need, basically through the fourth round. Hard to not like the value we found there.
(Top photo of Penei Sewell: Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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