Draft Grade and Re-Draft

[Sllim Pickens]

Now that we have had a chance to process it all, what are your overall Draft grades for Holmes and Co's first draft?

Also, knowing how the board fell, who would you have taken instead? 

 

[Sllim Pickens]

Overall I would give this a solid B+.  Not because I dislike any of the picks, I just would have gone a different direction.  Sewell alone makes this draft a win IMO and adding a few other solid players really helped push up this grade. However here is what I would have done.

 

1 (7) - Penei Sewell

2 (41) - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

3 (72) - Wyatt Davis or Quinn Mienerz

3 (101) - Jabril Cox

4 (112) - Amon-Ra St. Brown

5 (153) - Daviyon Nixon

 

Then I would have traded back into the 6th using a future 5th and drafted Jalen Twymen.  

 

[Karnage84]

1 hour ago, Sllim Pickens said:

Overall I would give this a solid B+.  Not because I dislike any of the picks, I just would have gone a different direction.  Sewell alone makes this draft a win IMO and adding a few other solid players really helped push up this grade. However here is what I would have done.

 

1 (7) - Penei Sewell

2 (41) - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

3 (72) - Wyatt Davis or Quinn Mienerz

3 (101) - Jabril Cox

4 (112) - Amon-Ra St. Brown

5 (153) - Daviyon Nixon

 

Then I would have traded back into the 6th using a future 5th and drafted Jalen Twymen.  

 

I mean.... I can't really slam this for anything. I would be thrilled with this draft class. 

[SimbaWho]

7, Penei Sewell, OT.

41, Nick Bolton, LB.

72, Don't hate the McNeill selection. Keep it. Alim McNeill, DT.

101, Jabril Cox, LB.

112, Don't hate it. Keep it Amon-Ra St. Brown., WR.

153, No trade up, dumb move imo, and typical to trade up for a reach. Idk who's getting there way in the scouting department but at least it's not in the 2nd round. We can live with a 4th round random trade up for a really low rated low ceiling guy... He should still be fired though( that guy in the scouting department.) Anyways... Shaun Wade, CB.

[BarryTheBest]

I do not personally have the level of research completed on the prospects as many of you do so I cannot say I would have taken anyone over who we did, except I wanted to take Jamie Newman with our last pick. 

I did really like our draft as we put so much emphasis on the trenches which is always a welcome thing in my eyes. The National Pundits really liked our draft which is a departure from drafting a long snapper, or taking a Tavai in the 2nd. This article helps to gather a lot of the data and breakdown how we ranked against our peers;

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2021/5/3/22413907/detroit-lions-2021-draft-class-most-value-nfl-top-10

[SweetFancyMoses]

1.7 Penei Sewell(Top Tier OT Talent:Great Pick)
2.9 Levi Onwuzurike(Probably the top 3T in a weak group:  Good Pick)
3.8 Alim McNeill(Top 1T prospect.   1T with some pass rush ability: Great Pick)
3.38 Ifeatu Melifonwu(Tall fast CB prospect who most had as a 2nd round pick.  Good Pick)
4.7 Amon-Ra St. Brown(Slot WR could also play #2 if needed.   Great Pick)

Don't know anything about your last 2 picks.   Other than Levi,  all your picks were projected to go earlier.  That's great value. 

Grade A.

[NFL_Fan]

16 minutes ago, SweetFancyMoses said:

1.7 Penei Sewell(Top Tier OT Talent:Great Pick)
2.9 Levi Onwuzurike(Probably the top 3T in a weak group:  Good Pick)
3.8 Alim McNeill(Top 1T prospect.   1T with some pass rush ability: Great Pick)
3.38 Ifeatu Melifonwu(Tall fast CB prospect who most had as a 2nd round pick.  Good Pick)
4.7 Amon-Ra St. Brown(Slot WR could also play #2 if needed.   Great Pick)

Don't know anything about your last 2 picks.   Other than Levi,  all your picks were projected to go earlier.  That's great value. 

Grade A.

some had Levi as #1 DT!!! I like his pass rush ability of Barmore. and I dont really want Bama players so thats a win!! 

I give the draft an A. Two DT back to back isnt "pretty" but we needed it so bad. We couldn't stop the run. we couldn't generate pressure from the interior which would help the edge guys. everything comes after that. the QB gets hit, he tosses it up, easier opportunity for an INT. Just think we are set at DT for 3 years at least. That means next year we can go for a position more "fun/pretty" like a WR/LB/S/Backup edge. I think we should always take an Olineman no matter how good the oline is for depth. not another frst rd LT but id take a nice RG next year in top 3 rds if Vatai and stenberg stink. Before this draft we had holes....no more holes on paper on D line and a huge one filled on o line. Shoot having crosby as a backup swing tackle will be nice!! starter, not so much. Gives goff a chance to at least try and take the role. If not. in two years nothing to worry about. They will try a new guy. Their livelihoods are on the line. Also read Alim had one of the best first steps for his size this draft if that means anything to anymore. Also yes I dont want anyone to think they cant share their opinion. Sorry @detfan782004 dont mean to push you off of here. 

[SweetFancyMoses]

10 minutes ago, NFL_Fan said:

some had Levi as #1 DT!!! I like his pass rush ability of Barmore. and I dont really want Bama players so thats a win!! 

I give the draft an A. Two DT back to back isnt "pretty" but we needed it so bad. We couldn't stop the run. we couldn't generate pressure from the interior which would help the edge guys. everything comes after that. the QB gets hit, he tosses it up, easier opportunity for an INT. Just think we are set at DT for 3 years at least. That means next year we can go for a position more "fun/pretty" like a WR/LB/S/Backup edge. I think we should always take an Olineman no matter how good the oline is for depth. not another frst rd LT but id take a nice RG next year in top 3 rds if Vatai and stenberg stink. Before this draft we had holes....no more holes on paper on D line and a huge one filled on o line. Shoot having crosby as a backup swing tackle will be nice!! starter, not so much. Gives goff a chance to at least try and take the role. If not. in two years nothing to worry about. They will try a new guy. Their livelihoods are on the line. Also read Alim had one of the best first steps for his size this draft if that means anything to anymore. Also yes I dont want anyone to think they cant share their opinion. Sorry @detfan782004 dont mean to push you off of here. 

I like him better than Barmore.   Actually, I like both DT's you drafted better than Barmore.    To me Barmore is a jack of all, master of none DT.   

[Lions017]

I legitimately think that this was an A draft. There were things that I would've liked to have seen differently, like the WR or LB position being addressed a bit earlier, but I think that in terms of overall talent we did extremely well. 

I am concerned that we are hanging Goff out there to dry by not giving him a more talented group of receivers, but he does have an elite TE and pass-catching RB, and that offensive line should be very good. If nothing else, this team should be in a good spot to draft a QB next year and give them some tools to be successful. 

[BarryTheBest]

13 minutes ago, Lions017 said:

I legitimately think that this was an A draft. There were things that I would've liked to have seen differently, like the WR or LB position being addressed a bit earlier, but I think that in terms of overall talent we did extremely well. 

I am concerned that we are hanging Goff out there to dry by not giving him a more talented group of receivers, but he does have an elite TE and pass-catching RB, and that offensive line should be very good. If nothing else, this team should be in a good spot to draft a QB next year and give them some tools to be successful. 

I like your outlook, but do not totally agree about hanging Goff out to dry. On the contrary, I think we did the opposite. 

Goff has shown great ability when given time to see the field. We added to the oline with the best prospect in some time. Granted receiver was/is a huge need, but lets look at it holistically;

- Williams/Perriman can both stretch the field

- Hock/St Brown working the middle of the field with some seam stuff and corner routes sprinkled in

- Swift/Williams/Johnson are all capable pass catchers

No we do have a true number 1 Wr, or maybe even a number 2, but what we do have is pretty good collections of pass catchers overall,  that in many cases should give at least a couple open targets on passing downs provided our line becomes what we all expect. 

[Millenhater]

I'd have to give this draft an A-.  This is how I felt after the 2013 draft.  They picked 4 players that were were my pet cats.  The one pick that I even have a little issue is our 2nd pick and even then it's only because I liked a few other players more.  On my BB I had him at 46 so he was exactly at value.  In the end I don't know if I'd change anything other than that pick, but looking at the entirety of the draft I might even keep it.  

Having said that time to put my money where my mouth is:

1. Penei Sewell - This is who I wanted and was pumped when we did it.  You thought Brad Holmes was excited you should have seen me.

2. Asante Samuel/JOK/Trevon Moehrig/Terrace Marshall - This is how I had them on my BB but on the day of I think I would have gone Marshall then JOK. 

3. Aliem McNeil - Was a big fan and thought maybe we could get him with our next pick but it turns out we couldn't.  The other player I would have considered here was Wyatt Davis and possibly Amari Rodgers

3. Baron Browning  - I had Melifonwu rated one spot higher than Baron Browning but I think the way the LB talent had depleted I may have possibly gone Browning.  If I'm true to the board here I go Melifonwu but it's close

4. Amon-Ra St. Brown - Love the pick.  Wouldn't change it.

5. Shaun Wade - I was a big fan of Wade as S that could cover the Slot.  Not sure what Baltimore will do with him but I would have loved to have grabbed him.  The other Option here would be Dayvion Nixon.  I had Nixon ranked a lot higher so he probably would have been the pick but I'm going Wade because I think I would have found a way to trade to get him.

 

[Louis Friend]

I give the Lions an A- on the draft. It was good. They got some exceptional talent at different spots (Sewell, Melifonwu, St. Brown). My only knock is passing on better talent and not playing the board well.

My draft- BPA

1. Penei Sewell, OT- Great pick. I fully support it. I keep it.

2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB/S- Top 15 talent, available in the second and at TWO positions we have the most need. Passing on him could come back to haunt us.

3. Quinn Meinerz, G- Toughest SOB in the draft, IMO. Pairing him next to Sewell could have been deadly. And got us out from under needing Vaitai and his contract.

3.. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR- My highest rated WR left on the board. Tough receiver. Complete player. I keep this pick.

4. Jaylen Twyman, DT- Twyman fell in the draft because reportedly front offices didn't like his attitude. He's a handful. He bites knee caps. He has passion. I'd rather have another Suh than another Nick Fairley. He out bench pressed Aaron Donald. Go watch his draft call and not cry. 

4. Jabril Cox, LB-We have NOTHING at LB to build around. We've lacked a coverage LB for as long as I can remember. Cox is the best coverage LB in the draft. Getting him in the fourth is worth moving back up for. 

7. Marvin Wilson, DT- Ultimately went undrafted. He had a disappointing finish to the 2020 season. But was one of the highest graded defenders in the nation in 2018 and 2019. Getting him and Twyman would making any team instantly better, getting both day 3 is a dream scenario. 

[NFL_Fan]

i wonder the deal with jabril 

[BigC421/]

Apparently JOK has a heart issue that teams found out about late.  

[LionArkie]

 

I do not know the prospects well in terms of watching tape. The only information I had was that of which I read. I love our first two picks and wouldn't change them. First, How do you say anything bad about Sewell...unless you write for the free press?

I really liked our second pick. I mocked him, didn't post him here as I generally don't post my mocks. As I was reading up on him then, I kept asking myself why we weren't hearing more about him?  Now, I wouldn't have been upset with Samuel, or Marshall at 2 either, but I believe for this team this year a DT would help us more and it just so happens we got one that some said could be a top 15 pick if he played 2020. I'll take that potential all day.

Back to back DT's had me scratching my head, but just because we had so many needs. After reading more about him and hearing some of the comments on here, I like the pick much better. I'm never going to complain about big uglies.  In fact, I wouldn't be upset if the board fell that way again next year and we took another.  A nightmare rotation is significant and I hope we develop it.  Good line play on both sides is going to cover up weaknesses.  Good DL play is going to make crappy LB look better, and DB perform better and get the offense back on the field. So yeah, I like it.

I like how all our picks are not only big, but athletic.  It seems like Detroit has never really drafted like this.  Also, I do believe Holmes and company stuck to their board. They have said things like,

"We're going to stick with the same plan that we had at seven, or if we would have possibly moved in any direction up or back, that's just to get the best football player,"

"We're not going to anchor ourselves or pigeonhole ourselves and say, 'We got to get this position or that position."

"I mean, hey, look, if it's another offensive lineman that's a high-impact player, then it's another offensive lineman. If it's a defensive back, then it's a defensive back. Whoever is the best football player for us to make sure that we can get the most competitive team as we can through our efforts, then that's where we're going to go."

In the end, I will give this a B+ grade. I'll knock them for the trade up.  I don't want to give up resources when we have so many needs. But all in all, I really like this draft.  The only change would be to probably not trade up for Barnes.  Now we get to determine if this team can evaluate talent or not.

**Edited this as the previous version sounded like I was piling on other arguments I've already made.  Which was not really my intent, nor the intent of the topic.

Edited May 4, 2021 by LionArkie