With the No. He has had positive interaction with Lions defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant and looks forward to soaking in as much knowledge from him as possible. 7. Grading scale: A = Great B = Good C = Average D = Poor F = Horrible Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon (First round, 7th overall) Grade: A 6-foot-5 The Steelers and Cowboys tried to plug holes. • McShay's favorite pick for all 32 teams He is also Detroit’s second-highest pick for an offensive lineman in the common draft era (Lomas Brown, sixth overall in 1985). Oregon’s Penei Sewell, the best offensive lineman in this class, fell into their laps with the seventh overall pick, and that was the ultimate no-brainer. The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan.They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL), and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.. 3 overall draft pick in 2018, the Jets received three picks: a sixth-rounder in the 2021 draft later this month and a second-rounder and fourth-rounder in 2022. Overall grade for Lions' 2021 draft class: A- (ranked ninth out of 32 NFL franchises). Kiper's Day 2 winners and questionable picks: Which teams got the best value. The Detroit Lions' draft grades are in from several prominent media outlets. Second-round defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike from Washington was undervalued in this class because the Huskies insisted on playing at nose tackle too often, but he’ll be a real asset if he’s allowed to one-gap at tackle and end. St. Brown was clearly one of the best receivers available in the early fourth round, lacking great speed but providing a reliable target. St. Brown is the ideal tough slot receiver for them to playoff tight end T.J. Hockenson. Anyway, here are my 2021 draft grades for the Lions. As part of the deal, the Lions gave up the No. • Scouting reports | More draft coverage, • All 259 picks | Every team's class 153 overall selection in the fifth round and a 2022 fourth-rounder, and also landed pick No. With nine picks and four early-round selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, Patricia and Quinn were presented with a potential lifeline — a chance to expedite their success, in one of the toughest places to win. They could have gotten a good wideout in either round. Get the latest Detroit Lions news, scores, stats, standings, rumors, and more from ESPN. The 2021 NFL draft was held April 29 through May 1 and every Detroit Lions draft pick has been analyzed here. 112 and No. A look at complete grades for every pick for the Detroit Lions' 2021 NFL Draft and a final grade for the team. Lions first-year general manager Brad Holmes possessed back-to-back picks in the fourth round (No. Sewell's floor is at No. Take a look at the highlights from Oregon OT Penei Sewell as he prepares to be an early pick in the NFL draft. Jefferson has good vision and was highly productive in college with 514 career rushes for 2,923 yards and 27 touchdowns. Sewell is a hyper-athletic tackle who gobbles up pass rushers and moves in the open field like no one at his size should. Where this draft gets questionable for the Lions is in their refusal to take a receiver for Jared Goff until the fourth round, where they picked up USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown. • NFL Nation: Analysis for every pick The 2020 third-team All-ACC selection racked up 88 career tackles in college, in addition to 19 passes defensed and three interceptions. Pitts might end up in Atlanta but has no chance of lasting past the Dallas Cowboys at pick 10. A big question in the minds of many is whether or not the Detroit Lions make the move to pick up a quarterback in the NFL Draft or not, and a potential answer may have come from a … Detroit made it a point to get better in both trenches early and got some good secondary and linebacker depth later. Grade: A 7 overall): Penei Sewell slid a bit but falls right to the Lions, who find someone to protect new quarterback Jared Goff. • NFL Nation: Analysis for every pick I could care less that Holmes didn’t draft every need in order. You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. That 10.2 rushes per game ranked ninth in the FBS, per ESPN Stats & Info. Sewell was an unbeatable way to come out swinging. Check out the best highlights from Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike's college career. His 95.8 PFF grade in 2019, the last season he played college football, is even more impressive because he was only 19 years old at the time. 2021 NFL draft coverage • All 259 picks | Every team's class • Kiper's draft grades for every team • McShay's favorite pick for all 32 teams No matter the case, though, the upside of the players they did select could eventually pay off -- and in a big-time fashion. 7 overall. He had 7.5 sacks in his first year as a full-time starter in the NFL. Sewell will certainly help the Lions improve, but I don't think many of their other picks will have much of an impact in that regard. Analysis: The Lions' front office vigorously celebrated the Penei Sewell selection. Detroit needed to carry over that celebration to its other selections because none of their other picks scored above a "B" grade. Meet the Detroit Lions' 2021 NFL Draft Class: Round 1 (7) - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon Round 2 (41) - Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington Round 3 (72) - Alim McNeill, DT, NC State Round 3 (101) - Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse Round 4 (112) - Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC Round 4 (113) - Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue Round 7 (257) – Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State Analysis: Give a former NFL tight end with a penchant for inflicting pain the keys to the draft room and this is exactly what you’d expect. The Lions ended up with seven total picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, including three picks on Day 3. And third-round nose tackle Alim McNeill from North Carolina State reminds me of Falcons star Grady Jarrett, and he could do even more to fulfill that projection if he’s allowed to move to three-tech and get after the quarterback more often. 7 pick, McShay projects the Lions to land LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Detroit used the selections to upgrade its offense and linebackers unit. My take: Two picks ahead of Mr. Outside of Sewell's individual stats, Oregon was 7-3 when he was in the starting lineup and 4-3 in seven games missed due to an ankle injury. Selecting two defensive tackles after trading for Michael Brockers earlier this offseason seemed a little strange, especially considering the other areas of the team in need of support, but Onwuzurike and McNeill are very good players worthy of their draft slotting. They added Breshad Perriman, Tyrell Williams, Kalif Raymond and Damion Ratley this offseason. 2021 NFL Draft grades: Detroit Lions had a consensus top-10 class The Lions’ draft actually graded out as the second-best class in the NFC. Logan Stenberg, G (Pick 121) Grade: B+ With their only pick in the fourth round, The Lions selected … The Detroit Lions' draft grades are in from several prominent media outlets. 113), after executing a draft-day trade with the Cleveland Browns. ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. said Detroit addressed its needs on the offensive line and got a steal in defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, but more work needs to be done. Here's a pick-by-pick look at how each player Detroit has selected will fit. My take: Detroit addresses a much-needed hole by drafting a solid receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown. He’s another tough-nosed player, fitting this year’s draft theme within the organization of picking the best players available with like minds. The Lions selected Jeff Okudah third overall in the 2020 NFL draft, but this selection adds depth to the position. The Lions went offensive line, defensive line, defensive line with their first three picks and while we’re all left staring at the empty, dust-ridden shelf that is their receiver room, it represented a solid foundational maneuver going forward. 7 (Detroit Lions) or No. St. Brown is a very nice slot and outside receiver, but he’s not a WR1, and the Lions have a bunch of WR3s behind him. Lions draft picks in 2021. Sewell allowed pressures on only 1.9 percent of pass blocks in 2019, while being called for just one penalty (a false start), according to ESPN Stats and Info. News Sports Autos Entertainment USA … • Scouting reports | More draft coverage. History: Sewell is the fourth offensive lineman taken by the Lions in the first round since 2015 -- the most in the NFL during that span. After taking Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell with the seventh overall pick on Day 1, the Lions fired back with another big man in Onwuzurike in the second round. Alim McNeill was a reach in the third round. Eric Woodyard ESPN. : Lions fans may be upset that Detroit didn’t go after a well-known skill position player, but Sewell beefs up an already strong offensive line with his unique skill set, most notably his quickness and natural blocking instincts. 41 overall) in the 2021 NFL draft. Can you blame them? • McShay's favorite pick for all 32 teams The Jaguars got a star at No. The Lions haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Reggie Bush in 2013. Quintez Cephus, a 2020 fifth-round rookie, is the only returning Lions wide receiver who had a catch for the team last season. (1:40). The Detroit Lions selected former Oregon tackle Penei Sewell No. It’s no secret that D'Andre Swift is the franchise’s featured running back, but this pick adds depth to one of the toughest positions on the field. My take: Oregon offensive line Coach Alex Mirabal called Sewell a "generational talent" at his position. The 2021 NFL draft was held April 29 through May 1 and every Detroit Lions draft pick has been analyzed here. My take: Lions fans may have a hard time pronouncing his name initially (eh-FAH-too mel-eh-FON-woo), but he fulfills a need on the defensive side as a 6-foot-3, 205-pound cornerback with a nearly 42-inch vertical, which can help him make up for things other corners can’t with that size and athleticism. Why an OL? With the back-to-back choices in the fourth round, Holmes & Co. took USC wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Purdue linebacker Derrick Barnes. Detroit adds a solid defensive tackle to the trenches in McNeill, who said he believes the organization “is trending in the right direction.” In terms of historical context, the Lions haven’t selected defensive linemen with two of their first three picks in a draft since 1992. 1. And McShay’s projection for the Detroit Lions at No. 112 pick and then traded up to get the 113rd pick, too. Analysis: New Lions general manager Brad Holmes appears to believe that football is won in the trenches, because Detroit went heavy with the big guys with their first three picks. Meanwhile, some like Derrick Barnes, but the Lions traded way up for him, expending way too many resources for a mediocre linebacker. , but his impact on the 2021 NFL draft grades are in from several media. Members of the top prospects overall in this year 's draft Holmes drafted elite athletes with potential., here are my 2021 draft class remain with the franchise who showed plenty of high-end flashes the... 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