Draft prospects to watch during the Lions bye week
It’s a great weekend to watch some college football. The conference schedules are now in full swing with quite a few fun matchups in CFB’s Week 7.
With the Detroit Lions on a bye week, it’s an even better time to start getting familiar (or more familiar) with some potential 2023 NFL draft prospects that could intrigue GM Brad Holmes. The Lions staff will be out scouting players all over the country.
Here are a few potential NFL players I’ll have my eyes on over the weekend in college football.
Oklahoma State at TCU
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The unbeaten Horned Frogs are getting it done thanks to a legitimate top-20 overall talent in WR Quentin Johnston, a dynamic playmaker with speed, strength and amazing hands. Detroit might want to pay attention to the man throwing to Johnston, QB Max Duggan. He’s had an inconsistent career for TCU, but Duggan has really clicked in the precision, space-based passing game installed by new head coach Sonny Dykes. Duggan has a live arm and has improved his accuracy and release mechanics to work better with his ability to throw on the run and make plays out of structure.
TCU has a couple of defenders worthy of watching too. CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson plays in the slot (he’s 5-8/180) and was outstanding with the ball in the air in the Frogs’ romp over Oklahoma. He is the nephew of Hall-of-Famer Ladanian Tomlinson. LB Dee Winters is a downhill type of SAM backer with really good tackling technique. He’s a little undersized (6-1/230) for that role at the next level, but Winters has range to either sideline. CB Noah Daniels has a lot of talent but a lengthy injury history that makes it difficult to project to the next level.
The Cowboys don’t have ample draft talent for 2023, but the school that gave the Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez does have a couple of defensive linemen worth watching in EDGE Brock Martin and DT Tyler Lacy. Both are late-round projections at this point. Martin played impressively against Texas Tech last week.
Penn State at Michigan
The big game in the Big Ten will have lots of NFL scouts in attendance. For the Lions, the home Wolverines have a couple of interesting tight end prospects–a position where Detroit could need some serious reinforcements next year. Top TE Erick All is looking to come back after missing several weeks. All has strong hands and can create movement as a blocker in space, though he’s not a dynamic athlete. Luke Schoonmaker has thrived in All’s absence, lighting up Maryland and Indiana with well-run intermediate routes. Schoonmaker is a capable in-line blocker with good feet. His stock is definitely rising.
Michigan also brings some beef on the defensive line. DT Mazi Smith is a physical marvel who keeps getting better at the technical side of the game. He reminds me some of former third-rounder Larry Ogunjobi, a very athletic interior presence with a hit-and-miss style. EDGE Mike Morris has been on a tear as a pass rusher, filling in quite nicely in the old David Ojabo role of speed rusher. Morris is climbing into the Day 2 conversation based on recent projections.
Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. has been projected to the Lions in some mock drafts with one of Detroit’s two first-round picks. He’s long, physical and plays with great confidence. WR Parker Washington is a strong Day 2 prospect, though the Lions aren’t really looking to use that high of a pick at the position. Senior safety Ji’Ayir Brown doesn’t have a lot of draft buzz yet, but he sure looked impressive against Auburn and Ohio, with tremendous ball skills and range on the back end.
North Carolina State at Syracuse
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Syracuse is unbeaten thus far, and one big reason has been the stellar play of top CB Garrett Williams. At 6-0 and loaded with twitch at 190 pounds, Williams can play effectively in every type of coverage. He’s smart, lightning quick and has excellent speed out of breaks. Williams is a candidate for the Lions’ second-round pick. The biggest drawbacks are his lack of tackling power and he doesn’t have elite top-end speed, though you’d never know from watching him in the first 15-20 yards of any play.
The Orange also feature RB Sean Tucker, a likely middle-round prospect. Tucker had a rough game against Purdue and needs to show more acceleration and balance through contact. He’s had some strong runs in his Orange career. LT Matt Bergeron is a good one, currently projected as a Day 2 prospect. The Lions aren’t really in the market for an early offensive tackle, but Bergeron would look nice at tackle with his very strong technical prowess. Undersized LB Mikel Jones hits hard and has quick reactions but can be stiff in space; Jones is a current Day 3 prospect.
The Wolfpack also have a couple of prospects who fit what the Lions want — or rather should want. DB Tyler Baker-Williams is making his return to the lineup against Syracuse after missing a couple of games with an ankle injury. Baker-Williams is well-built and versatile, capable of playing nickel CB or either safety spot. He’s physical in man coverage and has proven to be a very adept blitzer, something we just might see in this matchup.
NC State DT Cory Durden is a classic Day 3 prospect from a bigger program: high-floor, high-motor agitator between the tackles, but not an elite athlete or naturally savvy pass rusher. Durden strikes me as a guy who will be a good reserve DT in the NFL for a long time and capable of a weirdly productive hiccup season or two, a la Jordan Phillips.
Clemson at Florida State
Clemson has a boatload of potential draft prospects, but one of the players in this game who might intrigue the Lions the most in this one is Florida State safety Jammie Robinson. Quick, smart and rangy in deep coverage, Robinson is always in the right place at the right time. He looked like a first-round talent in the Seminoles’ game against Wake Forest, though the hard-hitting Robinson is generally projected in the 50-100 overall range.
The Seminoles have a fun EDGE in Jared Verse who appears to have a bright NFL future. Verse transferred from FCS-level Albany and has proven he can make the jump in level of competition. He had two sacks and a blocked punt vs. LSU.
The Tigers have a stable of players. QB DJ Uiagalelei is emerging as a better prospect thanks to improved decision-making and handling pressure more effectively. But it’s the defensive beef that will likely grab Detroit’s attention.
DT Bryan Bresee is a potential top-10 overall pick. He looks fully recovered from an ACL injury in 2021 and is capable of making an impact all over the line. His combination of quickness and strength is very impressive. EDGE Myles Murphy hasn’t posted gaudy stats in 2022, but don’t be fooled by the box scores. The 275-pound Murphy plays the run on the way to the quarterback very well, and his ability to win quickly both inside and outside creates very real problems for opposing blockers. He too is a seeming first-round lock at this point.
DT Tyler Davis and EDGE K.J. Henry would each look nice in Honolulu blue. Based on how fans feel about the LB corps, the Clemson player Detroit might want to consider the most is LB Trenton Simpson. He’s at his best scraping and attacking the run in gaps and knifing between blocks. Simpson can turn and run in coverage too. He might not last until the Lions’ second-round pick.
Grand Valley State at Ferris State
(AP Photo/Emil Lippe)
The Lions will be in attendance in Big Rapids for the annual Anchor Bone game, the biggest rivalry in D-II. Both GVSU and Ferris State have put multiple players into the NFL in the last few years, and the Lakers and Bulldogs have potential draft picks in this year’s game, which pits No. 1 against No. 2 in D-II.
GVSU LT Quinton Barrow is a behemoth of a blocker at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds. His powerful punch and shoulder strength are as good as any OT in the country. Barrow can be narrow in his stance but there’s a lot of ability and athleticism to work with. He should square off some with Ferris State EDGE Caleb Murphy, a former Laker and the national leader in sacks and TFLs at any level. Murphy is way too fast for D-II competition and he’s a more well-rounded defensive prospect than similarly built Lions’ sixth-round rookie, James Houston.
