NFL Draft winners and losers: The Lions hit a house run on Day 2

The Lions have had one of many strangest, most nonsensical drafts in current reminiscence — however when Friday got here to a detailed they discovered a approach to knock it out of the park. As scattershot and random as the primary spherical was for Detroit, they put the pedal down on Day 2 and walked away with one among greatest courses from high to backside.

What makes the Lions draft so bizarre is that every one of their gamers are strong. Heck, they had been after spherical one as nicely. There wasn’t a very dangerous, head-scratching decide amongst them — however the lack of positional consciousness within the first spherical by taking RB Jahmyr Gibbs, adopted by ILB Jack Campbell was completely worthy of lampooning. This actually may have gone all the best way off the rails, and for some time on Friday it regarded prefer it was heading that manner once more, however two house run picks back-to-back pulled all of it collectively.

Detroit’s draft is smart in the event you simply reorder the picks. In case you ignore the place the Lions took their gamers and work them into an order, abruptly this makes much more sense. Think about if that is how the category broke down:

No. 12: Brian Department, S — Alabama
No. 18: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB — Alabama
No. 34: Hendon Hooker, QB — Tennessee
No. 45: Sam LaPorta, TE — Iowa
No. 68: Jack Campbell, ILB — Iowa

In case you offered that board to anybody forward of the draft they’d completely like it. This simply took time to return collectively. Now, I’m not going to faux there wasn’t some luck concerned too — as a result of Department is admittedly the piece which makes the entire class tick, however in the end it labored out.

Hendon Hooker is clearly essentially the most intriguing piece right here. Detroit is a very nice touchdown spot for him. Choosing him within the third spherical is an applicable spot, and it retains expectations measured. There’s so much to love right here to, and likewise a ton to study. The Tennessee unfold offense actually doesn’t translate to the NFL in any respect, however Hooker has the instruments and soccer IQ to regulate — with time. Now he can sit behind Jared Goff with little or no strain, and it retains the quarterback place fluid sufficient that if he doesn’t present indicators of placing every part collectively, Detroit didn’t lose quite a lot of draft capital to take a shot.

I can’t recall a time the place I disliked a staff’s Day 1 as a lot, then come completely round on their Day 2 — however right here we’re.

Winner: Tennessee Titans

Very similar to Detroit, in the event you instructed any Titans fan earlier than the draft that they’d depart Kansas Metropolis with Will Levis and Peter Skoronski, with out buying and selling up, they wouldn’t have believed you.

Tennessee is an efficient touchdown spot for Levis as nicely, if (and it’s a significant caveat), they’ve persistence this time. Levis and Malik Willis aren’t remotely the identical participant, however we’re a 12 months faraway from the Titans taking a sliding QB who wanted time to develop, and so they’ve reduce bait already and moved on.

There are critical issues Levis must work on. At this level he’s a tricky, big-armed quarterback with professional system expertise. Nevertheless, he’s lacks rhythm, contact, really feel, and accuracy. These aren’t small points, however there’s home-run potential if he can put it collectively.

Levis can sit, study, and get the toe surgical procedure that popped up late within the draft course of. There may be a path to achievement right here, if the Titans (and followers) and prepared to present this time.

Loser: Carolina Panthers

The second day of the Panthers draft represents a significant shift in draft philosophy for the Panthers, and that makes it powerful to guage — however at face worth this was a really dangerous day.

Historically this can be a staff who has valued manufacturing over promise, however Jonathan Mingo and D.J. Johnson are main departures for them. Mingo has each device you’d need, however an alarming lack of manufacturing to account for. Johnson is one other man who has the athletic instruments, however a extreme lack of expertise.

This might work. The Panthers have assembled an All Star forged of coaches round Frank Reich to help this class, however this feels somewhat like they took main dangers to try to discover athletes, which may bust very simply. Mingo is the safer of the picks, however he’s additionally at a way more important place to hit on with D.J. Moore gone. There might be quite a lot of crossed fingers and hopes that he can turn into a strong goal for Bryce Younger.

Winner: New England Patriots

Day 2 was made for the Pats, and so they killed it as standard. Each Keion White and Marte Mapu are spot-on Patriots guys who’ve ludicrous potential and match the prototype of what the Patriots are in search of on protection.

While you mix these two with Christian Gonzalez on Thursday there’s the makings of a extremely nasty protection that may make noise sooner or later.

In can all the time be tough to guage Patriots’ drafts the evening of, or within the weeks following — however wait a number of years and most of those guys will turn into starter-plus stage monsters. This draft is not any completely different.

Loser: Josh Richards, Canadian Influencer

What a loser.