The NFL Draft starts Aril 25th. Hopefully the Lions draft smart. Their primary concerns need to be offensive line and defense. We shall see how this goes. With their prior drafting history, I wouldn't be surprised if they waste their first round pick on somebody pointless.....
I don't know what the Lions' needs really were, but it's kind of funny that they didn't take one OL. I'm also pissed that they took Hockenson, who was reported to be the Broncos' choice if he was there at #10. They should've taken Devin Bush instead, because then he could stay in-state, and they wouldn't have to embarrass themselves by taking Jahlani Tavai at #43. I'm not sure what he actually does well, and I had him well into day 3 range. Hockenson is a probable All-Pro though.
Other Lions picks I watched:
-Austin Bryant, didn't like him. Has long arms, but doesn't have the quicks to be an effective rusher, either getting off the snap or turning the corner. Has tweener size, too, so I pegged him as a strongside DE in a 4-3, which I understand the Lions run, but he's not as good holding up against the run as you'd hope.
-Amani Oruwariye, one of my favorite CBs in the draft (though it was a terrible group), probably a big steal. He probably doesn't have elite man skills, but he moves pretty well for 6'2" and makes plays on the ball, so if they're smart about how they deploy him he'll probably be a starter sooner rather than later.
-Travis Fulgham, he's a weird one. Big WR who's a good blocker (against really low competition, though) and doesn't run fast, but he's also got really good body control and might surprise as a route runner. Iffy hands, I think.
-Isaac Nauta, eh. Undersized receiving TE. People said he ran slower than expected, but he never looked that fast in the first place, and he'll probably play faster than he timed. Good routes coming out, and I never saw him drop anything, but I think it'll be hard to get him on the field when he's not a great inline blocker and not as good a receiver as a real slot WR. Worse ways to spend a 7th, but I think Caleb Wilson at least has a higher ceiling as a receiver.
We’re also in need of a better offensive line for the Vikings. Cousins was the most pressured quarterback this past season and that needs to be remedied. I’m hoping to see them get back to the playoffs this year. Also, I feel your pain on the first round pointless picks... (see Laquon Treadwell)
Supposedly they were really locked in on Bradbury the whole time, which I don't get. He's got the best movement skills on reach/scoop blocks that maybe I've ever seen, and they're switching to a predominantly stretch-zone scheme, but he's a cut below the other top centers in pass pro, which is kind of a big deal when you're taking one of the most undervalued positions with a top 20 pick. I thought for sure he'd go later, but what do I know. Anyway, because I watched almost 200 prospects, here are my unsolicited opinions on the guys I watched who the Vikings drafted:
-Irv Smith Jr., basically the better version of Isaac Nauta. Not really a true TE, more of an H-back who can run and catch well, and can handle LBs or DBs in blocking, but I wouldn't man him up on a DE. I didn't love him, but if they've got a role in mind for him, he could be good (Kubiak kept an H-back for multiple years in James Casey... but he never did much, imo).
-Cameron Smith, true MIKE without a lot of range. I think he's underrated in coverage, as long as he's limited to zone and not chasing RBs down the field. Really lacking in athleticism beyond his big frame, but I think he's one of those LBs who just finds his way to the ball.
-Armon Watts, I actually liked a lot in the later rounds or UDFA. He's inconsistent because sometimes he'll jump off the snap and knife through the LOS, but other times he just stands up, turns sideways, and lets blockers have their way with him. I also hate 4-point stances. I think coaching will be key with him if he can develop or not.
-Oli Udoh, pure upside. Sometimes he looks like a generic FCS slappy, and sometimes he looks like Jason Peters. You rarely see guys with his size and his speed. I think this was a bad team for him to be drafted to tbh, because I don't love his fit in a stretch scheme and I don't think Dennison has a good track record on the OL.
-Kris Boyd, another weird evaluation. He has to get his hands on WRs, for sure. In space, he tends to waste steps and can't close quickly if the pass is coming his way and there's any separation between him and the WR. I'm stuck between thinking he would be good in a cover 3 and thinking he should move to safety, but I like him a lot as a 7th round pick.
-Dillon Mitchell, I just wrote "no". Good speed, bad hands. He probably should have gone back to school. Maybe he can be a plus STer, but I didn't like him as a prospect.
-I didn't watch Alexander Mattison, Marcus Epps, Olabisi Johnson, or Austin Cutting, but drafting four guys from the Mountain West is super-weird, and proof to me that Kubiak had an outsized influence on this draft (he loves that conference, and CSU in particular, for some reason).