Detroit Lions host Bradley Roby, Dri Archer, Erik Lora
Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Bradley Roby (1) reacts. Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Lions are hosting their final three pre-draft visits today, and the biggest name on the list is definitely Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Bradley Roby, who made the rounds last night after reportedly being arrested for an OVI on Sunday. Roby has refuted this, and the incident will put a cap on his draft stock which had been rising quickly up until this point.
According to Lions official site beat writer Tim Twentyman, Roby, Kent State running back Dri Archer, and small-school wide receiver prospect Erik Lora are all in for visits with the Lions today.
Roby is one of the most talented cornerback prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft class, and he has as much upside as anyone due to his speed, athleticism, and ball skills. He wasn’t used properly last season and saw his draft stock slide before it ultimately picked up again over the past few weeks. The Lions wouldn’t take him with the tenth pick overall, but they could snap him up if character concerns and technique issues cause him to slide into their hands in the second round.
Lora is an intriguing late-round wide receiver prospect for the Lions, as the Eastern Illinois product was Jimmy Garoppolo’s most talented wide receiver. Meanwhile, Dri Archer is another late-round weapon on offense worth keeping in mind as the Lions look to get even more explosive on that side of the ball, but I don’t see how he fits in outside of potentially getting some work done in open space on passing downs. Even then, he isn’t a fit despite his speed, because the Lions have a crowded, talented backfield with two supreme pass-catching RBs in Reggie Bush and Joique Bell. Maybe Archer fits in long-term as a late-round guy, but I’d circle Lora as the more likely option of the two.