2017 NFL Draft Grades: Detroit Lions Day 2 Picks

The Detroit Lions entered day two of the 2017 NFL Draft with many solid prospects still on the board. How successful were the team’s efforts to improve the roster?

After selecting Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis with the 21st pick of the first round in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions were sitting comfortably. The addition of Davis to the Lions defense was very well received by fans and pundits alike, but what would the team do to up the ante as the process rolled on?

In the second round, the team returned to the developmental well that they had just been to the night before.

Round 2, Pick 53: Teez Tabor, CB – Florida

Without question, the Lions had a need at cornerback. Even with a Pro Bowl caliber player like Darius Slay in the mix, the team has several question marks on the depth chart. Nevin Lawson took a step forward in 2016, D.J. Hayden is something of an unknown commodity at this point in time, and Quandre Diggs is largely unproven. Put simply. the team most definitely had to address the position in 2017.

Enter Jalen “Teez” Tabor.

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Tabor, the second consecutive Florida player to be selected by the Lions in the 2017 NFL Draft, was an extremely highly-touted defensive back prospect before an underwhelming Combine workout seemingly destroyed his draft stock. Ultimately, his 4.62 speed scared of several teams and he tumbled down draft boards. However, the Lions clearly were not among the teams frightened away by his lack of high-end burst, and were more than happy to pounce on him with the 53rd overall pick.

Tabor figures to step into an immediate role as a member the Lions fledgling secondary. In spite of questions about his athletic profile, he has proven to be a gamer in the past, and how a player looks on film is much more important that how he looks running around in Combine drills.

Tabor was the 75th-ranked player on Matt Miller of Bleacher Report’s big board, but the Lions drafted him right about where he should have been taken, if not a little later. Ultimately, the team may very well have caught a break because of Tabor’s slow 40 time. It seems unlikely that he would have been available here if he’d run a 4.5.

Draft Grade For Teez Tabor Selection: A-

Round 3, Pick 96: Kenny Golladay, WR – Northern Illinois

General manager Bob Quinn went back to his roots and traded back in the third round with his old organization, the New England Patriots, picking up an additional fourth-round pick (124th overall) in the process. Quinn ultimately used the 96th overall pick on Northern Illinois wideout Kenny Golladay.

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Clearly, this is a selection that was made with an eye to the future, as Golladay is something of a raw project player. While many people are quick to dismiss the move as a reach, Golladay clearly has an appealing skill set, boasting 4.5 speed and excellent hands (only five career drops) to go along with a 6-4, 218-pound frame. While he will certainly need to improve as a route-runner, he is an undeniably sizable target for quarterback Matthew Stafford in the passing game.

The Lions clearly are willing to invest the time in Golladay, and likely won’t rush him into a significant role out of the gate, and therefore, it’s important to view this selection as the developmental gambit it is.

Golladay was the 156th-ranked player on Matt Miller‘s draft board, and the general consensus around the league is that this pick was a fairly significant reach. In fact, it’s very likely that the team could have selected him at a later venture. Still, the Lions are clearly intrigued by his potential upside, and the fact that the franchise traded back 11 spots and acquired another fourth-rounder in the process bumps the overall grade up a bit.

Draft Grade For Kenny Golladay Selection: C+

Next: 2017 NFL Draft: Every Day 2 Pick, Instant Analysis

The second day of the draft was a success for the Detroit Lions, on the whole. By adding two players at positions of need, while obtaining additional draft capital in the process, things are looking good for the future of this team. As the team continues to fill areas of need on the roster, optimism should be in full force in the Motor City.