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2019 NFL Draft: Detroit Lions 7-round 2019 mock draft 1.0

By Zac Snyder

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a pick by the Detroit Lions during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a pick by the Detroit Lions during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 26: Devine Ozigbo #22 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers gets away from Jaleel Wadood #2 of the UCLA Bruins during the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 26, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 26: Devine Ozigbo #22 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers gets away from Jaleel Wadood #2 of the UCLA Bruins during the Foster Farms Bowl at Levi’s Stadium on December 26, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Is it just me or is this mock draft taking on a “correct previous NFL Draft wrongs” feel? That keeps going with the selection of a running back from Nebraska. Ameer Abdullah is long gone but Nebraska’s Devin Ozigbo could be a nice mid- to late-round option to pair with Kerryon Johnson as the main ball carriers in the Lions’ running back rotation.

Unlike Abdullah, Ozigbo is a bigger-bodied back at over 220 pounds but still checks out as a solid athlete. He did not receive an invite to the 2019 NFL Combine but took advantage of his one opportunity at the Nebraska Pro Day by testing out above average athletically across the board.

Ozigbo enjoyed a breakout year as a senior even though his carries only went up from 129 as a junior to 155 as a senior. Despite that small bump in workload Ozigbo saw his rushing yards jump from 493 (3.8 yards per carry) in 2017 to 1,082 (7.0 yards per carry) in 2018.

The increase in production is nice, but there may be some cause for concern in how he fared against top competition, seeing big cuts to his per carry averages in games against Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State.

Still, there is a lot to like with Ozigbo, particularly at this point in the draft and given the Lions’ running back situation with Johnson already in place. The veteran power back route was not fruitful for the Lions a year ago so why not go the other way and look to the draft?

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