Detroit Lions: 7-Round 2019 mock draft, version 2.0

I said in the first mock in this series that the second round felt like a sweet spot for a cornerback. I still feel that way to a large degree, but the way this mock played out presented an opportunity to look at another defensive back. Safety is an important position to Matt Patricia as can be seen in what the Lions have done since he took over as head coach as well as the way the Patriots have prioritized the position.

The Lions should feel good about what they have at safety with Quandre Diggs and Tracy Walker but the Lions showed a variety of three-safety looks last season and don’t appear to be ignoring the safety position in the lead-up to the 2019 NFL Draft.

As the simulator played out for this mock, Nasir Adderley was one of the top remaining players available per Matt Miller’s big board and he’s also a guy the Lions have been linked to in the pre-draft process. With Adderley ranking higher on the board than any cornerbacks available, I made Adderley the pick here.

Adderley isn’t exactly a household name, like most small-school prospects this time of year, but he brings a lot of qualities the Lions will like. He’s regarded as a very good athlete, though he wasn’t able to participate in drills at the NFL Combine because of a pre-existing ankle injury and a hamstring injury cut his pre-draft athletic testing short.

Scouting reports note Adderley as being physical yet fluid in coverage and he brings experience playing both safety and corner at the college level.