2020 NFL Draft: First-round mock and predictions for all 32 picks
By Zach Cohen
50. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. DL. Auburn. Derrick Brown. 3. player
The Pick: This could be a selection I correct later. For so long, the obvious choice to me was Ohio State cornerback Jeffrey Okudah. I’ve since switched gears, even after Detroit shipped away cornerback Darius Slay to Philadelphia.
Looking at the Lions’ defense, I think I’d rather have Justin Coleman and the newly signed Desmond Trufant in the secondary than the newly signed Danny Shelton and John Atkins on the defensive line. That may be an unfair comparison, considering Atkins has only played six career games, though it’s not wrong either.
Okudah is a fantastic cornerback, but reports lately have had him slipping a bit. While the same could be said for Derrick Brown, SI’s Albert Breer said Detroit has taken a “real liking” to Brown. I’ll never base my pick on one rumor, but we assume that the Lions will take Okudah because they need a cornerback after trading their best one. Detroit needs a defensive tackle too. And Brown may be just as good as Okudah, if not better.
Alternative Picks: As I said, I’m really close to sliding Jeffrey Okudah in here. Another possibility, one that I’ve held for a long time, is that the Lions will trade this pick. That would probably only happen if a team moves up for a quarterback. In case you haven’t heard, the quarterback market has taken quite a hit recently.
The two teams most connected to first-round passers — the Dolphins and Chargers — might be better off waiting at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. That leaves the Lions with no choice but to take their top player. I’m mostly confident it’s either Brown, Okudah or trade down here.