2021 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles target DeVonta Smith, Bears settle on Mac Jones
By Randy Gurzi
50. Alabama. 7. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. WR. Jaylen Waddle
There will be some who believe the Detroit Lions will go for a quarterback here and that probably wouldn’t be a terrible surprise. They recently moved on from Matthew Stafford, trading him for a package of draft picks but they also landed Jared Goff in the process.
Goff might not be the long-term answer for Detroit, but they are going to be paying him an awful lot of money and on top of that, he’s a former No. 1 overall pick who has led a team to the Super Bowl. For those reasons, look for the Lions to at least give him one season as the starter to see if he can recapture some of the form he showed that convinced the Rams to give him a long-term contract.
With that being said, the Lions go for a different position here as they land Jaylen Waddle from Alabama. An ankle injury limited him in 2020 which was supposed to be a huge year for him. Even with the limited time, he showed off his talent and should still be a high draft pick.
Waddle is capable of playing on the outside as well as in the slot and even can be used in the backfield. Detroit’s turning the page and Waddle could become the new focal point of their offense as they do so.