17. Detroit Lions: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
How about the surprise news of the Detroit Lions moving on from starting left tackle Taylor Decker? I didn’t see that one coming, and hadn’t even considered the possibility. Considering the fact that the Lions already had a need to upgrade the center position going forward, you just figured they’d maybe look at replacing one guy on the starting five of their offensive line instead of giving themselves more work to do.
But this draft has some options for them, assuming they don’t attack that need in free agency, and they can go right back to the same well that produced Tate Ratledge for them in last year’s draft.
Monroe Freeling has elite traits to play the left tackle position, and the only thing that might prevent the Lions from making this pick is someone taking a chance on those traits earlier than pick 17.
18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, SAF, Oregon
Make no mistake about it, the quarterback position is the real focus for the Minnesota Vikings this offseason. But they’re not going to get a solution to that problem with the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft.
The Vikings will bring in someone to unseat JJ McCarthy, whether that’s Kyler Murray or someone else, but they have needs defensively that have to be addressed, including the retirement of star safety Harrison Smith. Smith has been such a steady presence for the Vikings that you almost take his consistency for granted.
Dillon Thieneman really impressed a lot of folks at the Scouting Combine with his athleticism and fluidity in the drills, but he’s been discussed as a possible 1st-round player for the majority of the last year. His year at Oregon after transferring from Purdue solidified his status as one of the top defensive backs in the class.