Lions trade down, grab impressive haul in Brugler 7-round mock

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler released a full 7-round mock draft and projected the Detroit Lions to come away with an impressive haul of prospects.

With just over a week before the 2024 NFL Draft, analysts are feverishly firing off mock drafts in order to put their stamp on the draft process. Some mock drafts are awful, but every once in a while a mock draft will produce some very interesting scenarios.

One example of a mock draft that delivers very positive results for the Detroit Lions comes from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who released a full seven-round mock draft on Wednesday. In his projections, he offers realistic trades along with logical picks that would likely receive high marks from the draft community if the Lions walked away with this group of players.

So let’s dig in.

Trade: Lions send pick No. 29 to the Raiders

With the Raiders searching for a quarterback, they trade up to acquire pick No. 29, selecting Michael Penix (Washington) and giving the Lions picks No. 44 and 77 in return.

Trade Charts:

Rich Hill, pick No. 29 = 203 points
Picks 44 and 77 = 195
Difference = -8 points (equivalent of a Lions losing a late fifth-round pick, No. 168)

Fitzgerald-Spielberger = 1293 points
Picks 44 and 77 = 1881
Difference = 588 points (equivalent of a Lions gaining a mid fourth-round pick, No. 117)

With the Lions now holding two second-round picks, they quickly go to work solidifying the trenches.

Pick No. 44: Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia

Frazier has been a popular pick for analysts to project to the Lions, with NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah pairing the two in February, and NFL Network/Fox Sports analyst Peter Schrager making the same decision earlier this week.

Frazier is drenched in grit and is capable of starting at center or guard. And while he’ll likely spend his rookie season as insurance to all three interior starters, he could be in line to grab a starting role in 2025.

Pick No. 61: Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State

A rapidly rising 3-technique who has made the most of his offseason opportunities, Fiske would give the Lions a rotational interior pass rusher with starter upside. He lacks desired NFL length but he has the speed and lateral quickness to make up for any concerns.

Pick No. 73: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

Despite being the Lions’ third selection, Polk could end up seeing the most snaps from this draft class. At 6-foot-1 ¹⁄₂, 203 pounds, Polk isn’t a pure WR-X, but he’s a big enough body to stick on the outside and keep defenses honest. He likely won’t open training camp with a starter role given to him but he’s talented enough to win a starting job.

Pick No. 77: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest

An outside/inside corner who possesses the football intelligence to earn a starting role with time to develop. Wake Forest used a combination of man and zone coverage, and as a four-year starter in their scheme, Carson enters the NFL with a ton of experience playing in a variety of concepts.

Pick No. 164: Braiden McGregor, EDGE, Michigan

The top-ranked recruit in Michigan’s 2022 class, McGregor was expected to be the next Aidan Hutchinson, but his production fell short of expectations. While he did show consistent development over the years, he only started for one season in Ann Arbor and likely needs more polish before he can become a consistent rotational player. He’d be a solid backup for Hutchinson, where he can further develop his game.

Pick No. 201: Will Reichard, K, Alabama

One of the top kickers in this class because of his power and range/distance, Reichard should (hopefully) stop the Lions’ rotating door. Over his career, Reichard has successfully connected on 10 of his 13 attempts from 50 yards and beyond, with his longest kick made coming from 52 yards.

Pick No. 205: Sione Vaki, SAF, Utah

Brugler spotlighted the Vaki-Lions connection in his write-up:

“If there is a player in this draft who has bitten a knee cap, Vaki is that guy, so there is no mystery why the Lions have shown considerable interest in the versatile safety (and running back) from Utah.”

In my most recent mock draft, I traded up into the fourth round to select Vaki, so grabbing him in the sixth round would be a steal in my eyes.

Pick No. 205 Johnny Dixon, CB, Penn State

Penn State runs a lot of press man in their split-zone coverage scheme in their secondary, which would help Dixon transition into the Lions scheme quicker than some other prospects. He’s far too handsy downfield for the NFL’s liking, but the talent is there for him to earn a contributing role if he can shore up his penalties. At a minimum, he’s a starting special teamer.