• Edge defender in Round 1: The Lions could use more depth at the position after the Aidan Hutchinson injury.
• Finding a Kevin Zeitler replacement?: Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson could step in for the veteran immediately.
• Draft and trade for yourself: Try PFF's Mock Draft Simulator — trade picks and players and mock for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
The Detroit Lions are the best team in football right now, and they look poised to make a serious run at the Super Bowl in 2024.
They have drafted very well in recent years, and if that continues, then they should be able to keep their title window open for an extended period of time.
Here, we take a look at how we would approach the draft if we were Detroit.
Round 1 (32): EDGE LT Overton, Alabama
The Lions traded for Za’Darius Smith at the trade deadline after Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury earlier in the year, so adding more depth at the position would make a lot of sense. Overton has earned an 80.8 overall PFF grade in 2024, including a 78.2 PFF pass-rushing grade, having registered 31 total pressures from 207 pass-rushing snaps.
Round 2 (64): G Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
Kevin Zeitler is well into his career now, so finding a potential replacement for him in the second round could potentially land the Lions a starter right away. Jackson has recorded an overall PFF grade above 68.0 in all four of his seasons at Ohio State, though he is currently in the middle of his lowest-graded season in pass protection with only a 59.7 mark.
Round 3 (96): S Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma
Depth in the defensive backfield rarely hurts, even if the Lions aren’t in the market for a starting safety right now. Bowman has notched PFF coverage grades above 70.0 in each of the past three seasons, and his 70.6 PFF run defense grade in 2024 is a career high as things stand.
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