Since Holmes and Dan Campbell took over as leaders of the organization in 2021, the team has wasted very little time establishing a strong culture. This has helped drive the team from last place to first in the NFC North.
After making a deep playoff run in 2023, the organization’s momentum is at an all-time high. As a result, Holmes and Campbell will once again be very deep with their evaluations and quite selective when it comes time to add players in the NFL Draft.
There are a number of factors that could make a player out of the question for the Lions in the Draft. Here are five players that Detroit should avoid taking when the Draft begins on April 25.
Texas DT T’Vondre Sweat
Sweat was arrested Saturday and charged with a DWI, which is unfortunate timing given how close the Draft is. The Athletic Draft analyst Dane Brugler reported that teams had been asking about Sweat’s routine, and that the Texas defender stated that his partying days are behind him.
However, with the Lions’ emphasis on culture, the incident could certainly pull Sweat off their Draft board. The Texas product has an opportunity to improve his standing in meetings with teams leading up to the Draft, but it remains to be seen what impact it will have on Draft night.
Alabama WR Jermaine Burton
Burton was a big part of the Crimson Tide’s passing attack last season and has plenty of skill out wide. However, there are some concerns about him leading up to the NFL Draft. Speaking on ‘The Athletic Football Show,’ Brugler said some teams will be hesitant to draft Burton.
Brugler pointed out that Burton has had stability concerns, as between high school and college he has attended six schools in eight years. At the college level, he split four years between Georgia and Alabama. Before that, he had gone to four schools in four years.
Burton is among the middle tier of wide receivers in this year’s Draft based on skill. However, the Lions’ culture will allow them to feel comfortable avoiding players who they are unsure of. As a result, the Lions should pass on taking the Alabama wideout.
Oregon WR Troy Franklin
Franklin is a very talented wide receiver who had a solid final season at Oregon. The wideout does have good speed, as he is viewed as one of the faster wide receivers in this year’s class. However, he does lack in two areas that the Lions need help in.
The first is physicality. Franklin weighed in at the Combine at just 176 pounds, so he’ll need to hold his own from a strength perspective. He also has struggled with drops during his collegiate career.
Last season, Franklin had nine drops per Pro Football Focus. In total throughout his career, he had 14.
Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
Wiggins ran one of the fastest 40-yard dash times at the Combine this spring, so he really helped himself in that aspect. He’ll be able to run with even the fastest pass-catchers at the next level. However, he also weighed in at 173 pounds and is considered light to play on the boundary.
Wiggins will have to hold his own against physical wideouts who have diverse skill sets and the ability to beat him to a deep ball. Unless he’s able to add muscle to that frame, he could be in for a struggle early in his NFL career.
Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner
Turner took a big leap as a pass-rusher last season, as he finished the year with 55 pressures and 10 sacks. He finished his three seasons at Alabama with 22.5 total sacks, which leads one to believe that he’ll be a solid player at the professional level.
However, Turner did not show a ton of improvement in his work against the run. His Pro Football Focus run defense grade was 69.8, which was the lowest of his three-year career.
The Lions need players who are solid against the run, and Turner’s performance didn’t necessarily show that. It’s a deep pass-rusher class early, so Detroit can be thorough and get their preferred fit.
