The Lions used a top-100 pick on massive nose tackle Brodric Martin (96th) in 2023, but Newton would provide a disruptive presence on the interior of Detroit's defense. Newton finished 2022 with 14 TFLs, 5.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries, all of which led the Illini.
Worthy has some wheels, but his lean frame might concern some scouts. At 6-foot-1 and 163 pounds, he's the receiver version of cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who was just drafted at No. 16 last Thursday night. Even so, Worthy went for 760 yards and nine TDs last season, and he could fit nicely alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams to give Jared Goff and/or Hendon Hooker a solid trio of wideouts. With Jahmyr Gibbs also there, that offense has a chance to be a lot of fun. Alternatively, Detroit could go defense and continue adding to the defensive line.
Injuries were an issue for him last season, but when on the field, he lived in the backfield. I'm expecting Hall's speed-and-quickness testing numbers to be outstanding during the draft process.
The Lions had what you might call an unconventional 2023 draft class -- but also a group that makes them the team to beat in that division. They beef up the interior defensive line with their first pick in '24.
The Lions already boast one of the NFL's better young edge rushers in Aidan Hutchinson, of course, but for a club that finished 31st in the league with just 31 sacks over 17 games, more juice is needed. Trice is cut from a similar cloth as former Husky Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, an ascending talent drafted in the first round two years ago by Tampa Bay.
The Detroit Lions did not pick a wide receiver until Day 3 in 2023, but they will go in that direction in 2024. Florida State's Johnny Wilson is a unicorn at 6-foot-7. He will be difficult to cover in the red zone and down the field. The power forward/wide receiver has the hands and ball skills to make plays at all three levels and will make a difference for this offense.
Smith played all of eight snaps last season before tearing his ACL. At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, he played mostly along the edge for LSU in his freshman year, showing how incredible of an athlete he is. In 2021, he had four sacks on 198 pass-rushing snaps.
Detroit blatantly passed up edge rushers this spring by going running back-inside linebacker with its first two picks. 2024 offers a chance to remedy that, even with a pick in the back half of the first round. Sawyer is a powerfully built disruptor with an innate sense of when a sack is near and how to close on a quarterback. He's primed for a big year in 2023 — and potentially a draft slot outside the Lions' reach.
With their 2022 class, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell once again drilled home how much they value toughness. The 6-2, 295-pound Newton proved to have plenty in his breakout redshirt sophomore season, recording 14 tackles for loss while looking every bit like the formidable three-technique Detroit's defense is missing.
