With the NFL Draft set to kick off in Detroit on Thursday, April 25, all NFL general managers around the league, including Lions general manager Brad Holmes, are busy putting the finishing touches on something they have worked all year for.
Here are three prospects the Detroit Lions could end up selecting with their first-round pick on draft night.
Chop Robinson | DE | Pennsylvania State University
After last season, it’s clear the Lions need some extra bodies on the defensive front, and Chop Robinson, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, is one of the best names available to solve that issue.
Notably, Robinson finished his last season with the Nittany Lions with 15 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Although Robinson played defensive end at PSU, he has the size and speed to also play outside linebacker. Holmes and the Lions will consider this ahead of draft night after beefing up the defensive line in free agency.
With the traits to move all around the front seven, Robinson possesses an ability not many other prospects have in the first round, making him a name to watch ahead of draft night.
Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | University of Alabama
Just a couple of months ago, the Lions landing Kool-Aid McKinstry in the draft seemed like a dream come true — now, that dream can be made possible. After suffering a foot injury that required surgery, McKinstry was forced to miss the NFL combine.
As a result, McKinstry’s draft stock slid. At times, McKinstry was touted as the top cornerback in this draft class. In recent mock drafts, experts routinely have McKinstry available toward the end of the first round.
Regardless, McKinstry will be healthy by the start of the season and still had a solid showing for the Crimson Tide before his injury. The All-American had 32 tackles last season and defended seven passes.
Selecting McKinstry bolsters the Lions’ secondary, which routinely did not perform well last season. By the end of the season, the Lions finished sixth worst in the NFL for defending the pass, allowing an average of 247.4 passing yards per game.
Rome Odunze | WR | University of Washington
Hear me out on this one.
Nearly every draft the Lions have had under general manager Brad Homles has been shocking.
In 2022, Holmes traded up with the Minnesota Vikings to select wide receiver Jameson Williams from Alabama. In 2023, Holmes traded down to take running back Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama — a move that raised some eyebrows but worked out nonetheless.
Given Holmes’ track record, it’s feasible that he can pull off another deal to move up in this year’s draft and shock Lions fans once again. However, rather than trading up with the Minnesota Vikings, Holmes could target the ninth pick currently held by the Chicago Bears.
To make a deal happen, Holmes would likely have to trade the Bears the Lions’ first-round and third-round picks this year and another first-round pick next year. But the Lions, in turn, receive one of the most talented wideouts in Rome Odunze from the draft class.
Adding Odunze to a receiving room with the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Williams gives the Lions a receiving corps that few teams in the NFL could rival.
If the Lions’ offensive prowess wasn’t scary in the 2022-23 season, the offense adding Odunze has the possibility to run the opposing team’s defenses off the field on every possession. Last season for the Huskies, Odunze recorded 81 catches for 1,428 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Regardless of who the Lions select on the first night of the draft, it’s sure to be a special night for the chosen player. In addition to getting drafted in the city of their new team, whoever the Lions take will join a team with a history of making the most of its draft selections.
