DETROIT, Mich. — The Lions have picks 6 and 18 in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night.
A lot will depend on what happens in front of them when it comes to their pick at number six.
If there is a run on quarterbacks in the top five, and there could be, then Detroit would be in position to take one of the top defensive players available in this year's draft.
"I think it will be Will Anderson and that is actually how my final mock draft plays out," Lion Wire and Draft Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon said. "They are taking Will Anderson, defensive end/outside linebacker from Alabama and I think its a realistic path. A month ago, if I would have told you that Will Anderson will be available at number six you would have laughed at me. I think the way its playing out, there is a fair chance that he is going to be there and I do think that would be the priority. I love the concept of having Will Anderson on the opposite side of Aidan Hutchinson and dare the offense to block that, I like that idea and I think Dan Campbell would too."
There is also the chance that the Lions take a cornerback at six.
Either Devon Witherspoon from Illinois or Christian Gonzalez out of Oregon.
Of course, the Lions just selected Jeff Okudah at number three overall just three years ago and now the cornerbackl from Ohio State has been traded to the Falcons without much production in the Honolulu Blue and Silver.
"The other thing I would says is last year Sauce Gardner was not a consensus popular pick in the New York media and now he is their favorite player before they got Aaron Rodgers," Risdon said. "I wouldn't judge everything on cornerbacks being picked that high on Jeff Okudah. I think a lot of people overlook the fact that he was injured pretty much the entire time he was in Detroit and I think that gets washed away a little bit. Devon Witherspoon is everything that is exactly what (Lions defensive coordinator) Aaron Glenn wants. In fact, he reminds me of Aaron Glenn when Aaron Glenn was a player and I think that is why they are very high on him."
Detroit also has pick number 18 in Thursday night's first round of the NFL Draft.
