Lions currently sowed up the 8th overall pick

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2019 Combine Preview: Tight end

DAWSON KNOX

School: Ole Miss

Ht/Wt: 6-4, 257

Best trait: Size. He has an NFL frame, though he’s a bit of a raw prospect. He can stretch the field, averaging 18.9 yards per reception this past season.

Concern: There isn’t a ton of production with Knox. He caught 24 passes in 2017, but had just 15 this past season with no touchdowns.

Skinny: He could test very well at the Combine, which will make teams go back to the tape and wonder why he wasn’t more productive in college. Part of it could have been the system at Ole Miss. Teams will do their homework on Knox. He could have a high ceiling.


Dawson Knox College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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There isn’t a ton of production with Knox

why he wasn’t more productive in college.

Part of it could have been the system at Ole Miss.

He had three WR's above him that had a greater amount of targets and questionable QB play with former QB and now U of M QB Shea Patterson, until he was injured, then with Patterson's after injury replacement QB Jordan Ta' amu

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Tight end

JACE STERNBERGER

School: Texas A&M

Ht/Wt: 6-4, 250

Best trait: Production. Sternberger is a consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC selection with 48 catches for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games.

Concern: He’ll have some work to do in the run-blocking department. He’ll have to add strength to his frame to compete better. He was also a one-year wonder. Why?

Skinny: He was a threat all year for the Aggies down the seam. He has good speed and made a ton of plays down the field. He’s also very good as a runner after the catch. He can step in and make plays in the passing game.

Jace Sternberger College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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He was also a one-year wonder. Why?

Because he was a Kansas Jayhawk for two years prior to transferring to aTm.

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Tight end

TOMMY SWEENEY

School: Boston College

Ht/Wt: 6-4, 259

Best trait: Consistency. Sweeney had three straight years of steady production, catching at least 28 passes for 350 yards and three scores in each of the last three seasons.


Concern: The testing will be important for Sweeney. Does he have the speed and ability to separate from defenders at the NFL level?

Skinny: Sweeney had a pretty good week at the Senior Bowl, showing an ability to make plays down the field. It was good for him to showcase that. He caught 36 passes for 512 yards and four scores as a junior. He’s a plus run blocker and should find a role on a team.

Tommy Sweeney College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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^^^^

Sweeney could be a cheap alternative replacement for Toilolo should BQ gamble and double down on drafting two TE's this upcoming draft.

Texas State TE Keenen Brown, who couldn't make it happen at Oklahoma State, could be another alternative selection in the double down drafting of a TE. Keenen Brown is a much better pass catching and more athletic but somewhat smaller TE than Sweeney. Keenen Brown is also considered an underrated quality blocking TE similar to Sweeney.

Keenen Brown College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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Former LSU TE, Foster Moreau, is also considered a plus blocker in the run game and a quality pass blocker. Moreau should last into the 6th round, imo, before hearing his name called. Moreau comes from a team that also had some highly questionable QB play from last years transferred QB, Joe Burrow, formerly from tOSU

Foster Moreau College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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Speed isn't everything in the NFL.

PrimeTime disagrees with you

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

Lions general manager Bob Quinn is on the lookout this offseason for players who can make more game-changing plays.

“When we looked back at the stats, and kind of how our defense played, we didn’t really turn the ball over as much as we liked,” Quinn said. “That’s something that’s a combination of players and putting them in the right positions.

“But I think when we’re going through the evaluation process, making sure we’re taking a close look at game-changing plays at the guys we’re looking at in free agency and the draft.”

It’s for that reason Quinn could look to add more competition to the cornerback room, even with all three starters (Slay, Nevin Lawson and Jamal Agnew-slot) under contract for next season.

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

GREEDY WILLIAMS

School: LSU

Ht/Wt: 6-2, 182

Best trait: Length. He’s long and athletic, and really burst onto the scene in 2017, when he recorded six interceptions as a redshirt freshman. Williams was named First-Team All-SEC in 2017 and 2018.

Concern: He needs to add some muscle to his frame, which will better help him challenge ball carriers in the run game and shed blockers.

Skinny: He’s a press-man cornerback, who will probably have more opportunities to succeed early on in a man scheme. He’s smooth and athletic, and has a history of production. If Williams tests well at the Combine, he has a chance to be the first cornerback off the board.

Andraez Williams College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

DEANDRE BAKER

School: Georgia

Ht/Wt: 5-11, 180

Best trait: Complete player. Baker won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back this past season. A couple draft evaluators described Baker as “pesky,” which is a compliment. He plays bigger than his frame would indicate.

Concern: He doesn’t have the length of some of the other cornerbacks in the class. While he does play bigger than he looks, can he match up effectively on the outside with the NFL’s best bigger receivers?

Skinny: Baker is a gamer. He’s consistent and confident, and didn’t allow a single touchdown in his coverage the entire 2017 season. He’s a solid cornerback with the potential to play right away.

Deandre Baker College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

JULIAN LOVE

School: Notre Dame

Ht/Wt: 5-11, 190

Best trait: Versatility. Love played both inside and outside for the Irish. He's a physical player inside and a willing tackler. Love had a school record 20 pass breakups in 2017 with 68 tackles. He was a finalist for the Thorpe Award this past season after defending 16 passes and totaling 63 tackles.

Concern: He doesn’t possess top-end speed, which could limit his outside potential. His 40-yard dash time will be closely watched by evaluators.

Skinny: He’s one of the best pure cover corners in the class. He’s got terrific ball skills and great instincts, and could (pffttt, will) find some success right away for the Detroit Lions in the NFL on the inside.

Julian Love College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

ROCK YA-SIN

School: Temple

Ht/Wt: 5-11, 189

Best trait: Strength. He’s a chiseled athlete and former two-time Georgia state wrestling champion. He recorded 12 pass breakups, 47 tackles and two interceptions for the Owls last season.

Concern: He has just one year of FBS experience after transferring to Temple last year from Presbyterian College.

Skinny: He battled South Carolina's Deebo Samuel, one of the top receiving prospects in the draft, every day at the Senior Bowl, and won his fair share of those battles. Ya-Sin is a bit raw, but he might have the highest ceiling of any cornerback prospect once teams start working on his technique.

Rock Ya-Sin College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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^^^^

I like the potential in Ya-Sin. If he were still available in late 3rd round or better yet our early 4th round slot, I wouldn't mind him as a possibility.

any player that comes from the same CFB school as Tahir Whitehead should be considered and quite possibly trading a next years pick to draft Rock Ya-Sin in this years draft.

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

BYRON MURPHY

School: Washington

Ht/Wt: 5-11, 180

Best trait: Ball hawk. In 13 starts this past season, he collected 58 tackles and led the team with four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and deflected 13 passes. Murphy made plays on 31 percent of his targeted throws over two years, and posted seven interceptions and 20 pass breakups in just 87 career targets, per NFL.com stats.

Concern: Where does he play? He might be too small and lack the speed to play on the outside. His 40 time at the Combine will be an important test for him.

Skinny: Murphy has a high football IQ, and proved to be a playmaker and ballhawk at Washington. He might be better in the slot, but there was no denying his playmaking ability in college.

Byron Murphy College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

School: Penn State

Ht/Wt: 6-1, 204

Best trait: Size. Oruwariye checks off all the physical boxes in terms of length and strength. He was an All-Big Ten player last season after leading the Nittany Lions with 12 pass breakups and tying for the team lead with three interceptions.

Concern: He was a starter for just one season. He’ll need some seasoning, and teams will be interested in his 40-yard dash and long speed potential.

Skinny: He’s a player who started for just one season and will benefit from NFL coaching and technique work. He can cover the league’s bigger receivers and win 50-50 balls. If he runs well, the ceiling is high for him.

Amani Oruwariye College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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^^^^

He's a much bigger version of Nevin Lawson, imo. He has trouble turning his head consistently and being too grabby once he knows he's guessed wrong on route. There's potential in him but agree in that he needs quite a bit of technique work and keeping his feet from falsely crossing over when he opens up.

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Cornerback

TRAYVON MULLEN

School: Clemson

Ht/Wt: 6-1, 186

Best trait: Length. Mullen has ideal size and speed for the NFL. He was the title game defensive MVP after recording six tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble to help Clemson beat Alabama for the title.

Concern: There wasn’t a lot of ball production for him. He recorded four interceptions and defended 12 passes the last three years.

Skinny: Mullen is a long cornerback with experience playing in a lot of different coverages at Clemson. His last collegiate game was his best, but teams will wonder why they didn’t see more of that throughout the course of his college career.

Trayvon Mullen College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

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^^^^

I think Mullen would make for an excellent FS right from the jump and it's not that he can't become a quality CB, it's more in line that his instincts playing back and sometimes deep are already that of a seasoned FS for CFB while not truly playing as a Safety. He's good in run support, very aware of angles to take when asked to blitz and has great instincts when playing deep zones (12-15 yds off when used as a CB) and can come downhill or flip his hips turn and cover deep seam. He'll struggle at times when mirroring in short areas with a shifty-twitched up savvy route runner going inside from outside the numbers.

 

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2019 Combine Preview: Wide receiver

The Detroit Lions are on the lookout for some help at wide receiver alongside Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. next season. Maybe an internal candidate – like Brandon Powell – emerges to fill the role. Maybe the Lions sign a free agent.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn could also look to the draft for the help. He told season tickets members earlier this week it’s a position they are looking at in the draft, and this class offers a little bit of everything.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Lions bolster the position via free agency and the draft.

“We’ll take the best receiver we can,” Quinn said. “It’s a position we’re looking at thoroughly and I think there’s a lot of good options out there.”

When it comes to the NFL Scouting Combine starting later this month, let’s take a look at some of the receivers the Lions might take a look at: