Saint Patrick's Day. Mock Draft 2.0. The Detroit Lions Podcast goes straight to the needs. Offensive tackle and edge sit at the top. The board cooperates, and the plan stays firm.

Why OT at 17: the Blake Miller case

Round 1 lands on Blake Miller, the Clemson right tackle. Four-year starter. Seasoned. His hand usage improved. His footwork improved. He fits the grit. The knock is positional. He is a right tackle only. That places the left-side question on Penei Sewell. The preference is keeping Penei at right tackle. Moving him is not off the table. The goal is the best five in front of Goff and Jamir Gibbs. Protect the high octane passing game. With Miller, that feels attainable right away.

The usual suspects at tackle were gone early. Monroe Freeling went sixth. Kendrick Small went tenth. Francis Mawanawa went twelfth. Dylan Spielman was still there, but safety is not the priority at 17. The trenches are. The front office knows it. Nobody wants to roll into the NFL season with Larry Corrao as the unquestioned starter at left tackle. Miller at 17 makes sense.

Edge in Round 2: burst over bulk with Gabe Thomas

Round 2 turns to edge. Gabe Thomas from Illinois headlines the card. He looks like a defensive tackle at 260, but his first step pops. Inside to outside. Power to speed. The style echoes Josh Paschal. The burst off the snap is the sell. Quick pressure has been an admitted need. Thomas supplies it. The concern is run defense. It improved, but it is not a strength. That might nudge some teams elsewhere. Here, the pass rush juice carries the day. Several names were in play, yet the choice settles on that explosive profile.

Day 3 swing at safety: Bud Clark profile

No third-round pick, so the board skips to Round 4. Bud Clark, safety from Strickland, becomes the target. His scouting read mirrors Kirby Joseph out of Illinois. Rangy. Heady. Ball hawk. Tackling is streaky. Angles can wander. The ball skills are real. The range shows up. In this slot, that blend plays. He can push for snaps if the room is healthy. He can live as a takeaway threat if it is not.

Board math and alternate paths

There were alternate paths. Max Decker from Arizona State has a higher ceiling, but he is more developmental. TJ Harper, the edge from Thompson, drew a long look. The decision to go tackle first reflects a sharper drop-off from Round 1 to Round 2 at that spot. Edge offered more value later. The strategy holds together. Fix the trenches. Get faster to the quarterback. Add range on Day 3. Simple. Targeted. Detroit Lions football.

#detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #blakemiller #gabethomas #budclark #peneisewell #goff #jamirgibbs #clemsonrighttackle #millerat17 #round2 #day3

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices