The Lions will be using one of their final pre-draft visits on one of this year’s top quarterback prospects. Detroit is scheduled to meet with former Pitt passer Kenny Pickett next week (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).
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As Pelissero notes, this will be the first known sit-down the Lions have with a signal-caller. Much of their pre-draft homework has been done on the class’ top defensive prospects, though some of speculated that a quarterback could be the team’s ultimate target. Head coach Dan Campbell and his staff were able to work closely with Malik Willis and Sam Howell at the Senior Bowl, so they presumably have a good deal of familiarity with those two already.
Pickett, meanwhile, has drawn plenty of interest from a number of teams expected to be eyeing a QB later this month. Over the course of five years with the Panthers, he threw 81 touchdowns and 32 interceptions, adding just over 800 rushing yards in the process. The 2021 campaign was by far his most productive, as he set new career-highs in completion percentage (67.2), passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (47 in total). As a result, he was a finalist for the Heisman trophy.
The six-foot-three, 220-pound passer – like all other top QB options this year – is not seen as being worth a top-two pick, though the Lions have have said they would be willing to trade down; the team also owns the 32nd and 34th selections. That, coupled with general manager Brad Holmes recently stating an openness to draft a quarterback (despite supporting Jared Goff, who has three more years on his contract), leaves the door open to the Lions adding a developmental passer.
There is still a great deal of uncertainty at the very top of the board with less than two weeks to go until the first round. If Detroit were to use their top selection on a quarterback, it would add even more intrigue to the rest of the first round, and have a…
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