3 rounds of building up Detroit

Now that the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is complete, it’s time for the barrage of post-combine mock drafts.

8 players from the Combine who stood out as potential Detroit Lions targets

It turns out, this is also the first straight mock draft we’ve done here at Lions Wire for this draft cycle. I’ve rolled out a few mock offseasons that encompass free agency and player movement along with a mock draft. Now that I’ve had a chance to observe and report on the Lions from the combine, it’s easier to formulate an idea of what might happen come draft weekend at the end of April. This covers just the first three rounds.

The picks here are projections based on what I think the Lions might do with the given picks. They do not necessarily reflect the choices I would make. There are two specific projections here that I hope prove horribly wrong, but that’s one of the things about the draft: your favorite team is inevitably, reliably going to do some things that disappoint you–even Brad Holmes and the Lions.

Before we get to No. 6, the top five played out like this in my own mental simulation:

1. Colts trade up to land Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

2. Texans take Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

3. Panthers trade up to land C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

4. Bears take Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama in the trade back with the Colts

5. Seahawks take Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia (provided he’s cleared in his criminal case)

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzalez tested very well in Indy, and he’s got a lot of impressive film from both Oregon and Colorado (he transferred after 2021) to back it up. His length, long speed and attention to detail indicate more growth potential to his game.

Gonzalez isn’t as physical as Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, and he’s not as intense of a competitor. But the size, speed and consistency of performance are superior, and the brother-in-law of former Lions QB David Blough is plenty competitive in his own right.

It’s hard to overlook the potential of Texas Tech DE Tyree Wilson here, but the Lions are in a lot better shape at EDGE than CB in the short and long haul. It feels early for an offensive lineman, too.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

White offers the defensive front impactful versatility at multiple positions. He’s far from a finished product, partly because he keeps getting bigger and stronger (6-5/285 in Indy) in transforming from a tight end at Old Dominion to a defensive…