Lions select slept on QB prospect in latest mock draft
The Detroit Lions are in the midst of one of its most pivotal offseason since the turn of the 21st century. The Lions have made major improvements to its roster in free agency, and with four draft picks in the first two rounds Detroit is in a position to make some noise in late-April. The […]
The Detroit Lions are in the midst of one of its most pivotal offseason since the turn of the 21st century. The Lions have made major improvements to its roster in free agency, and with four draft picks in the first two rounds Detroit is in a position to make some noise in late-April.
The Lions have bolstered its pass defense with big signings in free agency, but many are wondering if the team will use its No. 6 overall pick on a quarterback. Jared Goff is coming off of a fantastic 2022 campaign, but Pro Football Focus believes the Lions will add a quarterback in the draft.
But there’s a kicker. PFF’s Mike Renner estimates the player who best suits the Lions offense will be available in the third round.
That player is Stanford QB Tanner McKee.
“McKee would make sense for the Lions in that he plays the position similarly to Goff and shouldn’t have much of a learning curve with the NFL readiness he showed at Stanford. He is not only a cheap insurance option this season, but he’ll also be entering the vaunted Year 3 of his rookie deal when Goff’s contract is set to expire.”
Read PFF’s full breakdown here.
Renner goes on to note that Goff is turning 29 in 2023 and the final two years of his contract include massive cap hits. If Detroit can find the right quarterback, the Lions can extend its competitive window if the team decides to move off of Goff.
In this mock draft, Renner has the Lions selecting Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez with the sixth overall pick. The Lions’ next pick would come at No. 18 overall, which will likely be too late to nab a top quarterback.
McKee has two years of starting experience at Stanford where he threw 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions during his collegiate career. Though his numbers won’t jump off the page, he possesses many of the traits that Goff has meaning a potential transition wouldn’t require the offense to change.
While it’s fun discourse, it’s extremely difficult to project what teams will do in the mid-rounds of the NFL draft. It’s impossible to know which players will be and won’t be available. That being said, McKee would make sense for Detroit after the team loads up on talent with four picks in the first two rounds.
