I woke up the day after the NFL trade deadline after the Detroit Lions did nothing, and I was itchy. Like, really itchy. I couldn’t figure out why, but I was itchy all over and had chills. Then, I did this mock draft, and I suddenly felt better. Let’s jump into it.

21st pick: Kaydn Proctor, OT, Alabama

The moment Alabama threw that screen pass to Kadyn Proctor, Dan Campbell’s eyes lit up, and he begged Brad Holmes to get out to Alabama to see this guy. Holmes, in fact, did head out there.

Taylor Decker might be playing his final season right now, and it’s not going well. He seems to get hurt every week, which you hate to see. Proctor is the perfect left tackle for this team. His athleticism is on the same level as Penei Sewell’s, and he his an excellent protector. This is the dream right here.

Trade down with the Broncos

Since the Lions have no third-round pick, I wanted to do something that closed the gap a little bit. So I traded the Broncos the 53rd pick in the second round for the 60th pick in the second round and the 101st pick in the fourth round.

60th pick: LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina

I know LaNorris Sellers is not having his best season right now, but this is a steal. It wasn’t too long ago when Sellers was a first-round pick and a potential Heisman candidate. Then, South Carolina’s offense got off to such a bad start that the offensive coordinator got fired.

For the Lions, this is a guy who has everything you want. He has the arm and the mobility. He just needs a little more time to cook, and the Lions are the perfect oven for him since they don’t need him to start right away. Give him a few years, and he should be ready to light things up.

101st pick: Boubacar Traore, Edge, Notre Dame

The Lions could use some edge help, but it’s not something they need to spend their first-round pick on. Still, Boubacar Traore is someone who could come in and start opposite Aidan Hutchinson and bring some strong pressure.

Traore also fits because he’s a strong run defender and one of the more sure tacklers in the nation. He has just four missed tackles in three years.

121st pick: Logan Jones, C, Iowa

The Lions need a center, but it’s currently unclear what their plan is there. On one side, it could be Tate Ratledge moving over, and on the other, they could grab someone in free agency.

Then, in the middle, there’s the Lions drafting someone. Logan Jones is a very good center prospect. He’s allowed just three pressures and one sack this season for the Hawkeyes, and he’s Pro Football Focus’ second-highest graded center in the nation. This feels like another steal.

160th pick: Lawson Luckie, TE, Georgia

The Lions need some help at tight end beyond Sam LaPorta, and here’s a guy who can certainly help with that.

Lawson Luckie is a solid pass and run blocker, and he can also catch some passes if needed. This would also help prevent the need to use receivers as third tight ends, as the Lions have done this year.

Trade up with Patriots

I saw a guy falling and had to have him. Probably should have picked him with the 160th pick. So I traded the Patriots the 197th, 234th, and 255th picks to move up to the 169th pick.

169th pick: Emmanuel McNeill-Warren, S, Toledo

Toledo is low-key building a secondary factory, and the Lions would be wise to get someone from it. Emmanuel McNeill-Warren is one of the best safeties in college football right now. He’s Pro Football Focus’ third-highest graded safety in the nation.

He should have been gone by now, but he’s here, and I got in position to strike.

199th pick: Jermaine Mathews Jr., CB, Ohio State

The Lions could use some cornerback depth, and while Jermaine Mathews may not be a starter, he can be a valuable special teams player and someone who can fill a role similar to Kindle Vildor at CB4 or CB5.

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