Whether they pick third overall or trade down, their first-round target appears to be Jeffrey Okudah.
"Okudah would bring ball skills, size and versatility to a defense that was exploited last season to the tune of 284.4 passing yards allowed per game," writes McShay. "His athleticism is elite, and I'd expect him to excel in man coverage at the next level."
From there, Detroit's plan remains anyone guess. In addition to cornerback, the team has needs at guard, running back and defensive end, to name a few.
With the third pick in the second pick (35th overall), McShay has the Lions taking Michigan offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz.
“The Lions lost Graham Glasgow in free agency, and they could find a replacement early on Day 2,” he writes. “Ruiz is my top-ranked center, and the Lions were middle of the pack in 2019 in both rushing offense and pass protection.”
It's an interesting choice, considering the Lions have 2018 first-round pick Frank Ragnow entrenched at center. He excelled there last season after a switch back from guard. Ruiz did play guard his freshman year at Michigan, so maybe he has the tools to step in for Glasgow.
For Bob Quinn, it would represent yet another big investment in the O-line. In his five-year tenure as GM, he's drafted two OL in the first round in Taylor Decker and Ragnow and signed three more to expensive contracts in TJ Lang, Rick Wagner and most recently Halapoulivaati Vaitai.