Brad Holmes has warned everyone about getting too attached to mock drafts: "You gotta battle the whole thing of people having minimal information versus people having all the information, which is us. It's tough for the fans because all they can go off of is the information that they see, which is the people putting together these mock drafts the last two to three months." So against our better judgement ... are the mock drafts telling us something about the Lions' plans with the No. 29 pick?
A quick review of eight recent mocks reveals two players in consideration for Detroit: Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson.
On the McKinstry train: Josh Edwards and Chris Trapasso from CBS Sports, Daniel Jeremiah and Gennaro Filice from NFL.com. On the Robinson train: Pete Prisco from CBS Sports, Bucky Brooks from NFL.com, Kyle Dvorchak from NBC Sports, Steve Palazzolo from Pro Football Focus.
For Jeremiah, the expert of all draft experts, it came down to McKinstry vs. Robinson: "This was a tough call for me ... The Lions end up going with the talented outside cornerback to pair with his former Alabama teammate, slot corner Brian Branch."
If that's indeed who it comes down to on draft night, "I would prefer to see Chop Robinson be a part of this team," says Jon Jansen.
Jansen watched both McKinstry and Robinson play in-person last season against Michigan. And he was especially impressed by "the impact that Chop Robinson had on Michigan's game plan."
"From the midway through the second quarter for the rest of the game, there was no registered pass for Michigan because Chop Robinson and his initial step, his quickness off the ball, Michigan couldn't block him. ... They adjusted their game plan because of the impact of one player."
Robinson's production at Penn State doesn't jump off the page, but his NFL traits are clear. He's even drawn comparisons to fellow Penn State product Micah Parsons.
McKinstry has tantalizing talent himself -- and "the idea that the Detroit Lions would draft a player with the name Kool-Aid is outstanding," says Costa -- "but Brad Holmes is a guy who wants the highest ceiling." While McKinstry would fill a need for the Lions at outside corner, "a dominant defensive end changes a defense more than a dominant corner does."
"That first step, that translates. I'm not worried about his sack production at Penn State, I'm worried about being a game-wrecker. Put him opposite Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport is only a one-year deal and the consistency hasn't been there. Get somebody else on the edge of that defense. Between the two, I'd pick Chop."
