Two weeks out from the NFL Draft, who's your first-round crush? "Who is that individual that you are just dying for the Lions to take, or even trade up for?" asks Jon Jansen.
For Stoney, it's either Marshall edge defender Mike Green or Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams. Green could require the Lions trading up into the top 15, which not be realistic. Williams could be more within Detroit's range. On top of the fact that he checks in at 6'5, 267, Stoney loves that "he lined up all over Kirby Smart’s defense, right side, left side, so that would be my guy on Day 1."
Plus, "the Georgia guys have done pretty damn well" in the NFL, as the Super Bowl-champion Eagles could attest. Williams has been compared to Bills pass rusher Gregory Rousseau, the 30th overall pick in 2021 who has 21 sacks over the last three seasons.
Jansen's first-round crush, to no surprise, is fellow offensive lineman Grey Zabel from North Dakota State. Jansen loves Zabel's rare combination of size (6'6, 305) and athleticism and his ability to play any of the five positions up front, "which is an unbelievable talent that you can add to this offensive line."
Zabel would be insurance for the aging players on Detroit's offensive line like Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow and even Frank Ragnow, who's battled numerous injuries the past few seasons. And "if you add him along with Penei Sewell and Christian Mahogany, you have three out of five guys up front who are young, athletic and play with an absolute mean streak," says Jansen.
"That’s the other thing I like about Zabel: he is a mean dude. And you gotta have that streak."
While there are questions about Zabel's quality of competition in college, Jansen says that he has the three most important traits for an offensive lineman that translate to NFL success: "pad level, footwork, how does he utilize his hands?"
"I think this is a pick that could really solidify this offensive line," Jansen says. "We’ve heard Brad Holmes talk about watering the garden. This would be the perfect player to water the garden."
Zabel is projected to go in the back half of the first round. While he might not fall all the way to No. 28, Jansen says that if he's still on the board at 23 or 24, it's simple for the Lions: "Go get him."