On Saturday, our own Brandon Knapp made a compelling case for the Detroit Lions to draft Michigan guard Zak Zinter sometime on Day 2 or Day 3. Zinter is coming off a serious injury, but his ability as a road grader in the run game—plus Detroit’s lack of an immediate need at guard—make him a smart fit with the Lions.
Of course, there are hundreds of other prospects for the Lions to consider on the second day of the draft. The first round gets most of the attention in the pre-draft process from the media, but as general manager Brad Holmes has proven in his previous three drafts, Day 2 and Day 3 can be essential to building your roster. Detroit has been able to snag Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Alim McNeill, and Ifeatu Melifonwu on Day 2 alone. If you throw Day 3 in there, you can also add James Houston, Malcolm Rodriguez, Derrick Barnes, and a guy named Amon-Ra St. Brown to the list.
So while we’re all intensely focused on what Detroit does with the 29th overall pick, don’t forget about pick 61 or pick 73.
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Who is your 2024 NFL Draft Day 2 crush?
My answer: The more I dig into Wake Forest cornerback Caelen Carson, the more I love him as a potential selection at pick 73.
Detroit is going to have a tough shot at one of the top cornerbacks in the draft class with the 29th pick, so nabbing a No. 1 lockdown is probably not a realistic option. But Carson brings good size (6-foot), adequate speed, and decent ball production (7+ pass breakups in each of his last three seasons).
He’s smart (academic All-ACC) and has a boatload of experience as a four-year starter at Wake Forest. And most importantly to the Lions, he’s a scrappy, physical player who likes getting his hands on receivers early in the routes and will actively get involved in the run game.
There are some serious concerns, including a mild injury history that also kept him out of NFL Combine and Senior Bowl activities (foot), but he did run at his Pro Day. He also has just average athleticism with a 6.12 RAS.
But I look at Carson very much in the same vein as a guy like Will Harris (albeit not as athletic). He has the versatility to play both nickel and outside cornerback—and I wouldn’t discount some safety potential either. His smarts will earn the coaching staff’s trust, but I think he has a higher ceiling than Harris ever reached. He’d make an instant impact on special teams with his gritty style of play, and very much has a ceiling as a solid No. 2 outside cornerback who could back up Brian Branch in a pinch at nickel.
Let’s hear your favorite Day 2 and Day 3 prospects. Scroll down to the comment section and share “your” guys.
2024-04-14 12:00:00
#NFL #Draft #Day #crushes #Detroit #Lions
