The Detroit Lions have the bones of a championship contender already in town, which means the plan of attack for Brad Holmes and the front office should be trying their best to supplement some of the less heralded areas on this very deep roster.
One of the more popular paths mock draft prognosticators have them going down is attacking the defensive line, as the loss of Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator and the relative lack of talent in that area compared to other contenders has Detroit looking just a bit squishy up front.
The Lions have the ability to lean on a draft class that has been heralded for their depth and overall quality to find a long-term starter. Many recent NFL Mock Drafts have Detroit finding a new running mate for Aidan Hutchinson with their No. 28 overall pick.
Detroit Lions target pass rushers in NFL Mock Draft roundup
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Brad Holmes should do cartwheels if Williams is still available at 28. The best run-stuffing edge in this class, Williams will be able to take off as a pass rusher in Detroit's scheme, especially if we are to believe that he played a majority of his final college season while dealing with injuries.
Grade: A+
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Pearce wouldn't necessarily be a dream scenario due to some character concern rumors, but he is without question a fringe Top 10 talent in this class that could reach his full potential in a Lions defense that will ask him to do nothing else but hunt quarterbacks.
Grade: A+
Charles McDonald and Nate Tice, Yahoo: JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
While Tuimoloau is an unconventional prospect evaluation and seldom-seen first-round pick, his ability to move between different defensive line spots combined with finally emerging as a solid pass rusher in his final college season could make this a worthwhile pick.
Grade: A-
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: Jonah Savaiinaea, IOL, Arizona
The Lions might be able to land Savaiinaea in the second round due to concerns about his overall athletic ability. However, if both Grey Zabel and Donovan Jackson are off the board, taking Savaiinaea early and plugging him in as a starter might not be the worst idea in the world.
Grade: B
Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
Amos certainly has shown some promise as a press-man cornerback, but the signing of DJ Reed and continued development of Terrion Arnold makes cornerback a much less important need for this team in the short-term future. The first-round pick will be better used elsewhere.
Grade: C
