Connected to bigger names at No. 6 overall, the Lions have two first-rounders. Players who should be expected to factor into Detroit’s second selection — No. 18 — are showing up on their pre-draft radar.
Detroit’s No. 6 pick belonged to the Rams, via the Jared Goff trade, but the NFC North team is gathering intel on prospects who could be available at 18. The Lions will host Florida offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence on April 17, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets, adding a visit with Alabama defensive back Brian Branch is also on the team’s itinerary. Ditto Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, per WCBI’s Jon Sokoloff (on Twitter).
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A transfer from Louisiana to Florida last year, Torrence finished his lone Gators season as a consensus All-American at guard. He grades this draft’s top interior O-lineman available, per Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, who each have the one-and-done SECer ranked just outside the top 30.
The Lions agreed to a reworked deal with Halapoulivaati Vaitai this offseason and have their other guard starter, Jonah Jackson, going into a contract year. Graham Glasgow is back on the team, but the 2016 Lions draftee is on a one-year agreement. Vaitai’s reworked contract also removed 2024, moving the injury-plagued blocker into a contract year.
Forbes notched three pick-sixes last season and holds the career Division I-FBS record with six in his career, getting there despite playing just three seasons with the Bulldogs. Forbes intercepted 14 passes in total in college, but size will cloud his tremendous production numbers. The 6-foot-1 corner weighed 166 pounds at the Combine. Scouts Inc. still rates Forbes just inside the top 30.
Branch checks in a few spots lower, but the former Crimson Tide safety profiles as the headliner of a mediocre crop at the position. Branch, who goes 5-11 and 190 pounds, offers flexibility as well; he saw considerable time in the slot at Alabama. He joined Torrence as a consensus All-American last season.
Coming off a season in which they ranked last defensively, the Lions have made major additions in the secondary this offseason. They brought in Cameron Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The team also added ex-49er Emmanuel Moseley on a lower-cost deal and re-signed Will Harris. They traded Jeff Okudah to the Falcons on Tuesday. At safety, the Lions have Gardner-Johnson as an option — though, he primarily patrolled the slot during his time under Aaron Glenn in New Orleans — along with second-year cog Kerby Joseph and veteran Tracy Walker.
I actually really like the Lions’ additions this offseason. The primary objective for Detroit will be sustain their offensive explosion last year, and they’ve returned their primary contributors there. Mostly importantly, perhaps, is the retention of Ben Johnson. These new defensive pieces should help considerably with the Lions’ chances-as expected, most are in the backfield, which was probably the most undermanned group in the NFL last year. Those veterans-Walker and Gardner-Johnson-will be key in Detroit’s transition to a new secondary.