The Detroit Lions have a lot of young, core talent they are now trying to build depth around.
Two of the core pieces are at wide receiver with All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and electric third-year speedster Jameson Williams. St. Brown is arguably one of the top receivers in the game, and Williams is coming off his first 1,000-yard season where he was one of the best big-play threats in the game.
How much the Lions might look to build their depth at receiver this offseason really depends on the future of veteran Tim Patrick, who is an unrestricted free agent. Patrick was signed by the Lions right before last season and quickly became a trusted weapon for quarterback Jared Goff as the No. 3 option at receiver.
Patrick's size (6-4) and toughness allowed him to be a big target for Goff with a large catch radius. He finished with 33 receptions for 394 yards (11.9 avg.) with three touchdowns and really solidified Detroit's receiver room alongside St. Brown and Williams.
Patrick could draw interest in free agency as a reliable veteran with size and experience. It stands to reason the Lions would like him back too, but we'll have to see what happens.
If he ends up elsewhere, Detroit could be in the market for a receiver with some size and toughness to pair with St. Brown and Williams either via free agency or the draft.
If they go the draft route, this is a pretty deep class of receivers with 11 players earning draft grades from NFL.com who are 6-foot-3 or taller. Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan (6-5) is the best of the bunch and is expected to be drafted in the top half of the first round.
After him there's a long list of players that include Mississippi's Tre Harris (6-3), Iowa State's Jayden Higgins (6-3), TCU's Savion Williams (6-5), Tennessee's Don't'e Thornton Jr. (6-5), Colorado State's Tory Horton (6-3), Virginia Tech's Da'Quan Felton (6-4), Arkansas' Andrew Armstrong (6-4), Nebraska's Isaiah Neyor (6-3), Maryland's Kaden Prather (6-3) and Notre Dame's Beaux Collins (6-3), who can be drafted throughout all seven rounds and even signed afterward as undrafted free agents.
"With my size I can go get the ball and attack it. I also think I'm one of the best blockers in this class," Armstrong said Friday. "Just aside from catching the ball and running with it, I feel like that's what separates me is my blocking. I like to embarrass defenders. I want to put them on their butt and make sure they know I'm on the field."
That's been a prerequisite the last few years to see the field as a receiver in Detroit's offense. To be a Lions receiver they have to be willing and able blockers and that's expected to continue with assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery taking over the receiver room with Antwaan Randle El moving to Chicago's coaching staff this offseason.
View photos of the defensive linemen at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Louisville defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State defensive lineman Ty Hamilton runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas defensive lineman Eric Gregory runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas defensive lineman Alfred Collins runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indiana defensive lineman CJ West runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Baylor defensive lineman Steve Linton participates in vertical jump at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
SMU defensive lineman Elijah Roberts runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Stewart runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
LSU defensive lineman Sai'vion Jones is measured at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
North Carolina defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
South Carolina defensive lineman T.J. Sanders runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
LSU defensive lineman Bradyn Swinson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Marshall defensive lineman Mike Green lifts weights at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Boston College defensive lineman Cam Horsley runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Nebraska defensive lineman Ty Robinson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard lifts weights at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Tennessee defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Central Arkansas defensive lineman David Walker runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas A&M defensive lineman Nic Scourton runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State defensive lineman Jack Sawyer runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Maryland defensive lineman Jordan Phillips runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
UCLA defensive lineman Oluwafemi Oladejo runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Mississippi defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama defensive lineman Tim Smith runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson stretches before he runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Tennessee defensive lineman Elijah Simmons runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Boise State defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia defensive lineman Warren Brinson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oregon defensive lineman Jordan Burch runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Syracuse defensive lineman Fadil Diggs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Kentucky defensive lineman Deone Walker runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
West Virginia defensive lineman Sean Martin runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Minnesota defensive lineman Jah Joyner runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Mississippi defensive lineman Jared Ivey runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Boston College defensive lineman Donovan Ezeiruaku runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Florida State defensive lineman Joshua Farmer runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Payton Page runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Utah defensive lineman Junior Tafuna runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oregon defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Florida defensive lineman Cam Jackson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Mississippi defensive lineman JJ Pegues runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Florida defensive lineman Cam Jackson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
South Carolina defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia Tech defensive lineman Zeek Biggers runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
SMU defensive lineman Jared Harrison-Hunte runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oklahoma defensive lineman Ethan Downs lifts weights at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Virginia Tech defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Virginia Tech defensive lineman Antwaun Powell-Ryland runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Toledo defensive lineman Darius Alexander runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Maryland defensive lineman Tommy Akingbesote runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
BYU defensive lineman Tyler Batty runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Miami defensive lineman Tyler Baron runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Teams don't have as many big runs as the Lions did last season without receivers blocking on the edge and in the second and third levels and it's a big part of Detroit's offensive scheme.
"Not just my size but being able to move like a smaller receiver. I'm big, six-foot-four, but I can play in the slot and inside and out and just make those plays at the end of the day," Higgins said.
"Every team has talked about (the importance of being able to run block). The ability to go in there and make a play and block linebackers and just be that big threat."
Lions general manager Brad Holmes has some tough decisions to make come the start of free agency with so many young core players coming due for extensions this offseason and in the coming seasons. Patrick is among those decisions.
If the Lions are looking to add depth at receiver, potentially some depth with size, they'll be able to find it at a lot of different levels of this draft.
