Executive producer of NFL Matchup and senior producer at NFL Films, Greg Cosell, has been kind enough to break down the Lions' draft picks for detroitlions.com the past three seasons, and has agreed to do so for a fourth year.
Cosell's opinions are based on hours and hours spent watching the All-22 film and evaluating these players. Cosell is one of the most honest evaluators in the business, and is well-respected among NFL circles.
You can follow him on Twitter at @gregcosell.
Here's what he had to say about the Lions' 2016 Draft Class:
Note: Cosell didn't see enough tape of LB Antwione Williams, QB Jake Rudock, DE Anthony Zettel or LS Jimmy Landes to give a thorough evaluation for this story.
**Round 1 (16) Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
**
Cosell: "To me, Decker was a consistency of execution player. Really efficient. He had good overall traits. I think he can play the left side in the NFL and be a solid player. I wouldn't say he's an elite left tackle prospect, but he's a good one.
"I think he would fit in really well in a gap-scheme run game where his strength as a down blocker can really be utilized well. Some teams might see him as a better right tackle prospect. That would be a function of team and scheme."
Final line: "Overall I thought Decker was strong. I thought that as a run blocker he was already good. I thought he played with good balance. Overall I like Decker as a prospect. He's not a great athlete, but he was comfortable with his footwork and balance. He's not Laremy Tunsil, but I think he's a good enough athlete to play the left tackle position. He looked like a kid who prepared and worked."
Round 2 (46) A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Cosell: "He looks like he's about 40 years old. I really like this player on tape. I mean he's really put together well. Really well proportioned frame. Strong upper body. Powerful legs. Point of attack strength in the run game. Able to get underneath offensive lineman and drive them back.
"He stalemated and controlled offensive lineman at the point of attack. He played a strong man's game. I thought he was a little deceptive athletically. He played with some quickness and balance and showed some closing burst to the ball."
Final line: "The Lions are base 4-3 and he's obviously a defensive tackle in a base 4-3. A lot of people saw him as a 3-4 defensive end. I didn't see him as a three technique. I saw him as a one technique if he's going to play in a 4-3. He's a little more athletic than people might think. I think he can grow into being a three technique, I don't know if he's ready to do it right now, but the athleticism did show (on film)."
**Round 3 (95) Graham Glasgow, C/G, Michigan
**
Cosell: "I like that kid. I really liked him on tape. He grew on me. He's tall, he's almost 6-foot-6, and every once in a while he played too high and lost leverage, but I really liked his competitiveness. I really liked the way he finished. Interior lineman, you want them to be tenacious. The interior line in the NFL, that's not the swimsuit competition. These guys just have to battle and compete and I really like the way he competed.
"I thought he had good feet and is a good overall athlete for an interior offensive lineman. I can see him transitioning as either a center or guard. I personally like him better than Notre Dame's Nick Martin, who I think might have gone before him (in the draft). I thought he was more naturally athletic and gave you more dimensions."
Final line: "Every once in a while he'd fall off a block in the run game, I think that can be a function of his height, just losing leverage at times, but I thought he showed good snap and step quickness with the ability to work at the second level really well. He was aggressive coming off the ball. I thought he showed really good reaction and reactive quickness to block linebacker attacking gaps. I really like this player."
Round 4 (111) Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah
Cosell: "I didn't love this player. He's got to be used a certain kind of way. The Lions have basically been playing Glover Quin being the free safety and (James) Ihedigbo being the strong safety. They've clearly played with a weak safety and a strong safety. Killebrew is only a strong safety.
"He did play some man coverage in college. You have to decide if he can do that in the NFL. He clearly transitions best to the NFL as a box safety He's certainly not a single-high safety."
Final line: "At times he was a little bit of a slow reactor. That was my sense watching the tape. I think he has to play closer to the line of scrimmage. The more space he has to cover and the more things he has to see I think the more he struggled."
**Round 5 (151) Joe Dahl, G/T, Washington State
**
Cosell: "Dahl is another player I really like. He played multiple positions in his career at Washington State. He's a guard (in the NFL). On film he looked like he had a short, squatty build, but he's over 6-foot-4. He played at Washington State where they were in the air-it-out offense, so it's a lot of short sets, where he could engage passers early when he played tackle and he did that really well. He plays more of a strength/power game than a finesse/movement game.
"He had an excellent battle with DeForest Buckner. They went back and forth. He pass sets more like an offensive guard. He has a compact frame. He doesn't really kick slide. His footwork is a little choppy. But that all works at guard.
Final line: "In all honesty I thought there were similarities between Joe Dahl and Jack Conklin. I know Conklin was the eighth pick in the draft, and a lot of people love Conklin, but I thought there were similarities when it comes to physical traits and competitive toughness. Conklin is bigger, but Dahl was really tough and competitive. I really like Dahl. Preparation and detail player."
Round 7 (236) Dwayne Washington, RB, Washington
Cosell: "I found him to be a fascinating prospect for what he is. He has an excellent size, speed profile. He went there as a wide receiver. He's a really good receiver. He ran a lot of different routes at Washington. He ran wheel routes. He ran seams. He's a north-south explosion strider kind of runner. Not laterally quick at all, which is why he really can't be a featured back.
"He's got enough size that if you put him back there here and there he can do fine. He's got good long speed. He had an 81-yard touchdown reception vs. Utah State where you really saw it. The receiving really stood out best. He's a matchup weapon with his size, speed and vertical ability."
Final line: "I found him to be an intriguing player. He profiles best as a sub-package back, who can align both in the backfield and detached from the formation. Excellent receiving skills with multiple dimensions in that role. If this kid turns out to be a good player, and there's no guarantee, I could see him and (Theo) Riddick on the field together."
