ESPN Draft analyst Todd McShay released his post-Combine mock draft 2.0 Tuesday. He has the Lions selecting Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 pick.
"Any team would love to add an explosive cornerback with excellent ball skills," McShay wrote. "But a team that managed just seven interceptions and gave up a league-worst 284.4 passing yards per game in 2019? A team potentially losing Rashaan Melvin to free agency and putting Darius Slay on the trading block? That sort of team needs to do it.
"Okudah is perfect for what Detroit needs right now: He brings size, versatility and elite athleticism, shown by his 41-inch vertical and 11-foot-3 broad jump at the combine. Isaiah Simmons out of Clemson could be in play here too, but Okudah would be an immediate impact player for the Lions, and the fit is right."
McShay took part in a national conference call to coincide with the release of his mock draft. Here are some of the other highlights from that call:
1. What are the chances Washington trades out of the No. 2 pick for a team looking for a quarterback, and the Lions find themselves with an opportunity to select defensive end Chase Young at No. 3? Not great, according to McShay.
"I don't think it's going to happen," he said. "I would say, if you're looking for a percentage, 10 to 15 percent chance of that happening. I think Washington really loves Chase Young. I think (Redskins owner) Daniel Snyder loves (QB Dwayne) Haskins. That was very apparent last year.
"It just seems to me from everything I've heard, all the information I've gotten ... if (Joe) Burrow goes No. 1, Chase Young at No. 2 for the Redskins. Then the draft kind of starts at No. 3."
2. Who are some defensive linemen who could interest teams late in the first round? McShay mentioned TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock, Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa and Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos.
3. Speaking of Epenesa, McShay said he reminds him a lot of current Lions defensive end Trey Flowers when he was coming out of Arkansas. Epenesa didn't test well at the Combine, but McShay said he's one of those guys who's a better football player than he is a tester.
4. How does McShay rank the top four defensive players in this draft? Young (Ohio State), defensive tackle Derrick Brown (Auburn), Okudah (Ohio State) and Simmons (Clemson), in that order.
