The Offseason Thread

[whatever_gong82]

Pride Of Detroit subscriber mailbag from the 27th--it's a little over 3 hours long:

[Mainevent]

Williams is definitely a guy to keep an eye on if they want that big run stuffing DT, but not sure where that 40 time is coming from. He didn’t run at the combine and then fell at Ohio’s pro-day injuring his is knee. They are saying it’s not serious, but he has no official time. He claims he would have run a 4.8-4.9 range. If true, that’s moving for a big man.

[El Axe]

Williams is definitely a guy to keep an eye on if they want that big run stuffing DT, but not sure where that 40 time is coming from. He didn’t run at the combine and then fell at Ohio’s pro-day injuring his is knee. They are saying it’s not serious, but he has no official time. He claims he would have run a 4.8-4.9 range. If true, that’s moving for a big man.

This is where I got it from, they don't say where they got it from: https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/...s-DT-OhioState

Honestly, though, watching tape, it mostly passes the eye test. The highlights of him tracking down a QB after rushing from the outside are impressive.

At this point, I've been unimpressed with Martin and reports are calling this the best DT class in a very long time.

[Mainevent]

I don't expect that the Lions are counting on Martin much if at all. Otherwise they don't sign Lopez at the price they did. I think there's a very real possibility that Martin's not on the roster this fall.

[froot loops]

Agreed on Martin. The optimistic take is his struggles last year were due to the injury and he wasn't able to get up to speed when he came back.

With DTs unless they are elite you don't want them playing a lot of snaps. It's not like they can't find snaps for Martin if he turns it on. Reader was already playing too many snaps last year and the word from Arizona is the sweet spot for Lopez is around 35 snaps a game. But Martin would have to make a big jump. He can't just be a weekly healthy scratch candidate anymore

[Mainevent]

McShay's been forshing Jaylin Noel, WR from Iowa State all draft season and I hadn't paid any attention because he's a smaller WR and it's just not where I want the Lions to go if they pick a WR early. But I ended up watching him over the weekend and that was a mistake, because damn is he fun. He's sort of if you merged Saint + Raymond together - right in-between them size-wise (5'10, 194lbs), with Raymond's deep speed (4.39) and return abilities, and Saint's over the middle route running and toughness. Just an exciting player, and from everything you read, also right in the GRIT wheelhouse with his football character and leadership.

I can't endorse picking him (unless they move back and pick up extra picks) but hard not to like him as a football player.

[Mainevent]

Interesting discussion with Kent Lee Platte, inventor of RAS and a Lions fan. Don’t love the running back talk. Platte makes a point that Shemar Stewart has a history of penalties that might not fit with what the Lions want to see, while highlighting Princely Umanmielen as someone who’s a perfect fit for their scheme. Also mixes in some talk on OL.

https://youtu.be/gXnNXtXVgsc?si=k_mzPSjoglmXexub

[El Axe]

McShay's been forshing Jaylin Noel, WR from Iowa State all draft season and I hadn't paid any attention because he's a smaller WR and it's just not where I want the Lions to go if they pick a WR early. But I ended up watching him over the weekend and that was a mistake, because damn is he fun. He's sort of if you merged Saint + Raymond together - right in-between them size-wise (5'10, 194lbs), with Raymond's deep speed (4.39) and return abilities, and Saint's over the middle route running and toughness. Just an exciting player, and from everything you read, also right in the GRIT wheelhouse with his football character and leadership.

I can't endorse picking him (unless they move back and pick up extra picks) but hard not to like him as a football player.

I really like Jalen Royals from Utah State. Big bodied receiver, great at contested catches (one of the highest in D1) -- but also elite in his 10-yard burst and an above-average 40 time. He seems like the perfect Jared Goff target, like Josh Reynolds on steroids, almost literally.

[El Axe]

B077 Came out with his 4th mock and he likes this one the most:

28-Zabel IOL North Dakota St
60-Tuimoloa Edge OSU
102-Chris Paul Jr, ILB Ole Miss
130-Walker DT Kentucky

https://old.reddit.com/r/detroitlions/comments/1jpqykq/bo77_mock_draft_v_4/

here are the highlights from his prior 3:
Version 1 - featuring Ohio State G Donovan Jackson, Ole Miss DE Jared Ivey, and VaTech DT Aeneas Peebles
Version 2 - featuring Arizona G Jonah Savaiinaea, Notre Dame S Xavier Watts, Oregon DE Jordan Burch, and Indiana DT C.J. West
Version 3 - featuring A&M edge Nic Scourton, Toledo DT Darius Alexander, Colorado St. WR Tory Horton, and Alabama S Malachi Moore.

[edindetroit]

https://www.detroitlions.com/news/campbell-breaks-down-lions-2025-free-agent-class

[Mainevent]

I really like Jalen Royals from Utah State. Big bodied receiver, great at contested catches (one of the highest in D1) -- but also elite in his 10-yard burst and an above-average 40 time. He seems like the perfect Jared Goff target, like Josh Reynolds on steroids, almost literally.

I’ll check him, I’ve seen the name but haven’t looked into him. Like round 4 guy?

[El Axe]

I’ll check him, I’ve seen the name but haven’t looked into him. Like round 4 guy?

Probably more round 3 so far, but things change of course