ALLEN PARK — The bad news is the Detroit Lions have lost Kenny Golladay to the New York Giants and Marvin Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jamal Agnew to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Mohamed Sanu to the San Francisco 49ers. With Danny Amendola still unsigned, the Lions are currently without six of the seven receivers who caught passes for them last season, not to mention quarterback Matthew Stafford as well.
Even in a league defined by roster churn, that is some serious turnover. And it poses a challenge for a team that is committed to trying to salvage Jared Goff’s career.
The good news: They should have multiple “special” pass-catchers from which to choose with the seventh overall pick in the NFL draft.
“They’re special,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said during a pre-draft call on Thursday afternoon. “They’re guys that are, to me, they’re the highest-rated guys in this draft. And that goes to Kyle Pitts as well, and then DeVonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle. They’re all special players. They’re not just forced up there. Remember the year when John Ross and Corey Davis were all forced up there? That’s not that kind of thing here. These guys are up there because they were phenomenal players, and they tested out great.”
This is a deep receiver class, and experts say good players — starting-caliber players — will be available in subsequent rounds. So the Lions could go another direction with the seventh overall pick, such as quarterback or offensive lineman or, if the board breaks the way experts predict, any defensive player they like — and can still address their needs at wideout meaningfullyon Day 2. The same is true for other teams throughout the top 10.
That sort of depth at a position can knock top players down the board, because teams know they have options. Yet most mock drafts still have multiple pass-catchers going in the top 10 anyway, and as many as four could go that highly on draft night. Because they’re that good.
Smith is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, which kind of speaks for itself. Waddle was explosive at Alabama too, and while an ankle injury did limit his production, his 3.57 yards per route over his career — tops in this very deep class — speaks to his electricity on the field. So does his work on special teams, where he was an All-American punt returner.
And then there’s Chase. He didn’t play last year due to COVID concerns, but racked up 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019 — outshining teammate Justin Jefferson, who went on to become the best rookie receiver in the NFL last season.
All three of those guys should go in the top 15, and they’re all candidates for the top 10. And that doesn’t even include Kyle Pitts, who has the letters “TE” before his name but can split out wide as well. He lined up at receiver for about one-third of his snaps at Florida last season, and graded out as the No. 1 receiver in the country according to ProFootballFocus.
Pitts measured in at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds at his pro day, then ripped the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds. For comparison: Jefferson ran the 40 in 4.43 seconds at last year’s combine. Like Kiper said, Pitts is special.
The top of this receiver class is unique, and that’s why so many of those guys are expected to go so highly even though good players can still be found in subsequent rounds.
“Chase, after a year of inactivity, had a great workout,” Kiper said. “We know what DeVonta (can do), you don’t need to see DeVonta work out. He had a great year. And then you saw what Jaylen Waddle was able to do prior to the ankle injury. So they’re all just special players, and they proved it time and time again. And not only is he a great receiver, Waddle is also a great punt returner. DeVonta can be a slot or an outside threat. Same thing with Chase.”
The Lions have already rolled up their sleeves and went to work at receiver, handing one-year contracts to veterans such as Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Kalif Raymond and Damion Ratley in free agency. That adds a whole lot of speed to the perimeter, and is a nice start toward replacing what had been a nice collection of wideouts. But each of those guys comes with question marks as well, either due to production or injury, and none has ever been a WR1 kind of guy.
With the seventh overall pick, the Lions will have a chance to add that kind of guy if they want.
