Unless the Detroit Lions trade back up in the draft, the Lions final pick of the 2023 NFL Draft is North Carolina’s WR Antoine Green with the 219th overall selection. Also, it makes the Lions third consecutive pick from an East-West Shrine Bowl participant after Brodric Martin and Colby Sorsdal.
The Lions need receiver depth after the recent suspension of Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill, along with the release of Quintez Cephus. Also, the Lions only have Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown signed beyond next year, and he could provide the necessary depth behind them if he can crack the roster.
Green mainly lined up outside as the Tar Heels X-receiver, where he averaged 19.1 yards per catch, along with 15 touchdowns as he processes the true athleticism that could make him a deep threat in the Lions offense with the Williams out for six weeks. Even though he might not be the one making the play, he makes defenses stay honest, allowing for other routes to open up, giving way to a plethora of opportunities for his teammates. In addition, he can track the ball with precision and win one-on-one contested catches.
Unfortunately for Green, his production never took off in North Carolina with his lack of consistency and limited route tree. He relies too much on his speed to win the one-on-one matchups through his routes, and if that fails, he doesn’t recover to a point to make him a reliable target.
If Green can expand his route tree, he can put his acceleration, explosiveness, and ball-tracking skills to better use, allowing him to be a formidable target in the Lions offense. Right now, the only way Green will make the roster is through special teams, replacing Quintez Cephus in that role. It will be interesting to see if he can progress and become either a WR3 or WR4 in Detroit.
Grade: B
