The Detroit Lions had one of the most prolific passing offenses in the NFL in 2022. A steady group of wide receivers headlined by Amon-Ra St. Brown came together nicely in coordinator Ben Johnson’s offense with QB Jared Goff at the helm.
St. Brown is back for 2023, as is last year’s first-round dynamo, Jameson Williams. Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond are also back as valuable contributors, while the Lions brought back old friend Marvin Jones in free agency.
It’s a deep group but one without a lot of long-term commitment; only Williams and St. Brown are under contract beyond 2023. GM Brad Holmes could certainly look to add another longer-term piece into the receiving corps in the 2023 NFL draft.
Lions 2023 draft: A linebacker for (almost) every round
Here is one wide receiver prospect that fits the Lions from each round of the draft. Detroit doesn’t currently have any picks in the fourth or seventh rounds, but players from those ranges are included because trades happen all the time during the draft weekend.
The purpose here isn’t to advocate for any one player but to give a better idea of the type of talent available at each level of the 2023 NFL draft.
1st round: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio Staet
The Lions offense requires receivers who reliably get when and where they need to be with precision, speed and the ability to catch on the run. That describes Smith-Njigba to a “T” based on his Ohio State game film.
A 6-foot, 198-pounder capable of aligning in the lot or outside, Smith-Njigba is an advanced route runner with great hands. In 2021 he caught nearly 85 percent of all passes thrown his way, an absurdly high figure that demonstrates both his situational awareness and soft hand. He looks like a running back after the catch, too. There are questions about inexperience after missing most of 2022 with a hamstring injury, which is also a bit of a flag.
Smith-Njigba gets the nod over TCU’s Quentin Johnston based on his route running and likelihood of high impact.
2nd round: Zay Flowers, Boston College
Flowers is an intriguing prospect. At just 5-foot-8 and with instant transition from receiver to runner, he’s got the attributes of a classic slot receiver. Yet at Boston College, Flowers primarily played outside–and didn’t exactly look like an elite NFL prospect when he did get slot reps.
His productivity and ability to create mismatches, as well as his tenacity and baller mentality, are definitely things the Lions look for offensively. He and St. Brown working with the speed of Williams on the outside is very appealing. There are warts to Flowers’s game–too many drops and a lack of blocking oomph, but he’d make the offense even more fun.
3rd round: Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
Mingo is a different style of receiver than Smith-Njigba or Flowers. He’s a big-bodied (6-2/220) outside receiver who is at his best working deeper routes. His timed speed of 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine is faster than he plays, but Mingo knows how to use the speed and size to get himself space to operate.
Two huge assets for Mingo: he’s very good after the catch with the ball in his hands and he’s an outstanding blocker. He doesn’t get a lot of separation and needs to learn to change up his speeds better. Lions fans who either miss Kenny Golladay or lament Qiuntez Cephus’ lack of success should really like Mingo, who splits the difference between the two as a prospect.
4th round: Jayden Reed, Michigan State
One of the true revelations of Senior Bowl week, Reed offers the ability to line up all over the formation. His instant speed and excellent strength for his size (5-11/187) make Reed dangerous on both short and deep routes. He consistently beat good corners in 1-on-1s during Senior Bowl week, showing much better footwork and pacing than he did for the Spartans. The catch radius and concentration on routes where he’s wide open are not great.
Reed also adds value as a dynamic return specialist option, a position the Lions haven’t had much stability at over the last couple of seasons.
5th round: Ronnie Bell, Michigan
Bell was an impressive, consistently productive playmaker for the Wolverines in 2022. He doesn’t really stand out in any one area, but Bell is a very good all-around talent with enough speed, size and strength to make plays. He profiles best as an outside-in receiver with a game that would figure to blend well with St. Brown and Williams in Detroit’s offense.
Bell’s leadership skills and football character really shone after he tore his Achilles in the 2021 season opener for Michigan. He is also a smart, effective blocker on run plays, something the Lions do value in a receiver.
6th round: Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia
Ford-Wheaton was included in the last mock draft, and I’ll stick with that option. Much like Mingo (see above), he’s a big-framed wideout in the mold of Kenny Golladay. He needs some work on his routes, his concentration and his field savvy, but the tool are there for Ford-Wheaton to become an effective NFL possession-type receiver with enough explosiveness to make some big plays too.
7th round: Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Fresno State
Moreno-Cropper was a very productive receiver for the Bulldogs, catching over 80 passes from Jake Haener in each of the last two seasons. At just 172 pounds on his 5-11 frame, he’s a slot option who is quicker-than-fast but also fast. Moreno-Cropper also proved quite useful on gadget plays; he threw two TD passes for Fresno State and has operated out of the backfield effectively.
His very slight build and lack of strength to fight through both press coverage and tackles are limiting factors. At this point in the draft, it’s about finding guys who can provide a valuable role. Moreno-Cropper fits that bill
