2021 NFL Mock Draft: First-round projections after national championship

The Lions had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon, so drafted a defensive back or a linebacker would just make sense, but there’s an overwhelming feeling that Matt Stafford’s time in Detroit is running out.

Stafford has given his all to the Lions, but they haven’t won anything of note with him under center and it’s time for the organization to think about trading him to a contender out of respect or grooming a potential replacement so they can do that next year.

If they want to go with a quarterback here, building around Justin Fields wouldn’t be too bad of an idea. He’s one of the most purely talented players in this draft class and he has all the tools.

The Lions could use a quarterback who can use his legs to pick up yardage and extend plays because that’s the direction in which the league is moving. Fields can do that and he’s an accurate passer who makes very few mistakes.

With his solid showing against Trevor Lawrence and Clemson, many were wondering if he deserved to be a top-three pick in the draft. There’s a chance he’s not available here, but if he is, the Lions need to jump on him.