2015 NFL Draft: Could The Detroit Lions Trade Up?

The Detroit Lions have plenty of needs going into the 2015 Draft.  Fortunately for them they also have plenty of options.  The Lions need a running back, an offensive linemen, a defensive linemen and corner in this years draft.

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The draft is deep in three of those positions making it difficult to predict who the Lions are targeting this year. But despite the depth in this years prospect pool, if a player Mayhew covet’s is available via a trade up then the Lion’s general manager won’t hesitate to pull the trigger on Draft Day.

"It varies, it depends on what’s going on,” he said of trading up or down in the draft. “Frequently, we’ll be very comfortable that there are going to be a number of players where we are on the board and we’ll stay put, or if we feel like our guys are going ahead of us then we’ll move up.“If we feel like there are a number of guys that are behind us that we’d like to have or guys within our range – If we have 10 players and we can go back eight spots and get one of those guys. So, it really varies depending on what’s going on with that particular draft.”“I think I made the point at the league meeting that we’ve never started a draft and finished a draft with the same picks, So I think we’ll have a different number of picks at the end of the draft.”"

Since becoming GM Martin Mayhew has made a habit of drafting the best player available in the first round, regardless of need.  At no time was that strategy more apparent than last season when Mayhew drafted Eric Ebron with the 10th overall pick.  The debate around Ebron’s upside (or downside) is still ragging after a lackluster season but don’t expect any controversy surrounding the Lions stretch tight-end to sway Mayhew from his overall strategy for improving the team.  Last years 11-5 finish will only serve to embolden the Lions GM prior to this years draft.

Stay logged on to Detroit Jock City’s draft coverage everyday of the draft.  Get analysis of every pick from our talented group of Lions writers and how it will affect the team moving toward the 2015 season.