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NFL Draft 2018: Detroit Lions seven-round mock draft

By Zac Snyder

Taylor Decker of Ohio State holds up a jersey with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked #16 overall by the Detroit Lions during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
Taylor Decker of Ohio State holds up a jersey with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked #16 overall by the Detroit Lions during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 01: Iowa offensive lineman James Daniels speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Round 2

The Lions will be in the market for an interior offensive lineman following Kyle Meinke’s news that Travis Swanson is not expected to return to the Lions in 2018. The Lions have some flexibility in how they go about filling that hole due to Graham Glasgow‘s ability to play guard or center.

Iowa’s James Daniels could give the Lions similar flexibility but would likely be a better fit at center, keeping Glasgow at left guard. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as it keeps Glasgow in place as the backup center, giving the Lions a good option if needed rather than digging deeper into the depth chart for an injury replacement if necessary. We saw last season how important it was to have someone like Glasgow able to slide over to step in with Swanson out due to injury.

Daniels entered the NFL Combine with some questions about his size but those were put to rest. A favorable weigh-in means a wider pool of potential suitors for Daniels since teams won’t be as likely to look at him as a center-only in a zone blocking scheme.

He looked like a solid second round prospect going into the Combine and if things changed in Indy, it was only for the better.

Meinke indicated the plan seems to be for Glasgow to take over at center and to draft a guard so they may prefer someone like UTEP’s Will Hernandez here. That being said, Daniels is a solid option.

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