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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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2018 NFL Draft prospect
2018 NFL Draft prospect /

Round 4

Bob Quinn has said change is coming to his group of running backs but options were dwindling as this mock draft rolled on. After eschewing the running back position to grab Taven Bryan in the third round, this was the opportunity to grab a running back before things really started thinning out.

Like Alvin Kamara last year, John Kelly could be the next former Tennessee running back to turn into a more productive pro than college player. He was always caught in a running back rotation rather than being relied upon like so many college running backs but he did manage to see a career-high 187 carries last season.

A promising start to the season fizzled out down the stretch as he ran for just 84 yards on 44 carries against Missouri, LSU and Vanderbilt to close the season.

Kelly also comes with some character concerns (marijuana arrest) so the Lions would have some work to do before being comfortable with the pick. He’s also a local product, going from Oak Park High School to Tennessee. That’s not always a good thing for guys with character concerns.

He’s a little undersized and wasn’t one of the top performers at the 2018 NFL Combine but he could have three-down value and would at least provide added depth.

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