Detroit Lions predictive seven round mock draft
By Ash Thompson
Round One: Isaiah Wynn, Offensive lineman, Georgia
Georgia offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn has the mix of agility and power to play left tackle in the NFL. Unfortunately, genetically he comes up a little bit short, literally. Wynn stands 6’3″ and weighs 313 lbs. He has 33’3/8″ arms. those measurables, unfortunately, preclude him from playing tackle in the eyes of NFL evaluators.
As an interior lineman though Wynn is an intriguing prospect. He glides laterally like…… well….. something that glides sideways really well. A hovercraft, yeah, Wynn moves laterally like a hovercraft. This is an invaluable skill for a tackle, but also key for guards in offensive schemes that utilize a lot of zone blocking. Those running plays where it looked like the offensive linemen were desperately chasing defensive linemen and running backs had to make three cuts just to get back to the line of scrimmage? That is what bad zone blocking looks like. Wynn has the tools to singlehandedly fix that issue on the left side.
There is even scuttlebutt that there are teams considering moving Wynn to center because of his quick hands and feet. This worked for the Bears with Cody Whitehair a couple years ago, and it is an intriguing idea for Wynn. His potential three-position versatility is one of his most endearing features. Wynn would almost certainly be the team’s back up plan at left tackle should the unthinkable happen and Taylor Decker goes down again.
Wynn is not one of the sexiest picks for the Lions in round one, but he is one of the biggest impact rookies available. In a single draft pick the Lions shore up their running game and pass blocking. Those were two of the biggest problems the team had on offense last year. Having one of the best quarterbacks in the league is a lot more useful if he is standing up. At least that’s what I’ve been told. The Detroit Lions have never been great at keeping their quarterback standing.