NFL Draft 2018: Detroit Lions seven-round mock draft 2.0
By Zac Snyder
Round 7
Bob Quinn hit a home run with a speedy, undersized cornerback on day three last year and could look to do it again with Parry Nickerson in the 2018 NFL Draft. Nickerson has the height at 6’0″ but weighed in at just 182 pounds at the NFL Combine.
More notable at the Combine than his weight, however, was his time in the 40-yard dash. Nickerson came out of the event with the fastest defensive back 40 time, tied with LSU’s Donte Jackson and Ohio State’s Denzel Ward.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/970673671789359107
But he’s more than just speed. There are some legitimate defensive back traits that make Nickerson a viable draft pick, and his Combine performance could ultimately have him going earlier than previous late day three projections. Lance Zierlein’s “bottom line” in his NFL.com prospect profile puts it this way:
"Nickerson is a gritty, undersized cornerback who possesses some of the more impressive ball skills in this year’s draft. His lack of size and length will likely force him into the slot where his athletic ability and technique should allow him to make his mark. Nickerson is tough, smart and instinctive, but he needs to prove he can hold up as an NFL tackler. He should compete for a role as nickel cornerback early in his career."
With only Darius Slay, Teez Tabor and Jamal Agnew signed for more than two years, the Lions have some long-term ability to add a cornerback even though their outlook in the near-term looks relatively set. That’s a good position to be in to try to find a diamond in the rough.
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