NFL Draft 2018: Detroit Lions seven-round mock draft 4.0
By Zac Snyder
Round 1
As I explain on the first page of all mocks in this series, I go about forcing new scenarios each time by varying the position picked in the first round. I don’t necessarily go into the draft simulator knowing what position I will target and instead let the simulation of the first 19 picks and what is left on the draft board for that respective simulation guide the pick.
That explanation is very much what happened here. Jaire Alexander was not only the top-rated player (11th overall) remaining according to Risdon’s draft board, he four of the next five were either at positions already covered with the first pick in previous editions in this series or a wide receiver.
I may use this series to cover a wide variety of scenarios, but a first round wide receiver is not realistic enough scenario for me to delve into here. Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki (ranked 21st overall) was the other up for consideration but I chose to stick to the board and see what happened from there.
The secondary feels like a position of depth on the Lions’ roster right now but how it shakes out in the long-term has some major question marks. Those question marks start to go away by adding Alexander to the mix.