Detroit Lions NFL Draft: Derrick Brown is the wrong choice at three
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Lions can’t afford to select defensive tackle Derrick Brown with the third overall pick in the NFL Draft.
If Detroit Lions General Manager (GM) selects Auburn’s Derrick Brown with the third overall pick in tonights first-round of the NFL Draft fans should riot. Not really, but picking Brown third would be a good reason to lose all hope in the Lions.
The third overall pick is a lottery pick, how can Quinn justify taking a player at three that will be available somewhere between picks seven to ten? The short answer is, he can’t, and we shouldn’t allow him to try and justify it.
There is no way the Detroit Lions should take Brown with the third overall pick. He’s a top 15-type talent, but he’s not and never will be Aaron Donald. He’s tremendous at defending the run, elite in fact, but it won’t take you long to understand the difference between a Donald type and Brown, just watch the film. Donald is a complete defensive lineman; Brown is talented but not an elite talent.
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I’d have no issue with the Lions selecting Derrick Brown in the first round of the draft. Let’s get that straight, but after they’ve traded out of the third spot and added draft capital to their draft stock. If the Lions can land an additional first-round pick accompanied with another mid-round pick to move somewhere between six and nine, in turn, drafting Brown and two others later, it’s a win for the Detroit Lions.
If Quinn uses the third overall pick straight up on Brown, leaving a player like Simmons on the board, I may vomit. If Detroit misses on Jeff Okudah in favor of Brown, I may weep. It would just be the ‘same old Lions’ allowing dynamic playmakers to land elsewhere and settling for an above-average yet not an elite or complete (at the NFL level) defensive tackle.
Again, I like Brown but not at three. As much as fans like the T.J. Hockenson pick from last year, why did the team pass on a talent like Ed Oliver in favor of a tight end? Imagine having Oliver and adding a player like Simmons at the next level. Wow.
The Detroit Lions signed Danny Shelton this offseason who is capable of controlling the run game inside, he like Brown won’t give you an elite pass-rush. Admittedly so, Brown will develop into a better player than Shelton, especially in the rush department, but will never reach the Donald-type level. If I’m taking a defensive tackle at three, I settle for nothing less than elite talent.
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Last season with the Tigers Brown recorded 54 total tackles, 11.5 of which were for a loss. Brown compiled four sacks, forced and recovered two fumbles and batted down four passes at the line of scrimmage.