Detroit Lions: 5 prospects that need to be targeted on Draft Day

The Detroit Lions need to circle defensive end, Quincy Roche.

Quincy Roche is a former three-star recruit that excelled at the college level playing three years at Temple before transferring to Miami (FL) for his senior season.

Roche is very similar to Ronnie Perkins, who I previously mentioned in this article.  Roche stands 6-foot-3 and weighs about 245-pounds.  Roche is athletic and explosive coming off of the edge and will fit Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn’s expected 3-4 scheme as an outside linebacker.

Roche often displays a successful speed-rush with plenty of bend that gives offensive tackles fits.  He has the ability to scream up the field at the snap, often leaving a small target for the larger, taller linemen hoping to block him.

I don’t expect Roche to have much success defending the run. Unlike Perkins, I think he will break into the NFL as a situational third-down pass-rusher.  Roche can drop into coverage as a 3-4 backer covering the flat if asked to play zone coverage, but at this point, I don’t expect him to be useful in man coverage.

The Detroit Lions need athletic speed rushers that can create pressure on the defensive side of the ball.  Both Perkins and Roche can immediately help this Detroit Lions defense.

As a junior, Roche collected 13 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and totaled 49 tackles.  He did defend five passes which did come as a surprise to me, but don’t forget the talent level he’d see playing with Temple.

There is a lot to like here.

Last year with Miami, Roche notched 4.5 sacks in 10 games and made 45 total tackles and 14.5 for a loss.  The talented edge-rusher defended one pass but recovered three fumbles and forced two others.

I feel the Detroit Lions should have an opportunity to select Roche with the 88th pick in the draft (third-round) or perhaps the 112th choice, the teams’ fourth-round pick.