3 WRs the Detroit Lions need to consider drafting in the first round

The Detroit Lions need to consider drafting John Metchie III.

Unfortunately, John Metchie III suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Alabama’s SEC championship game against rival Georgia.

Metchie is a junior, and if he elects to enter the NFL Draft, he will perhaps be the second Alabama receiver drafted in the first round.  I expect Jameson Williams to be a top-15 pick.  The Crimson Tide is not only a receiver factory but also a linebacker, quarterback, offensive, and defensive line factory.   Nick Saban runs a great program with a roster littered with future NFL talent year after year.

Metchie is a genuine deep-threat and precisely what the Detroit Lions need.  If not for the torn ACL, I am not certain Metchie would be available when the Detroit Lions are on the board with their second first-round pick.  Metchie doesn’t just possess straight-line speed; he’s a crafty route runner and a dynamic playmaker.

The Alabama product can line up in the backfield in a similar fashion to Jaylen Waddle or Deebo Samuel to serve as a decoy or take the handoff.  Samuel is certainly more physically imposing than Waddle or Metchie, but the latter can bust through the line and utilize their break-away speed and take a handoff to the house.

Double coverage?  No problem for Metchie.

In his junior season, Metchie recorded 96 receptions totaling 1,142 yards and eight receiving touchdowns; that’s good for an 11.9 average.  The previous season Metchie averaged 16.7 yards per catch, hauling in 55 of his targets for 916 yards and six touchdowns.

Metchie earned an overall grade of 78.2 according to Pro Football Focus for his work in 2021.