For the past few years, I've written about how the Lions seem to focus mainly on the run game for offense and defense with their most valuable draft picks and how it's hilarious in this day and age. Well, what a dingus I am. It's obviously, worked. Not only has the entire NFL shifted toward a higher portion of run plays but it turns out that it's better to draft good players in the first round even if they seem like run-first players. Be honest, would you rather have Lukas Van Ness or Jahmyr Gibbs on the Packers? There's no chance that Brian Gutekunst would take an undersized running back with a top 12 draft pick but it's certainly worked a helluva lot better for the Lions than taking defensive duds almost every year has for the Packers. 

This may be the year the Lions' focus, or at least my perception of it, changes. 

Needs

The main point here is that the Lions probably don't really need any more run-first players. They've got the running back, the o-line, the rugged slot corner, the tough inside linebacker, several 350 lb defensive tackles and, of course, a tight end for a head coach. But maybe more interesting is that all of their needs are for second players. 

They have a top-five edge rusher but they need a second one to take attention from him. They have a great o-line and one plus starting guard, but the other spot needs an upgrade. They have a pro-bowl slot receiver and downfield threat but they could definitely upgrade the other boundary receiver. Speaking of the boundary, they signed DJ Reed in free agency, but they need to fill the other boundary corner spot. Finally, they spent a first-round pick on an off-ball linebacker a couple years ago, but the Clay Matthews wannabe at the other spot is getting old and was never good to begin with.

First-Round

The Lions can truly go best player available with this pick. Outside of maybe safety, no pick would be truly surprising. Which is why it's funny that with my whole diatribe above the most popular pick in mocks that I've read for the Lions is Packers fan favorite Derrick Harmon, the 311-pound nose tackle from Oregon. Of course, the Lions would take a nose tackle when their current interior defensive line starters total 650 pounds. You can at least say that Harmon is a bonafide pass rusher and not just a space eater.

The only funnier pick would be if the Lions pull a Packers and draft Shedeur Sanders or even Jaxson Dart. Jaxson Dart to the Lions when Jared Goff has a $70mm cap hit next year is probably the funniest possible thing that could happen on day one of the draft.    

Shedeur would be interesting. He doesn't have the physical talent of an Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love but he might be a perfect fit for the Lions offense. His main comps are Andy Dalton and Jared Goff. His weakness is taking sacks. His strength is playmaking and accuracy. It's probably dumb to say the Lions would be the best situation for him because they'd probably be the best situation for most QBs but it would have to be really tempting for the Lions if he slipped into the 20s. 

The most likely pick is probably the Lions choosing one of the several edge rushers who could fall to them. Players like Mykel Williams, Shemar Stewart, Mike Green, James Pearce Jr or Donovan Ezeiruaku could fall to the Lions and be a perfect way to take attention off Aidan Hutchinson. 

Second Round

Have to guess they go with one or two of edge, corner, and guard with the second and third-round picks. According to the consensus draft board, this means someone like the two Ohio State edges, Princely Umanmielen at edge, Benjamin Morrison or Darien Porter at corner or Jonah Savaiinaea or Marcus Mbow at guard in the second.

Over the last few years, they've chosen defensive players who were known for production not athletic ability and who had fallen in the second round. This year that could mean a surprise pick of someone like Carson Schwesinger, an undersized linebacker known for processing ability. He'd take over Anzalone's spot immediately. Elic Ayonmanor could be the offensive version of this theory and would fit the team perfectly in that third wide receiver spot. 

This could also be a great spot for Jaxson Dart. Let's make it happen. 

Third Round

I've been joking about the Lions taking Jaxson Dart, but the third round is where they really should think hard about taking a QB. Dart would be a good pick here as would Will Howard or Riley Leonard. Take someone to develop for a few years and then potentially be an option to replace Jared Goff if they want to get out of his contract.

This is also something that the Packers should and probably will be looking at doing, though it may be in the fourth or fifth rounds for the Packers. 

Fourth Round

This will be our last round talked about because the team doesn't have a fifth-round pick. The Lions actually haven't had a fourth-round pick in a few years and the last time they did they took Amon-Ra St. Brown.  

We're too far into the draft for me to intelligently talk about the actual players who the team may take here but we can speculate on position. I think this is where you can start taking shots on super athletes who play in a position where you already have good players. Defensive tackle, running back, offensive line or safety would work great for the Lions here.