Redrafting the Detroit Lions’ 2021 class: Penei Sewell remains too good a fit to pass at Pick 7
Each saw action, with Sewell, McNeill, St. Brown and Barnes seeing the most work from last year’s class. Original pick: Round 2, Pick 41: Levi Onwuzurike, DL, WashingtonRedraft: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame (Original: Round 2, Pick 52)Levi Onwuzurike didn’t offer much production. Original pick: Round 3, Pick 101: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, SyracuseRedraft: Nate Hobbs, CB, Illinois (Original: Round 5, Pick 167)Ifeatu Melifonwu comes with desirable physical traits and could develop into a solid matchup piece on Detroit’s defense. Original pick: Round 4, Pick 112: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USCRedraft: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USCThere is no reason to change this selection. Original pick: Round 4, Pick 113: Derrick Barnes, LB, PurdueRedraft: Caden Sterns, S, Texas (Round 5, Pick 152)It was more than tempting to grab Derrick Barnes here, without question, for the record.
mlive.com2021 NFL draft preview: Detroit Lions remain in serious need of some linebackers
This is the seventh of an eight-part series previewing the Detroit Lions’ positional needs and priorities heading into the NFL draft, which is scheduled for Thursday-Saturday. With all that said, the Detroit Lions remain in need of a couple of linebackers. Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has remained a popular trade-down candidate for Detroit, with his versatility and athletic traits standing out. If either of those two names slips into Round 2, then watch out because Collins or Davis would be a home-run scenario. He had 107 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception last season.
mlive.com2021 NFL Draft: 5 linebackers who could make sense for the Detroit Lions
ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions are heading into another offseason faced with their fair share of questions regarding the linebacker position. The Lions ranked dead-last in terms of defensive DVOA, a stat used to track a team’s efficiency from Football Outsiders. He measures at 6-foot-1, 216 pounds, which is far from prototypical NFL linebacker size, projecting him in the linebacker/safety hybrid territory. The Penn State linebacker has been a popular pick for Detroit at Pick 7, and also recent mock trade-down scenarios. He’s the top linebacker in the draft, with impressive ability against the run and rushing the passer.
mlive.comAlabama's Jones, Smith, Harris lead 6 Tide AP All-Americans
Lawrence, the likely first pick in the next NFL draft, made AP All-America for the first time in his career. ___The 2020 AP All-America team:FIRST TEAMOffenseQuarterback — Mac Jones, junior, Alabama. Running backs — Najee Harris, senior, Alabama; Breece Hall, sophomore, Iowa State. Guards — Ben Cleveland, senior, Georgia; Tommy Kraemer, senior, Notre Dame. Safeties — Kyle Hamilton, sophomore, Notre Dame; Tykee Smith, sophomore, West Virginia.
No. 4 Notre Dame sacks No. 1 Clemson 47-40 in double OT
4 Notre Dame shut down top-ranked Clemson with a couple of sacks to seal a 47-40 win Saturday night. 1 for the first time since taking down Florida State in 1993 at Notre Dame Stadium. Uiagalelei, starting in place of Trevor Lawrence for a second week, passed for 439 yards, the most ever by a Notre Dame opponent. Notre Dame: Avery Davis came to South Bend as a quarterback and has been moved to running back, receiver and defensive back. Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish are at Boston College, which might bring back some bad memories for Notre Dame fans.