The Detroit Lions have already traded away a third-round pick to add depth to their secondary, and a new report suggests they could trade another to land a top receiving prospect.
The Lions traded this year’s third-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seventh-year cornerback Carlton Davis, adding some depth and stability to a secondary lacking consistency in recent years. In a new mock draft, The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy and Nick Baumgardner suggest that the Lions will use next year’s third-round pick as part of a package that allows them to move up and take wide receiver Xavier Legette.
The mock draft predicts that the Lions will hold onto their first-round pick, using the No. 29 overall selection to land Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. But the Lions would not be satisfied keeping the No. 61 overall pick, instead sending it along with pick No. 205 and a future third-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 45 overall.
There, the Lions would land the South Carolina receiver — as long as he’s still on the board.
“The Lions met with Legette at the combine and I have a feeling they like the physicality and speed combo,” Pouncy wrote. “The only question is his range. I’ve seen him appear in some first-round mocks of late, but he also might be there at 61. A little bit of projecting here but I’m OK with it.”
Xavier Legette Would Fill Unmet Need in Detroit
Baumgardner suggested that Legette could help round out the receiving corps in Detroit by giving them a speedster with the ability to stretch the field.
“The physical traits are pretty absurd, though, and exactly what Detroit doesn’t have outside: 6-1, 221 with a 4.39 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical,” he wrote.
Xavier Legette coming in motion and displaying athleticism & his ability to extend at the catch point
— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) April 5, 2024
Draft insider Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted that Legette is a likely second-rounder with a mix of strong traits that could make him a starter one day.
“His star shines brightest once the ball goes up and he’s able to use his body control, play strength and ball skills to impose his will on the coverage,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s unlikely to become a smooth route runner, but he can handle tough catches and he has stealth acceleration that makes him a credible deep-ball threat. Add toughness as a runner and run blocker to his profile of competitiveness and he becomes a Day 2 talent with the potential to develop into a starter.”
Another Rising Star in Detroit
The Lions could look to another highly touted receiver to take on a bigger role in their offense. Jameson Williams, the former No. 12 overall pick, ended the 2023 season on a high note after some early inconsistency.
Williams missed the majority of his rookie season while rehabbing a torn ACL, then was suspended for the first four games of the 2023 season for violating the league’s gambling rules. Williams had a strong conclusion to the season, making 11 total catches for 159 yards over his final three games of the season. The speedy receiver ended the year with 24 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns, adding 29 rushing yards and a rushing score.
