Erik Schlitt drops his first Detroit Lions 7-round mock draft of the 2024 offseason.

It’s finally April, and that means we’re just weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft. As we get closer to the big event, we begin to narrow our focus on which prospects fit the Detroit Lions culture/scheme, but with three weeks of free agency additions in the books, it’s a good time to get a base mock draft completed.

For this experiment, I used PFF’s Mock Draft simulator, and per usual, only allowed myself the option to trade once, with the qualifier that it must fall into the parameters of being realistic. Spoiler: for this initial mock draft, I elected to not make any trades.

Let’s jump in.

Pick No. 29: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Superpower: Size, speed, production combination

The Lions don’t have many starting positions unclaimed, but with Josh Reynolds signing with the Broncos, there is a wide-open opportunity to add an immediate impact player at wide receiver. With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams penciled in as starters, the Lions could use a receiver with size to complement the existing group and Mitchell fits all the requirements the Lions are looking for.

At 6-foot-2 1/2, 205 pounds, Mitchell has prototype WR-X size and skills, his talent warrants a back end of the first-round selection, while also adding a much higher ceiling than Reynolds at a cheaper cost. He has the speed (4.34 second 40-yard-dash) the Lions look for in their Skill players and can replicate Reynolds’ first-down/touchdown role. Of note: Mitchell produced a first down or touchdown on over 80% of his receptions, the best rate in college football.

Pick No. 61: Christian Haynes, G, Connecticut

Superpower: Finishing skills

A four-year starter (all at right guard), captain, and All-American, Haynes would challenge for snaps from the jump but would likely spend his rookie season as a top reserve/injury replacement, eventually stepping into a starting role as early as 2025.

Haynes is solid in pass pro and run blocking, while also comfortable operating out of both zone and gap schemes like the Lions deploy.

Pick No. 73: Renardo Green, CB, Florida State

Superpower: Man coverage

It appears that the Lions will be shifting back to more man-coverage looks in their defensive scheme and they’ll be in the market for depth at corner, both for now and into the future.

Green (6-foot-0, 186 pounds) is arguably one of the best man cover corners in this draft class, and he did a terrific job pressing and mirroring some of the top wide receivers in college football this season. Green’s game against LSU’s two projected first-round receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas—the latter of whom the Lions interviewed at the NFL Combine—illustrates his potential and shows why the Lions could have him much higher on their draft board than other NFL teams.

Pick No. 164: Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest

Superpower: Run support

Mustapha is another player who interviewed with the Lions at the Combine, and when you put on his game film, it’s easy to see the appeal. A downhill thumper in run support, Mustapha is just 209 pounds but incredibly muscular and wins with proper technique. While Mustapha still needs polish to round out his deep coverage game, he is an immediate starter on special teams and would be quality depth at safety as he develops.

Pick No. 201: Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois

Superpower: Inline blocking

With the NFL’s new kickoff rules potentially favoring bigger blocking athletes, and Brock Wright potentially exiting for San Francisco, the Lions should be in the market for tight end depth. As a former walk-on turned captain, Reiman (6-foot-5, 271 pounds, 9.91 RAS) possesses a lot of skills and mental qualities the Lions prefer in their players. At the NFL Combine, he showed off his technical blocking skills and power, illustrating why many consider Reiman the best blocking tight end in this draft class.

Pick No. 205: Brandon Coleman, G/T, TCU

Superpower: Run blocking

Coleman's permanent home in the NFL will likely be at guard where he can show off his athleticism and run blocking skills, but he has tackle size (6-foot-4 ¹⁄₂, 313 pounds, 34.6-inch arm length) and could rep there in a pinch. After a disappointing 2023 season, Coleman’s stock has taken a hit—which is why he is available at this stage of the draft—but he has elite athleticism (9.97 RAS) and could outplay his draft slot with proper development.

Pick No. 249: Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky

Superpower: Explosive

For the past three seasons, the Lions have kept six off-the-ball linebackers on their active roster for each game. This offseason, they’ve retained five of their six linebackers, only losing special teams ace Anthony Pittman to the Commanders. Wallace is a perfect replacement, as his elite explosion, athleticism (9.65 RAS), and tenacity will immediately translate to special teams. While his downhill mentality could translate to defense, Wallace’s play recognition skills need improvement, but as OLB LB6, there would be no reason to rush him into action on defense.