3 Most Likely Lions Draft Targets With the 18th Overall Pick

Although the Detroit Lions are victims of an early postseason yet again, the future looks bright in the Motor City. The Lions have the luxury of having two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft: the sixth overall pick (via the LA Rams), as well as the 18th overall selection.

Both selections have the potential to help the Lions return to the postseason in 2023, so general manager Brad Holmes can't afford to miss on either. The good news is that Detroit has done a fantastic job when it comes to their first-round decisions lately, inspiring fans with hope as April nears.

In the meantime, here are the three most likely draft targets for the Lions with the 18th overall pick.

Lions Draft Rumors

1. Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

The Lions were a bottom-three team against the pass in 2022 and with their cornerback depth being less than stellar, they could use a prospect like Christian Gonzalez. The Oregon CB enjoyed a solid campaign in his lone year with the Ducks, finishing with 50 tackles, seven broken-up passes and four interceptions. Draft experts constantly praise him for his ball-tracking skills, as well as his speed and long arms that help him take down wide receivers. Gonzalez could learn to play more aggressively and a vocal, outspoken coach like Dan Campbell would be key to unlocking that mindset. If the Lions want opposing quarterbacks to think twice about passing the ball, Gonzalez must be in the secondary next season.

2. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Detroit's running back room could use some help with Jamaal Williams set to hit free agency. While the talented D'Andre Swift is still under contract, his availability isn't always consistent, missing at least three games in each of the last three seasons. The solution to those issues is none other than Texas RB Bijan Robinson. The Tucson, AZ native is seen by many as the best rusher in the draft, highlighted by his 1,894 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns on 277 touches this past fall. With the Lions owning one of the NFL's best offensive lines, Robinson would be in an amazing position to start his pro career. He'd also be able to grow with other franchise cornerstones like Aidan Hutchinson, Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown for years to come.

3. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

The Lions were left without a clear-cut No. 1 tight end after trading T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings at the trade deadline. If they want to fill that hole with someone who can start in Week 1, look no further than Notre Dame's Michael Mayer. The 2022 consensus All-America pass-catcher was as reliable as they come for the Fighting Irish, tallying at least 800 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. On top of that, his 16 receiving TDs over that stretch were the most of all Independent players since 2021. Needless to say, Mayer's presence would keep the Lions' red-zone offense strong after finishing fourth-best in scoring percentage (TDs only) inside of the 20-yard line. With impressive outside speed and the ability to hold onto the ball when getting it, it wouldn't take long for Mayer to be a Motown fan favorite.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.