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Detroit Lions 2017 NFL Mock Draft: Upgrading the defense

By Russell Brown

Jan 1, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 4, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio defensive end Tarell Basham speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio defensive end Tarell Basham speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

53. player. 50. . Defensive End. Ohio . Tarell Basham

Adding Cornelius Washington in free agency was a smart signing by the Lions. He has starting upside but overall, I don’t view him as one. With Tarell Basham on the board, he’d be a no-brainer for the team that has struggled to develop another edge rusher opposite of Ziggy Ansah.

Tarrell Basham comes out of Ohio as one of the most productive defensive players in the MAC. In 40 career games, Basham has 152 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss and 27 sacks. He may lack consistency coming off the edge in generating sacks but he can certainly pressure the quarterback.

There is first round upside to Basham off my film evaluations. He’s a coachable kid with a high motor. He’s physical off the edge with his hand usage and proper balance of power and speed. There are times that he tries to bull rush off the edge more than have proper hand usage. Either way, there’s a lot of upside with this selection. You can consider this a mixture of need and value, especially if Ziggy Ansah hits the free agent market.

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