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Detroit Lions 2020 mock draft: Figuring out a playoff formula

By Sayre Bedinger

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 03: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass against the Oakland Raiders during the second quarter of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 03: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass against the Oakland Raiders during the second quarter of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass against the Oakland Raiders during the second quarter of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass against the Oakland Raiders during the second quarter of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Lions are not far off from being a playoff team, competing in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. How can the 2020 NFL Draft help?

The Detroit Lions just can’t quite figure out that winning formula.

Although the Lions have been good enough to go toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the NFL this season (Chiefs and Packers, namely) they have not been able to finish games they needed to (see: Cardinals, Raiders games).

What is going on with this team? Matt Patricia seems to have a good program in place, the Lions have a good quarterback in Matthew Stafford who has been putting up big numbers since 2009 with very little to show for it.

The Lions are struggling with injuries just like every other team, but as is typically the case, this is a mostly solid football team with a glaring weakness or two that needs to be addressed to go from being a team that gets forgotten after losing close games to good teams and being the team that closes out those close games.

At 3-4-1, there’s plenty of time left in 2019 for the Lions to make some waves in the NFC North, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead to the 2020 offseason and the 2020 NFL Draft to find out where this team could look for reinforcements.

The Lions currently rank 30th in the NFL against the pass. Cornerback (opposite Darius Slay) is an area of weakness, but Slay on the outside and Justin Coleman on the inside is a great start for this team. They need one more guy on the outside.

The Lions are not much better against the run, ranking 27th in rushing yards allowed.

No team in the NFL has allowed more first downs than the Lions through the first 8/9 games of the season.

Being the former defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, those numbers have to kill Matt Patricia inside. Lucky for him, there are a lot of talented players in next year’s draft class who can help.

Here’s a 2020 mock draft for the Detroit Lions that could help put them over the top as a playoff contender.

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