Detroit Lions 2020 NFL Draft: Pinpointing five logical first-round targets

Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

Most of the Lions’ more immediate needs are on the defensive side of the ball, but if they trade down and end up with two first-round 2020 NFL draft picks, I could certainly see them bringing in an offensive playmaker. In particular, Henry Ruggs III stands out as a strong choice.

Ruggs is an incredibly fast and explosive receiver on the outside who is going to be a dynamic deep threat at the next level. Ruggs shows a solid release at the line of scrimmage, is a strong natural route runner and does a great job of making the most out of his abilities.

He is an incredibly fast player, but he is more than just a guy who runs in a straight line fast. Ruggs also shows impressive quickness and natural elusiveness in the open field. He is the kind of guy who you can get the ball in space and just let him work.

Ruggs is not going to be under consideration for the Lions at number three and is unlikely to be a target anywhere else in the top ten if they trade down. That being said, there are a couple of specific situations where I could see him landing in Detroit.

First, in a trade with the Dolphins. Miami has the 5th, 18th and 26th picks in the first round. It might be a bit of an overpay, but the Dolphins could get aggressive and send the Lions the 5th and 18th picks for the 3rd pick to secure Tagovailoa. In this scenario, the Detroit Lions could take Okudah, Brown or Simmons at five and look to attack an offensive need at 18. If he is still on the board, Ruggs stands out as an obvious target for the Lions at 18 in this scenario.

I could also see a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders ending in the Lions drafting Ruggs. The Raiders could be a sleeper team in these Tua Tagovailoa sweepstakes. Derek Carr is not a bad NFL quarterback, but he is never going to lead the Raiders to the Super Bowl. If they feel like they need a fresh start at the quarterback position as they head to Vegas, I would not be surprised to see the Raiders stacking a few picks together in order to get Tua.

The Raiders have the 12th and 19th overall picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. Those two picks alone may not be enough to get them to No. 3, but it is not far off. If the Lions do this trade, they could target Epenesa as their guy at No. 12 and Ruggs as their guy at No. 19. With a bit of luck, they could come away with a massive first-round haul and significant help on both sides of the ball.

Trading down feels more likely than not for the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. It is important for them to consider all options and think through all of these potential scenarios.