Daily DLP: Lions mock draft roundup, Slay retires Detroit Lions Podcast

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Hey, everyone.

Jeffers in here with your daily DLP.

It is Friday, March 20th.

It's the first day of spring.

Yay.

NCAA brackets.

Hope yours are doing a little bit better than mine.

Although I did call high point and I did have VCU.

In part because I used to live right by VCU.

And always I always like to school so don't have football and basketball.

Proclivity there.

Anyhow, let's get to the Lions.

There's a lot of little news going on today.

I want to lead with this.

And I want to bring him up.

Because I missed this a couple days ago and I think it got overlooked a little bit by Detroit Media.

But Darius Slay retired.

Darius.

Fantastic player.

Good human being.

Good ambassador for the Lions during his long tenure here.

Happy that he was capable of winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles.

All around very good player easy to like.

Darius Slay.

One of the best players in the 21st century for the Detroit Lions.

And I am proud to say that I got the interview him a couple of times.

privately.

He was nothing but gracious to me.

You know, answered questions honestly.

You know, decided that he wants to spend more time with his teenage kids.

Be dad.

Be a sports dad.

As a fellow sports dad.

A lot less accomplished.

And Slay.

I am happy to see that.

So good luck to you in your retirement.

I don't know if he's going to be a Hall of Famer or not.

He's.

We're always clouded.

You know, when a guy initially retires like, oh, is he Hall of Famer?

I don't know.

There's a bit of a log jam that's going to be coming at corner back.

But he certainly belongs in the conversation.

At the very least he's in the hall of very good.

And I wonder if he will have his number 23 hoisted up in in Fordfield someday.

Or whatever stadium succeeds Ford field down the road.

But I wanted to get that one in because we.

I personally overlooked a little bit.

And I think there's a lot of like just with everything's going on in free agency.

And all the signings that they've had recently.

I think it got short shift.

And I wanted to give.

Darius Slay his moment in the sun because he certainly deserves it.

So thank you for your years in Detroit.

Areas.

You were a very, very good one.

Lines didn't sign anybody of major consequence yesterday on Thursday.

They did bring back Miles Adams defensive lineman has some versatility.

I actually showed a decent ability to get in the backfield in the injury ravaged year of 2024.

I didn't really get a lot of run last year.

I like this.

This is a depth signing.

He knows the defense.

He can play again.

So like a broken record and these things can play inside to line up as a five tack.

Does have some past rush ability can win individually.

Low cost deal.

Not one that's going to move the needle for a lot of fans, but is a depth piece that should make the team.

And again has experience in the defense.

Continuity at the depth.

I won't say it's like critical, but it's better than not having it.

So welcome back Miles Adams.

In the yesterday's.

Episode.

I had alluded that the lines were that assigning was imminent.

And I legitimately did not know who it was.

I just know that.

Because.

Who was going to be.

In Allen Park yesterday while there were pro days going on that someone was getting signed.

And it want to be Miles Adams.

I don't know.

Don't know if they're bringing anybody in today or not.

We're getting to the point in free agency.

Especially with the guys like the cam Jordan's and Judevian clownies of the world.

Where the veterans are going to start like, okay, we haven't Taylor Decker fits in this DJ reader fits into this.

By the way, DJ reader is the number two available free agent.

If you look at ESPN.

Like overall.

Taylor Decker's fifth.

So you're getting to the point where.

A lot of the veterans now that they haven't signed will wait to sign until after the draft.

Because they don't want to sign somewhere.

And then have the team spend the first round draft pick on their exact position.

So that time is rapidly coming if it hasn't come already.

So I don't expect a lot of free agent activity between now and the draft.

With Detroit or quite frankly, a lot of other teams with the big name guys.

You know, the Joey bosses of the world seem like there's a lot.

A lot of pass rushers still left veterans with a lot of warts, whether it's you know, in Clowny, Bosa.

There's there's a few guys out there.

You know, AJ up in us.

It did get signed.

Sort of a low end guy DJ.

The Lions effectively chose DJ one of them over him.

I think that's probably a savvy move.

One of them is better at getting into the backfield.

I'm not necessarily finishing, but.

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I'm optimistic about DJ Wantham.

I am. He definitely fits what the Lions want and I think he will fit in nicely as the number three pass rusher, number three edge on the team after they draft somebody.

Any of the first or second round, probably second, maybe the fourth, maybe they double up.

We'll see.

And that leads me into the next part.

Let's look at the Lions and who's getting mocked to the Lions in the latest projections because a lot of mock graphs came out this week, including mine at RealGM.

Inject that out there football RealGM.com.

Where I projected Blake Miller, offensive tackle from Clemson to the Lions at 17.

He is growing in popularity.

There are a few other mock drafts that are out there and the Trent clat from Fox Sports projected him.

My guy, Andrew Harbaugh from I know him from my days with the Wires has projected Miller there, although I think in his latest one, I think he went in a different direction.

I believe where's he looking at notes here.

Where do you go?

He went with.

He's got Caleb Lomu.

So Caleb Lomu is a popular one and the offensive tackle from Utah in their latest mocks.

Colton Pouncy from the athletic Nick Bum grader from the athletic separately projected him.

They're both Lions centric guys.

Colton's a great one.

Great, great writer.

Aside from being like a good source of info.

He's a fantastic writer.

admire Colton.

Good, dude.

Like him a lot.

Mike Renner, who is now at NBC, also picked up on Lomu in the projections.

He is definitely gaining a lot of popularity in mock drafts as someone who is going to go in the range that the Lions are picking.

Almost everybody projects offensive tackle in the first round now.

It's rare that there aren't.

There are still a few holdouts for Cudrick Falk.

I got Kyle Krabs at a disease sports as one of them.

Tyler Fornis, who writes for the Vikings and covers the Vikings, but is a very well rounded draft dude.

Love you for no.

He also projects Cudrick Falk.

There are a couple of people.

Charles McDonald from Yahoo.

I've got some fun stories about back in the day.

Good stories.

Love Chuck.

He has a key mezzador.

Nobody who actually covers the Lions predicts defense anymore.

Like literally none.

Dave Brickett in his latest mock.

He has Monroe Freelink.

I think Freelink is going to be gone by 17.

I do.

Otherwise, I would give a lot more consideration to projecting him to the Lions.

And I think that's the case with a few other people as well.

He is also Daniel Jeremiah's pick for the Lions Eric Edholm from Yahoo.

Old friend of mine.

Luke Easterling.

Very dear old friend of mine at F1 Sports has projected Freelink consistently to the Lions at 17.

He'll look on the show.

He's a great guest.

He and I go way back.

We've been friends for a very long time and colleagues.

I'll try to get Luke gain in on here.

Let's talk about it.

The other ones that are prominent Mel Kuiper Jr. came out with his.

He's got Caden Proctor, the Alabama offensive tackle.

Connor Rogers who co-hosts the NFL Stock Exchange with my guy Trevor Sikama.

He also projects him as a mock at NBC Sports.

Connor is a good dude.

Fantastic hair.

At a fun time.

But a group dinner with him this year down at the combine.

Connor is a good guy.

He has Caden Proctor.

I know Caden Scott D. Benedetto, who I have had on the show and had on the radio recently laws.

The fit of Proctor to the Lions at 17.

But I will say, and this is something that I'm writing up today on Friday.

Matt was somebody between pro days yesterday, who is employed by an NFL team,

who absolutely is convinced that Caden Proctor is going to be a top 10 pick.

And his team, if they were picking in the top 10, would take Caden Proctor with the top 10 pick.

And that made me spit my iced tea a little bit.

Really?

No shit.

Sorry for the profanity.

But that was my reaction.

NFL is a lot higher on Caden Proctor than I am.

He's my number 71 player.

And then most that most draft analysts seem to be.

So file that one away.

There are a couple of people who project low moves, teammates, Spencer Fano.

Now that his arms measured a little bit longer.

He's less T-Rex, I guess.

I've never watched Spencer Fano and thought that his arms were short.

But it is a big deal for teams.

It is a big deal for the Lions who do like reach in their tackles.

Absolutely.

This regime especially has favored guys with longer arms.

The reasons that they apparently like Larry Boram a lot.

They've got long arms.

Sool.

Doesn't actually have long arms for his height.

But, you know, he's got enough going on that we don't have to worry about that.

Yeah.

But Justin Mello.

Very notable draft presence.

Like Justin.

And also the Bleacher Report guys.

Whether it's Brain of Thorn.

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Oh gosh.

I can see them all.

I had dinner with them.

Bristle.

Sobo.

Sobo is a great guy.

Fun guy.

Bella Cleveland guy who covers nationally.

They have.

They have Spencer Fano.

So that's a look at where mock dress are.

But again, when you're looking for lines info from mock dress,

lean on guys who cover the lines.

And they're all on offensive tackle right now.

Whether it's lonely or Miller.

Freely a little bit.

I suspect you're going to see more of that.

As more of us write more mock drafts coming forward.

I am certainly interested in what guys like Eric Schlitt will project.

Guys with the Detroit news guys.

The M live guys raven.

We'll see what they all come up with in their next one.

But it's good to give a little pulse on that.

Wanted to get to the prospect of the day today.

Because this is.

This is a fun one guy that I have grown to like more and more.

The more I've watched him and the more he tested.

Yes, testing does influence how I feel about prospects guilty.

VJ pain safety.

Kansas state.

I see that jersey and I see that building.

I think back to one of my early early on draft crushers.

This goes way back to like 2013, 2014.

Got named Danzo McDaniels who wound up not pursuing football as a career.

But liked him a lot.

I got to know Danzo a lot.

I got his kids are probably teenagers now.

Wow.

Strong safety box safety.

Nickel safety big guy.

I will bring up his RAS card because I think this is telling.

9.72 he is a legit six foot three.

He weighs 208 pounds, which is plenty big for a safety.

It's in yellow on math bombs.

I can't love you.

It's in yellow on math bombs card because at six foot three and 206 pounds.

Not necessarily a big weight for that height.

But for the position is more than big enough.

And for the covered safety position that he tends to play.

Now he played all over the place.

That 44040.

Yeah, it shows the ten yard split at 152.

Doesn't necessarily show on film as much.

Dude can run.

Short shuttle was kind of poor.

Actually at 4.33.

But the three cone, the vertical, the broad explosive dynamic athleticism.

And it shows for the most part.

Definitely a good athlete.

Let's bring up Payne's career thing here.

Three-year starter for the Wildcats.

Four-year player there.

State at Kansas State the whole time.

Did well for himself at the Senior Bowl.

He just turned 22 on Tuesday.

So experience, but he's still young.

I like that.

More like the Lions like that.

Think back to school.

Think only make me have a lot of experience for being younger as a prospect.

Saint.

It's that bill.

Kirby Joseph fit that bill.

VJ played everywhere across their secondary.

At least 450 snaps in the slot.

In the box.

Free safety over the top.

High safety, split safety.

Didn't really do a lot of split at Kansas State.

But he's shown that he can do that.

Did that at the Senior Bowl.

He's at his best when he is flexed out in the slot over a flexed out tight end.

Watch their Baylor game where he shut down Michael Treg with his.

With his strength and the length and ability to mirror trail coverage.

He's very good in trail.

He will give up a little bit of distance against faster receivers in trail technique.

But he can close on the ball well.

And.

I don't want to.

I don't want to make it a negative, but.

He did benefit a little bit from playing against a lot of bad quarterbacks or capitalizing on poorly thrown balls.

So he allowed a completion percentage under 50% in his senior season.

But I mean.

I don't want to necessarily like put an asterisk on it, but just be aware.

You saw the game winning play once, but have to replay it three times on the way back to the hotel.

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That.

He played a lot of bad quarterbacks.

Talk about that the other day with the the offensive lineman.

That.

The Lawrence beat up on the Malakai Lawrence beat up on like.

A lot of his productivity came from playing against non NFL caliber talent.

And that's one of the reasons why he is generally regarded as a day three pick late day two pick.

On the aggregate bigboard composite bigboard that that Chris has updating daily here at the Detroit lands podcast.

He is number 165.

I think he's going to go a little bit higher than that.

In part because he is a high end athlete with size and speed.

Attacks the ball well in post coverage.

He is very good at the receiver gets his hands out and get the ball gets there and he swats it away.

So three different instances of that on his tape.

I like that.

Means that he can get beat initially on a route and make up make up the ground and still close and prevent a completion.

I like that.

One thing that I wish Kansas state would have done more was blitz him out of the slot or out of the box as a big app blitzer.

Because he showed that he can do it like it's there and he they they did not rush him much.

He was very effective at it when they let him do it.

And I like that upside as something that the Lions or any NFL team for that matter to tap into.

Cons he's tall and it does show he's a little leaky in his.

It's hard to describe this.

He has good footwork out of his initial break.

But once he's going long and gets just the long legs moving.

It's sort of locks him into being on train tracks a little bit especially in coverage.

Shifting your guys are going to shake him in that because there is some tightness to his hips especially when he's at full gallop with the long legs.

That's not unique to VJ pain by the way that's one of the issues.

That's why you don't see a lot of six four safeties who are great in coverage.

Other way that that was a heavy criticism why I loved Nick M&Wari last year.

He proved that you can be okay with that pain is not Nick M&Wari 2.0.

You can be appointment Nick M&Wari.

Get him in third fourth round fourth round probably be very happy with that in Detroit.

And his acceleration and agility tested better than it does show.

And again that goes in with you know being longer leg that takes you longer to get the top speed.

The biggest issue I had with him and it's all over every single game film dude hits and doesn't wrap with his arms.

If you followed my shouting my draft stuff and all over the last 23 years that I've done it.

You'll know that's a massive flag for me.

I hate guys that hit and don't wrap.

There's a whole lot to like about VJ pain.

The fact that he's got good eye discipline.

Know the size.

But man.

Use your arms.

No Bluetooth tackling please.

Now to his credit he is one of those guys he will hit with the shoulder and the guy will bounce.

He'll tackle him.

So like it's not like they're getting away from him.

He does have some stunning power with it.

But I wish you would wrap better.

My biggest complaint about VJ pain.

Like him in the middle rounds for Detroit.

Absolutely.

The guy who can fill the brain branch roll.

As they're rookie.

He's got enough heaviness.

Got enough football IQ.

And things that he does well that he can he can fit into that.

That's today's prospect of the day.

Sorry about yesterday's look.

We were all set to do the live roundtable and then two of the four members of the roundtable.

So that they weren't available anymore.

We are efforting to do it again tonight at 5 p.m. fingers are crossed.

I am free and hopeful that we get it done.

Stay tuned if you like and subscribe to the channel.

You'll know that it's coming.

Keep checking the socials whether it's the Detroit lines podcast or mine.

I put my blue sky up there because I have been trying to hang out more there.

Just from all the barrage of ads that are on X.

I tend to not like that so much.

Join the podcast Patreon Slack.

It's a good place to be in this world where you're barrage with all kinds of everything on social media.

Nice place to be welcoming place where there is some good disagreement going on as well.

Healthy disagreements.

Disagreement can be healthy.

Those of you that are freaking out about allegations that Dan and Brad don't see eye to eye and everything good.

I don't want them to.

I want a little discussion about should we go this way or should we go that way?

Uniform bootlicking.

Not a good way to run an organization.

It's just not.

It's my thoughts on that.

You'll probably get more of that in the round table.

I would suspect.

Anyhow, enjoy the first day of spring.

Hopefully you can watch some March magazine.

The women tip off as well.

Some good games there.

Jeffer is signing out.

Be good to one another.

I'll see you next time.