Detroit Lions Forced To Settle In 2021 NFL Re-Draft

Pro Football Focus recently released a 2021 NFL re-draft, and unfortunately for the Detroit Lions, their original picks in the actual draft didn’t fall their way this time around. Originally, the Lions made an outstanding selection with offensive tackle Penei Sewell at No. 7 overall, but in this re-draft scenario, they had to go a different route.

Sewell Snatched By Bengals

In the re-draft, Penei Sewell was off the board early, going to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5 overall. According to Pro Football Focus, Sewell has been as good as advertised since entering the NFL, with an impressive career grade of 90.8. The Bengals, with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase unavailable in this re-draft, opted for the sturdy tackle to protect their franchise quarterback, Joe Burrow.

The Lions, unfortunately, missed out on Sewell, who has been a vital part of their offensive line since joining the team.

Miami Grabs St. Brown

To make matters even more painful for Lions fans, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who was originally drafted in the fourth round by Detroit, soared all the way to No. 6 overall in the re-draft, going to the Miami Dolphins. St. Brown’s rise in the league has been meteoric, finishing in the top five of Pro Football Focus’ receiver rankings over the past two years.

With St. Brown off the board, the Lions were forced to look elsewhere.

Christian Darrisaw: A Solid Consolation Prize

In this re-draft, with both Sewell and St. Brown gone, the Lions were “forced” to settle for Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw at No. 7 overall. Though losing out on Sewell stings, Darrisaw is hardly a bad option. In fact, he’s emerged as one of the best tackles in the NFL, boasting a stellar career grade of 92.4 and ranking among the top blockers in the league over the past two seasons. It’s not Sewell, but the Lions still land a quality starter to anchor their offensive line.

Alim McNeill Cracks The First Round

In another twist, Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill, who recently signed a 4-year contract extension with Detroit, ended up being selected with the No. 17 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the re-draft. McNeill, originally selected in the third round by the Lions, has developed into one of the league’s premier interior defensive linemen. In 2023, McNeill was ranked as the eighth-best interior defender by Pro Football Focus.

The Raiders, who originally selected Alex Leatherwood with the No. 17 pick, corrected their mistake by nabbing McNeill to fortify their defensive front.

The Lions’ Re-Draft Takeaway

Though the Lions missed out on their original stars like Sewell and St. Brown, Pro Football Focus’ re-draft still left Detroit with a solid pick in Darrisaw. And seeing McNeill skyrocket into the first round reinforces the notion that the Lions’ scouting and draft approach has been on point in recent years. While settling for Darrisaw may not feel great in comparison to retaining Sewell or St. Brown, the Lions still come out of the re-draft with foundational players, proving their draft class was loaded with talent.