The Detroit Lions had one of the most prolific passing offenses in the NFL in 2022. A steady group of wide receivers headlined by Amon-Ra St. Brown came together nicely in coordinator Ben Johnson’s offense with QB Jared Goff at the helm.
St. Brown is back for 2023, as is last year’s first-round dynamo, Jameson Williams. Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond are also back as valuable contributors, while the Lions brought back old friend Marvin Jones in free agency.
It’s a deep group but one without a lot of long-term commitment; only Williams and St. Brown are under contract beyond 2023. GM Brad Holmes could certainly look to add another longer-term piece into the receiving corps in the 2023 NFL draft.
Lions 2023 draft: A linebacker for (almost) every round
Here is one wide receiver prospect that fits the Lions from each round of the draft. Detroit doesn’t currently have any picks in the fourth or seventh rounds, but players from those ranges are included because trades happen all the time during the draft weekend.
The purpose here isn’t to advocate for any one player but to give a better idea of the type of talent available at each level of the 2023 NFL draft.
The Lions offense requires receivers who reliably get when and where they need to be with precision, speed and the ability to catch on the run. That describes Smith-Njigba to a “T” based on his Ohio State game film.
A 6-foot, 198-pounder capable of aligning in the lot or outside, Smith-Njigba is an advanced route runner with great hands. In 2021 he caught nearly 85 percent of all passes thrown his way, an absurdly high figure that demonstrates both his situational awareness and soft hand. He looks like a running back after the catch, too. There are questions about inexperience after missing most of 2022 with a hamstring injury, which is also a bit of a flag.
Smith-Njigba gets the nod over TCU’s Quentin Johnston based on his route running and likelihood of high impact.
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Flowers is an intriguing prospect. At just 5-foot-8 and with instant transition from receiver to runner, he’s got the attributes of a classic slot receiver. Yet at Boston College, Flowers primarily played outside–and didn’t exactly look like an elite NFL prospect when he did get slot reps.
His productivity and ability to create mismatches, as well as his tenacity and baller mentality, are definitely things the Lions look for offensively. He and St. Brown working with the speed of Williams on the outside is very appealing. There are warts to Flowers’s game–too many drops and a lack of blocking oomph, but he’d make the offense even more fun.
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Mingo is a different style of receiver than Smith-Njigba or Flowers. He’s a big-bodied (6-2/220) outside receiver who is at his best working deeper routes. His timed speed of 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine is faster than he plays, but Mingo knows how to use the speed and size to get himself space to operate.
Two huge assets for Mingo: he’s very good after the catch with the ball in his hands and he’s an outstanding blocker. He doesn’t get a lot of separation and needs to learn to change up his speeds better. Lions fans who either miss Kenny Golladay or lament Qiuntez Cephus’ lack of success should really like Mingo, who splits the difference between the two as a prospect.
One of the true revelations of Senior Bowl week, Reed offers the ability to line up all over the formation. His instant speed and excellent strength for his size (5-11/187) make Reed dangerous on both short and deep routes. He consistently beat good corners in 1-on-1s during Senior Bowl week, showing much better footwork and pacing than he did for the Spartans. The catch radius and concentration on routes where he’s wide open are not great.
Reed also adds value as a dynamic return specialist option, a position the Lions haven’t had much stability at over the last couple of seasons.
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Bell was an impressive, consistently productive playmaker for the Wolverines in 2022. He doesn’t really stand out in any one area, but Bell is a very good all-around talent with enough speed, size and strength to make plays. He profiles best as an outside-in receiver with a game that would figure to blend well with St. Brown and Williams in Detroit’s offense.
Bell’s leadership skills and football character really shone after he tore his Achilles in the 2021 season opener for Michigan. He is also a