DETROIT – The Detroit Lions made a fairly safe, solid selection in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft, picking Florida's Jarrad Davis to fill a gaping hole at linebacker.
Now, as the second round approaches, the Lions look to fill another need at No. 53 overall.
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There are dozens of good players left on the draft board, and the Lions have no shortage of holes to fill on the roster. If one of the elite players still available fell to them in the second round, would they pounce on that opportunity, or go with another safe pick?
READ: 10 players the Lions could target in 2nd and 3rd rounds of 2017 NFL draft
Here are five players who probably won't fall to the Lions at No. 53, but could be home run selections if they do.
RB Dalvin Cook
The Lions haven't had a dominant running back since No. 20 retired, and the revolving door of injury-prone Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick hasn't exactly gotten the job done.
Dalvin Cook has a chance to be the best running back in this year's draft, but injury concerns and questions off the field have caused him to fall out of the first round. The Lions reconstructed their offensive line this off-season, so the addition of Cook would give them their best rushing attack in years.
In his final two seasons at Florida State, Cook ran the ball 517 times for 3,456 yards and 38 touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 732 yards and two touchdowns over that span.
CB Chidobe Awuzie
Awuzie hasn't been mentioned among the elite tier of cornerbacks in this draft, but there's reason to consider him a part of that group.
The 6-foot, 202-pound Colorado product was one of the most versatile defensive backs in the country his last two college seasons, providing excellent coverage as well as solid run support. He would give the Lions the big-play guy they lack on the defensive end, especially in the secondary.
Darius Slay is a solid No. 1 cornerback for the Lions, but they have a great need on the other side of the field. Awuzie would be a perfect fit for that spot.
In four seasons as Colorado, Awuzie played in 48 games, making 265 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three interceptions and 25 passes defended. He also forced six fumbles and recovered three of them.
LB Zach Cunningham
The Lions already drafted a projected starter at linebacker in the first round, but they have such a huge hole at the position, it wouldn't be surprising to see them use another top pick on that position.
Cunningham and Davis can both play inside or outside linebacker in the Lions' scheme, so this would be a good young duo at the second level of the defense.
In three seasons at Vanderbilt, Cunningham had a knack for causing chaos in opposing backfields. He made 256 tackles, 36 tackles for loss and six sacks in his 32-game career. In his senior season, he made 125 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss in 13 games.
WR Zay Jones
Wide receiver isn't at the top of the Lions' list of needs, but there's a pretty big hole after top options Golden Tate and Marvin Jones.
Zay Jones watched his stock rise this off-season after he dominated the combine and impressed coaches at the Senior Bowl. He's 6-foot-2 and weighs 201 pounds, so he would give the Lions a formidable trio of targets for Matthew Stafford.
In four seasons at East Carolina, Jones caught 399 passes for 4,279 yards and 23 touchdowns. He put up ridiculous numbers his senior season, catching 158 passes for 1,746 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games.
CB Quincy Wilson
If Awuzie isn't available at No. 53, another possible cornerback steal would be Davis' Florida teammate, Quincy Wilson.
Wilson is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the draft, so there's a good chance he'll be gone long before the Lions' name is called. He has good size and speed for a cornerback and can be a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball.
In three years at Florida, Wilson made 81 tackles, six interceptions and defended 14 passes.