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10 players the Lions could target in 2nd and 3rd rounds of 2017 NFL draft

Lions selected LB Jarrad Davis in first round

Lions General Manager Bob Quinn addresses the media at the Lions' Allen Park Facility. (WDIV-TV)

DETROIT – The Detroit Lions filled their biggest need Thursday when they drafted Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

But there are still many holes to fill on the Lions' roster, and they'll look to pick up two more immediate contributors Friday in the second and third rounds.

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Here are 10 players they could draft in the next two rounds, with information on their profile from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

Second round

Jordan Willis -- DE from Kansas State

Long-time Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder called Willis "the epitome" of Kansas State football. That's high praise from a Hall of Fame coach who has led the program all but three years since 1989. Willis earned that praise with his play on the field and attitude off of it. He was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and also garnered third-team Associated Press All-American honors, as he made 52 tackles and led his team with 17.5 tackles for loss and topped the conference with 11.5 sacks. Big 12 coaches and media inexplicably left Willis off their all-conference teams in 2015, even though he started every game and made 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks, while forcing four fumbles (tied for ninth nationally). Willis started each game for the Wildcats as a sophomore, as well (25 stops, 6.5 for loss, four sacks). The Kansas City Star All-Metro pick as a high school senior played in nine games (his one tackle was a sack) his first year in Manhattan.

Zay Jones -- WR from East Carolina

To say "Zay" grew up in a football family would be an understatement. His father, Robert, played linebacker in the NFL, winning three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990's. His uncle, Jeff Blake, played quarterback in the NFL for 14 years, most notably with the Cincinnati Bengals. Jones' brother, Cayleb was a receiver at Texas and Arizona, as well. Both his father and uncle played at East Carolina. Jones has made his own name with the Pirates, though, setting the NCAA record for most receptions in a career (399) and the single-season record with 158 catches in 2016 (for 1,746 yards and eight touchdowns). He was a first or second-team All-American by most media outlets this fall, along with first-team All-American Athletic Conference. Jones was a second-team All-ACC choice in 2015 with 98 catches for 1,099 yards and five scores. His football IQ and athletic genes helped him start in his first two seasons, as well (62-604, five TD in 2013; 81-830, five TD, also 24-447 on kick returns in 2014).

Malik McDowell -- DT Malik McDowell

As a top-50 high school recruit out of Detroit, McDowell could have gone anywhere. He went against his family's wishes and enrolled in East Lansing, which made head coach Mark Dantonio and his staff quite happy. After playing mostly in a reserve role as a freshman (15 tackles, 1.5 sacks), McDowell lined up two second-team All-Big Ten seasons for the Spartans. Using an explosive first step, he racked up 13 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a sophomore as the team made the college football playoffs. Both Sparty and McDowell saw things turn south a bit in 2016, including his numbers (seven TFL, 1.5 sacks) and the team's wins (just three). The junior suffered an ankle injury mid-season, which in part caused his lack of production.

Zach Cunningham -- LB from Vanderbilt

Alabama may have overlooked Cunningham in the recruiting process due to his lean frame (he had 194 tackles, 41 for loss, 12 sacks as the state's 5A Lineman of the Year in 2012), but NFL scouts won't. He started the final five games of the year for the Commodores as a redshirt freshman (67 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 1.5), and then starting the final nine in 2015, eventually leading the team in tackles for loss (16.5) and forced fumbles (four) in a first-team All-SEC effort. Cunningham led Vandy with 125 tackles in another first-team all-conference season, with 16.5 tackles for loss. He also garnered first-team Associated Press All-American honors as a junior, proving his explosion on the national college football scene.

Chris Wormley -- DE from Michigan

When you live in Toledo, you're either a Buckeyes fan or a Wolverines fan. Wormley decided to root for the Maize and Blue early in his life, and wound up signing up for college in Ann Arbor after being named the Ohio Division I co-Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. Wormley made an impression in his redshirt freshman season of 2013, making 19 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and 2.5 sacks as a reserve. He started six times as a sophomore, recording 21 tackles, five TFL and three sacks. Wormley finished his time "up north" by winning the team's Defensive Lineman of the Year award in each of his final two seasons. He was a third-team All-Big Ten pick in 2015 (14.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks) and a first-team selection in 2016 (nine TFL, six sacks) for the Wolverines.

Third round

Desmond King -- CB from Iowa

King had every opportunity to leave for the NFL after his junior year, but decided to stay with his team and earn his degree. The 2015 Jim Thorpe Award winner and unanimous Consensus All-American ranked second in the FBS with eight interceptions. He was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as well, starting 14 times, making 72 tackles and breaking up 13 passes. King was a first-team All-Big Ten pick again as a senior, although he "only" had three interceptions and seven pass breakups as teams avoided him. King's promise was obvious in his freshman year, when he grabbed a starting spot right off the bat (69 tackles, three TFL, eight PBU). He started gaining notoriety by league media with an honorable mention all-conference sophomore season (started all 13 games, 72 tackles, three INT, five PBU). King also returned kicks (26.0 per) and punts (11.7 per) the past two years.

Kareem Hunt -- RB from Toledo

Hunt's 2015 season was one to forget. He was suspended the first two games for violating team rules, then struggled with hamstring and ankle injuries during the course of the year. Somehow, he still covered 973 yards and scored 12 times on 178 carries in just nine games, garnering second-team All-MAC notice. Expectations were high going into that season, however, because he led the MAC in rushing as a sophomore in 2014 (1,631) despite missing three games with an ankle injury. Hunt finished third in the nation with 163 rush yards per game and ended the year with a 271-yard, five-touchdown effort against Arkansas State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. The first-team All-State pick from Ohio (2,685 yards, 44 TD as a senior) received a fair amount of playing time as a freshman, accumulating 866 yards and six scores. Hunt finished his Toledo career on a high note, garnering first-team All-MAC honors for the second time, rushing for 1,475 yards and ten touchdowns while also racking up 41 catches for 403 yards and a score (all receiving numbers bettered his totals in his first three seasons combined).

Jake Butt -- TE from Michigan

Being an Ohio native who went to play for "that team up north" brings almost as much ridicule as the Wolverine tight end's unfortunate last name. He's learned to deal with both, however, on his way to consecutive second-team Associated Press All-American seasons. In fact, he had the best games of his freshman and sophomore seasons against Ohio State, scoring in each game and totaling nine catches for 110 yards (he had 41 catches for 446 yards and three scores in total in 2013-2014). In Butt's junior and senior seasons, he was the Big Ten Conference Tight End of the Year (51-654, three TDs in 2015; 46-546, four TDs in 2016). Unfortunately, Butt suffered a torn right ACL in their Citrus Bowl loss to Florida State.

Curtis Samuel -- WR from Ohio State

This Brooklyn native is considered an H-back in the Buckeyes' offense, though that won't be his NFL position because of his size. He will produce as a running back and receiver at the next level, as he did while garnering Associated Press All-American honors as an all-purpose threat. The first-team All-Big Ten pick rushed for 771 yards and eight touchdowns (97 carries, 8.0 yards per carry) and caught 74 passes for 865 yards and seven scores; he led the conference with 128.8 all-purpose yards a game and led Ohio State with 15 total touchdowns on the year. Samuel contributed in his first two years, as well. He played in every game of the team's national championship run in 2014 (11-95 receiving, 58-383, six TDs rushing; 12-246 kick returns). He started one game that year, and another in 2015, when he again rushed (17-132, TD), caught (22-289, two TDs) and returned (9-207) for the Buckeyes.

Teez Tabor -- CB from Florida

Before his junior year, Tabor asked to be addressed by his nickname "Teez." But he certainly doesn't tease scouts with his talent; he puts it on the field every game. The Washington, D.C. Mr. Football award winner in 2013 started five games the following season, garnering Freshman All-American honors (eight pass break-ups). Tabor was a first-team All-SEC pick the next season after intercepting four passes (breaking up 14 others) and scoring on two of them. He repeated the SEC honors as a junior this fall, as well as receiving third-team All-American accolades from the Associated Press (four interceptions, six pass break-ups) while teaming up with Quincy Wilson as one of the top corner duos in the country.

LIVE 2017 NFL Draft updates: 2nd and 3rd round picks, latest buzz


About the Author
Derick Hutchinson headshot

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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