DETROIT – Could the Detroit Lions be targeting a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft?
Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest ESPN mock draft predicts the Lions will draft Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 3 pick. Here’s what Kiper said about the possibility:
“The Lions say they’re not shopping quarterback Matthew Stafford, but there is some buzz that they like Tagovailoa, who might not work out for teams before April’s draft because of his hip injury. Is that just a smoke screen? We’re still two months away from the draft, of course. Stafford’s contract is extremely tough to trade in 2020 -- the team could have up to a $32 million dead-cap hit -- but what if Detroit likes Tagovailoa so much that it keeps Stafford on the roster for another year?
This pick also seems like the perfect spot for a team to trade up to get a quarterback, whether that’s Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert or someone else. Could the Chargers or Raiders or Jaguars move up to jump the Dolphins at No. 5 and get their guy? Everything is in play here, and since I’m not going to project trades, I’ll stick with Tagovailoa at No. 3.”
The NFL Draft begins on April 23, so we still have a long way to go.