2019 NFL Draft Mock 3.0: What if the Redskins traded back?

The Lions have a good amount of talent on their defensive line. Nose tackle Damon Harrison headlines the group, even in his aging state, and A’Shawn Robinson backs him up as a capable run defender in his own right. Dashawn Hand is a bit more versatile, emerging as a solid starter in his rookie campaign, and behind him, Kerry Hyder provides depth as an interior pass rusher.

Interior defensive line likely isn’t Bob Quinn’s priority this year; more talent is needed on offense to help Matthew Stafford, whom the team is committed to for the foreseeable future, and on defense, it almost seems as if the second and third levels need more help than the first, although depending on what happens in free agency, edge rusher could be an area of concern as well.

In the playoff hunt not so long ago, the Lions are suddenly scrambling to add impact players, and with T.J. Hockenson surprisingly off the board this early, their top offensive target might be gone, leaving them to instead go with the best player available: Ed Oliver.

With Oliver’s acquisition, an already deep defensive line becomes a stacked, versatile unit for Matt Patricia. At 6-foot-1, 274, he’s a bit undersized, even for the same mold the Lions followed by drafting Hand last year. But while Oliver is lacking in size, he’s incredibly athletic and explosive, and uses precise hand placement to win the leverage battle over opposing linemen. For the Lions, who have a multi-faceted group on the defensive line, Oliver could even occasionally line up on the edge. He’s capable of fulfilling any role Patricia asks of him, and that could make him a very attractive choice for Detroit.