Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Picking the Detroit Lions' best Round 3 draft targets ahead of the 2024 NFL Combine

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Mike Payton | Last updated 2/27/24

The Detroit Lions are lucky enough to have two third round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft thanks to the T.J. Hockenson trade. They'll have the 73rd and 92nd picks. Here's two options that could be the best options for them at those picks ahead of the 2024 NFL Combine.

We've already done both the first and second round picks.

The Lions should draft Western Michigan DE Marshawn Kneeland with the 73rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

Kneeland's speed is hard to miss. That's really the big draw here. He can get around guys and he can get through guys. He had six sacks in 10 games for Broncos in 2023 and he was a big standout at the Senior Bowl in early February. Look at him move this guy from Eastern Michigan and get the sack.

Don’t sleep on 6’3 270 lbs Western Michigan DE Marshawn Kneeland

Explosive rusher, attacks with powerful 34” arms

6 sacks, 28 hurries and an ELITE 90 PFF Grade

Uses Speed-to-Power to sack the quarterback

Kneeland has potentialpic.twitter.com/RqbgoHf6GQ
— Efram Geller (@Mr1rrelevant) February 6, 2024

The problem here is that he's working his way up the board. Kneeland is a guy that could have a monster combine and find himself in the second round.

The Lions should draft Missouri CB Kris Abrams-Draine with the 92nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

Abrams-Draine is also working his way up the board. He's now a third round guy that was a fifth round guy at the end of the season. The big draw with Abrams-Draine is that he rarely misses a tackle. If you're in his area with the ball in your hands, he's stopping you and stopping you fast.

Missouri CB Kris Abrams-Draine has that dog in him. Has a missed tackle rate of only 7.5% per PFF despite only weighing 178 lbs and does a great job of tackling in the open field pic.twitter.com/LII2ZDyiRx
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) February 17, 2024

Abrams-Draine could rise up the draft board some more, but he should still remain an option for the Lions in the third round at either pick. His Mizzou teammate Ennis Rakestraw Jr. could also be a prospect for Detroit, although he would be a guy they'd pick in the first round.

Final Word

The Lions got a top corner in the first and a space eater with pass rush ability in the second. Here they get their pass rusher and a second corner. Both spots could use all the help they could get. If the Lions walked out with both McKinstry and Abrams-Draine, that would be a very good start to their future in the secondary.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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