The Detroit Lions will be one of the most popular picks to make noise across Michigan sports betting in 2023.
After a 1-6 start, the Lions won eight of their last 10 games and fell just short of making the playoffs for the first time since 2016. On top of that, Detroit is in prime position to add to its young roster with a pair of first-round picks, including a Top-10 selection from the Los Angeles Rams after sending quarterback Matthew Stafford to Hollywood.
Who will the Lions add in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft?
BetMichigan.com has the hypothetical odds of Detroit’s two picks that will look at take Dan Campbell's team to the next level.
Odds of Lions’ 6th Overall Pick In 2023 NFL Draft
Defense Wins Championships
The Lions were dead last in defense last season (392.4 yards allowed per game), ranking 30th against the pass (245.8), 29th against the run (146.5) and 28th in scoring (25.1 points per game), so it’s no surprise that Detroit would attempt to improve that side of the ball early in the draft.
The Lions hit a home run last year in the first round, taking Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who will likely be the runner-up for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Hutchinson is currently +800 behind overwhelming favorite Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (-1200) of the New York Jets at DraftKings Sportsbook Michigan.
Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, the hypothetical favorite to join the Lions at +270, was the 2020 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and was an All-ACC selection last season for the Tigers. As was Clemson edge rusher Myles Murphy, who is the fourth-favorite to be picked No. 6 overall by the Lions at +510.
Georgia’s Kelee Ringo was recently named the No. 6 overall corner in the draft by Pro Football Focus. Ringo, a second-team All-SEC selection last season, helped lead Georgia to back-to-back national championships and had a pick-six in the 2022 title contest against Alabama. He is +475 to go to the Lions early in the first round, tied for the second-highest odds with Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson.
Odds of Lions’ 18th Overall Pick In 2023 NFL Draft
A Hockenson Replacement At Play?
As you get later in the first round of the draft, there are more surprises. Naturally, the field is the favorite at +330 (23.3% hypothetical chance) rather than the seven players listed, something to keep in mind in April across Michigan betting apps.
Again, early reports have Lions’ General Manager Brad Holmes trying to address a sub-par defense that struggled mightily last season. However, one offensive name has appeared in Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.
At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Mayer has drawn comparisons to former Patriots and Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski and is one of the best tight ends to ever come out of Notre Dame. He owns the program’s all-time record for catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns for tight ends.
Mayer would add a new weapon for an offense that ranked fourth overall in yardage last season and was fifth in scoring (26.6 points per game). The Lions are also looking for a new tight end after trading former first-round pick T.J. Hockenson for a fourth-round pick in the middle of last season.
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