Needs, possible fits for Lions in middle rounds of NFL Draft

Detroit selected G Laken Tomlinson in 1st round

DETROIT – The first round of the 2015 NFL draft is in the books, and the Detroit Lions have addressed perhaps their greatest need.

Detroit traded the 23rd overall pick to the Denver Broncos Thursday night, receiving the 28th pick, 5th round picks for 2015 and 2016, and offensive lineman Manny Ramirez in return.

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Ramirez, who was cut from the Lions' 0-16 team in 2008, started all 16 games for the Broncos in 2013 and 2014 and will give the Lions depth at both guard and center.

Minutes later, Detroit drafted Duke guard Laken Tomlinson to further shore up the inside of the offensive line. With Ramirez and Tomlinson added to the mix, the Lions can focus on other major needs on Day 2.

Positional needs

Defensive Tackle:

The Lions' greatest strength turned into a glaring need this offseason after a mass exodus of talented defensive tackles from the roster. Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley both signed elsewhere, and C.J. Mosley is not expected to return.

Though the Lions sent a pair of draft picks to Baltimore for Haloti Ngata, there's still a gaping hole where Suh and Fairley once anchored the defense. Only Danny Shelton and Malcom Brown came off the board in the first round, so there's plenty of value left at defensive tackle.

Running back:

After the release of Reggie Bush last winter, the Lions opened up another hole at running back. Joique Bell and Theo Riddick are solid part-time options, but Detroit lacks a game-changing runner to compliment a host of weapons in the passing game.

With three high-round picks likely to start on the interior offensive line (Larry Warford, Travis Swanson and Tomlinson), the Lions will likely select a back that can run between the tackles. Luckily, the 2015 draft is deep at running back.

Cornerback:

The emergence of Darius Slay as a 2nd year player took some of the gusto from the yearly "Lions need a cornerback" saga. But they still need a young running mate to line up next to Slay.

Rashean Mathis did a nice job for the Lions in 2014, but has already peaked as he enters his age 34 season. Mathis is a great candidate to mentor a young corner, the Lions just have to supply the mentee.

Bill Bentley and Nevin Lawson are both returning from injuries and could play a role in the secondary, but another addition would certainly boost the Lions' D.

Kick returner:

This would be a bit of a luxury pick, since the Lions have plenty of other pressing needs on the roster. But the Jeremy Ross experiment at kick returner simply hasn't worked out, and the Detroit offense would really benefit from starting a few drives past its own 20.

One positive about drafting a kick returner is that the Lions can address another need at the same time: wide receiver. Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate are as good as any duo in the NFL, but adding a viable third option (which was missing last season) would round out the passing attack.

Players to watch

DT:

Eddie Goldman (Florida State): Goldman is a bona fide run blocker in the middle of the defensive line and would help fill the run stopping hole left in Suh's wake. Goldman is 6-4 and weighs 336 pounds. He recorded four sacks as a junior and six during his three-year career at FSU.

Carl Davis (Iowa): Davis, like Goldman, is a big run stopper in the middle of the line. He had a solid career at Iowa, but projects as an early-rounder because of his upside. He's from the city of Detroit.

Other DT options: Grady Jarrett (Clemson), Marcus Hardison (Arizona State), Xavier Cooper (Washington State)

RB:

Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska): Abdullah carried the Nebraska rushing attack during his final three college years, racking up 4,438 yards and 36 touchdowns. As a senior, he averaged over six yards per carry and scored 19 times. Detroit would add another home run threat to the offense with Abdullah and take some pressure off Matt Stafford and the passing attack.

Tevin Coleman (Indiana): Coleman is probably the best all-around back available heading into the 2nd round, but he might not fit the Lions' system as well as Abdullah. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and makes his living through big plays on the outside, so the Lions' questions at both tackle positions could limit his effectiveness. But Coleman is the top backfield home run threat left in the draft, so the Lions should still give him a look.

Other RB options: Duke Johnson (Miami), T.J. Yeldon (Alabama), Jeremy Langford (Michigan State)

CB:

Jalen Collins (LSU): Collins is a big cornerback, at 6-2 198 pounds, and would help the Lions match up with some of the big wide receiver targets in the NFC North (think Alshon Jeffrey). Collins had 38 tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception as a redshirt junior. But the young defender comes with some baggage, as he reportedly failed drug tests at LSU.

Eric Rowe (Utah): Unlike Collins, Rowe is known as an athletic cornerback and lists at just 6-0 and 204 pounds. Known for his speed, Rowe would be a fine candidate to work behind Mathis and play major snaps in the secondary down the line.

Other CB options: P.J. Williams (Florida State), Senquez Golson (Ole Miss), D'Joun Smith (Florida Atlantic)

KR:

Tyler Lockett, WR (Kansas State): With Nelson Agholor off the board in the 1st round, Lockett might be the best kick returning option in the 2nd round. Lockett set KSU records for catches and receiving yards while posting a nation-best 19.04 punt return average. He returned two punts for touchdowns in 2014 and brought four kickoffs to the house in his first two college seasons. He would also give Detroit a high-end No. 3 receiver on offense.

Mario Alford, WR (West Virginia): Given the team's other needs, Alford would probably be a stretch to pick on Day 2. But the 5-8 speedy wideout returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in 2014 and caught 65 passes for 945 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Other KR options (on Day 3): Kaelin Clay (Utah), Jamarcus Nelson (UAB)

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Day 2 draft information

Lions picks: No. 54 (2nd round), No. 88 (3rd round)

Other potential needs: Safety, offensive tackle

Day 2 start time: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN/NFL Network

Teams have seven minutes to make a selection in the 2nd round, and five minutes in the 3rd round.