The Detroit Lions don’t have much to worry about on the interior of the offensive line. Offensive guard and center were positions taken care of by general manager Bob Quinn during both his first draft and second free-agency period.
Starting center Travis Swanson is in a contract year and his potential replacement, Graham Glasgow, is the team’s starting left guard. But it’s not a significant need, so this is an area where late round picks and priority free agents could come into play.
What the Lions have: Graham Glasgow (starting LG), Travis Swanson (starting C), T.J. Lang (starting RG), Laken Tomlinson, Joe Dahl, Brandon Thomas, Matt Rotheram
Chances the Lions draft a player at this position: 10 percent
Need level (out of five): 1
Players to watch in the draft:
Nate Theaker, Wayne State: He’s somewhat similar to Dahl in that he played all over the line in college. Unlike Dahl, more of what he did at Wayne State should translate to the NFL than what initially did for Dahl. Theaker's size is good, too, at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds with 32 5/8-inch arms. He’s a player the Lions could look to as a priority free agent.
Kyle Kalis, Michigan: At 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds, he has good size for a guard and has experience with a couple of Lions in Glasgow and backup quarterback Jake Rudock from Michigan. A highly touted high school prospect, it took a little while for him to develop at Michigan. He could be a steal if the Lions can grab him as undrafted free agent. He’s strong and a better pass-protector than a run-blocker.
Cameron Tom, Southern Mississippi: He played some at tackle early in his career before moving inside to center. His height shouldn’t be a problem at 6-foot-4, but he might need to bulk up a bit at a listed 287 pounds on the NFL.com website. Like Theaker and Kalis, he’s the type of player who could be a priority free agent for Detroit.
