The Detroit Lions are projected to take Malik McDowell with the number 14 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft

This series is to give you guys a look at who Matt Miller, NFL Draft Lead Writer from Bleacher Report, has us taking in his mock drafts as the season goes on. We will be breaking down who we “take” and if the player would be a good or bad fit for the team. In his first Mock Draft, Matt Miller had us picking sixth and taking linebacker Jabrill Peppers from the University of Michigan. Now, three weeks later into the season, Detroit has moved up the draft board to the 14th pick and this time we are taking Malik McDowell from Michigan State University.

Does Malik McDowell Fill a Need?

Malik McDowell plays on the defensive line for the Spartans and that could be a need for Detroit. Haloti Ngata isn’t getting any younger, so while McDowell mostly plays defensive end, he could adjust to defensive tackle and help A’Shawn Robinson on the line.

McDowell usually plays defensive end and that could also help Detroit. Ziggy Ansah is coming up on the final year of his contract, losing him would be a blow to the team. One way to recover from that would be to draft someone that can come in and have a similar impact. Now if we keep Ansah, we could move McDowell to the opposite side. Sure Devin Taylor is doing well, but McDowell would be an upgrade and can make Detroit even stronger on the defensive line. While this need isn’t the biggest for Detroit right now with linebacker taking the cake, it could still use some attention.

Is Malik McDowell a Good or Bad Fit?

Malik McDowell would be a good fit for Detroit. He brings the strength and quickness on the defensive line that Ziggy brings when he is out there. So far in his career, McDowell has 62 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, six sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles. He had a quiet freshman year, but blew up in 2015. This year he is touted as one of the best defensive linemen in the draft and could end up falling to Detroit in the draft.

Overall Malik McDowell would be a good addition to the team. His pick would help out the defensive line which has a 32 year old starting and injuries, giving backups a chance to shine. If Kerry Hyder can continue to have a fantastic year and re-signs with Detroit, then maybe this pick wouldn’t be the smartest and Detroit could address other needs. For now, with the situation that Detroit has right now and the roster we have, McDowell could change some things for the better for the Lions.

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