High-floor bet on Blake Miller at 17 The Detroit Lions Podcast used May 4 to cut through the noise on NFL draft grades and focus on fit. The theme was steady floor over splash. Blake Miller at No. 17 fits that. He arrives as a ready-to-play NFL starting right tackle. Clemson ran a pro style offense. He worked next to an in-line tight end. He protected a pocket passer in Cade Klubnik, who could move some but played structure. That background matters for Detroit’s plan up front. Miller’s presence helps mitigate Jared Goff’s biggest limitation, mobility. A sturdy offensive line keeps the offense on schedule. The Lions had that baseline before last season and aim to restore it. Miller projects as a dependable answer, much like Taylor Decker in profile even if he plays the opposite side. Expect a couple snaps each game where you want a little more. That is life picking 17th, not in the top 10. The trade-off is reliability. The show also noted he was in the mix when picking a favorite Lions selection this year. Derek Moore’s quick wins reshape the edge room Derek Moore brings another sturdy floor. Usage at Michigan was odd. He could make a splash play, then sit a series and a half. Coaching and deployment did not always match his strengths. Even so, the traits are clear. He is a quick-win rusher who can generate instant pressure off his first move. That immediacy is the appeal. Think 2.2 seconds instead of 2.4 to 2.6. Those fractions change outcomes. Aidan Hutchinson creates steady pressure and finish, but often works through a longer path. Moore can complement that with earlier disruption. Expect Moore to alternate with DJ Wonnum, a power-based end who is not a pure speed threat. The rotation should be cleaner. The Senior Bowl tape matters here too. Moore beat third-rounder Markel Bell with shock and quickness, a snapshot of what Detroit wants more of on the edge. How the draft graders stacked the class Aggregate draft grades place the Detroit Lions in the middle of the NFL pack. Rene Buettner’s annual compilation slotted Detroit 16th with a 2.89 GPA, a B-plus average. The ledger included two A-minuses from Chad Reuter and Vinnie Iyer, many Bs and B-pluses, and a few C-pluses. The outside read tracks with the show’s tone: satisfaction with the top of the class, minor quibbles about ceiling. The host made one more point on process. Immediate grades are noise. Real evaluation lands after rookie deals. He plans to grade the 2022 and 2023 classes when those first contracts are over. For 2024, the takeaway is simple. Detroit emphasized high floors early, added early-pressure potential with Moore, and reinforced the offensive line with Miller to keep the offense on time. That is a coherent bet for this roster. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #blakemiller #derrickmoore #detroitlionsdraftgrades #clemsonfootball #keithabney #skylergill-howard #isaacteslaa #taifelton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices