Chicago Bears' NFC North Rivals: Reviewing the Lions' 2024 NFL Draft

The leftovers from the Lions' 2024 NFL Draft.

The rest of their picks are considered depth pieces. However, they took a major gamble with the addition of offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, a fourth-rounder (126th) from the University of British Columbia, which is both interesting and risky. What is more surprising is they gave up the 2025 third-round pick to move up and draft Manu. Playing in Canada does not offer the same level of competition here in the US. He's listed at 6'7'' and 350 pounds with almost 35-inch arms in some reports. He's definitely an intriguing prospect, but don't expect him to the field anytime soon.

Speaking of the offensive line, it was shocking to see interior lineman Christian Mahogany from Boston College slid all the way to the sixth round. After a terrific Shrine Bowl, he was considered a consensus Top 100 pick. Do you want to know why he slid all the way to the sixth round? It is because teams found out one of his legs was longer than the other. I know some Bears fans wanted to see him get drafted by the Bears. But unfortunately, he is now a Lion, who could be trusted into action if veteran Kevin Zeitler is injured.

The rest of their picks are Utan safety/running back Sione Vaki taken 4th round(132), and LSU defensive tackle Mehki Wingo in the 6th round(189). Wingo, in particular, is highly thought by draft experts because of his ability to rush the quarterback using his quick first step and active hands. He fell to 189 because of his size (6'0, 284), not because of his ability. The Lions are very high on him, so the Bears fans better pray he does not wreak havoc too much when facing the Bears.

Once again, many experts gave the Lions' draft a high grade, ranging from A to B+ at worst. As the Lions continue to build the roster through the draft, they are in good hands with Brad Holmes at their general manager much like the Bears are now with Ryan Poles.