The Lions have traded up, exchanging places with the Patriots, in order to select LSU guard Miles Frazier. In order to acquire the pick, Detroit sent pick Nos. 182 and 228 to New England.
The Lions gained access to the 182nd pick, an early-sixth-rounder, from the Jaguars. The 228th pick, a seventh-rounder, was acquired from Dallas in a package that allowed Detroit to select cornerback Terrion Arnold last year.
It’s a bit shocking to see Frazier come off the board in the fifth round. The 23-year-old was projected to be a Day 2 pick after three years starting in Baton Rouge (and a year starting at FIU before that). Frazier played all over the offensive line in college, starting 28 games at right guard, 12 games at left tackle, nine games at left guard, and two games at right tackle. That kind of versatility made Frazier the 61st-best prospect in NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah‘s rankings.
Frazier is a mauler in the run game who can drive defenders backwards and refuses to release his blocks. He doesn’t do too much exceptionally in pass protection, which may have hurt his stock here. He struggles to move laterally in order to cover quick gap rushers, and when he does recognize the rush, his feet can get caught in quicksand, leaving him lunging off balance.
Guard was a perceived weakness in Detroit, and they already added a potential starter in the second round with Georgia’s Tate Ratledge. Graham Glasgow is slotted in at left guard, and despite a 2024 step back, he has proven reliable in the past. The other spot, vacated by Kevin Zeitler‘s departure in free agency, is up for competition between Kayode Awosika, Netane Muti, and Christian Mahogany, at the moment. Awosika started two games for the team last year, and Muti has logged only four starts in a five-year career; Mahogany flashed promising form in his one start and across limited backup time as a rookie last season. Frazier adds some depth, where Ratledge provides starting potential.