Lions jump up to No. 189 for standout SEC defensive tackle

The Lions have moved up in the 2024 NFL Draft, trading up to No. 189 overall. With their new sixth-round pick, Detroit is adding LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo. In return for the move, the Texans will be receiving the Lions’ No. 205 pick in the sixth round and No. 249 pick in the seventh round.

Wingo marks the third defensive tackle to come out of Baton Rouge in this draft alone, following college teammates Maason Smith (second round, 48th overall) and Jordan Jefferson (fourth round, 116th overall) who were both selected by the Jaguars. Wingo wasn’t always Smith and Jefferson’s teammate, transferring to LSU after a freshman season at Missouri that saw him earn SEC All-Freshman team honors.

Wingo became an immediate factor once he got to Baton Rouge. Starting 13 games as a sophomore, Wingo earned second-team All-SEC and third-team All-American honors. As team captain last year, Wingo missed the last five games of the season after groin injuries. He is incredibly disruptive but doesn’t always convert that to production in the backfield.

The Lions added some starting power to the lineup in D.J. Reader, who will set up on the inside next to Alim McNeill. In 2023, Pro Football Focus ranked McNeill and Reader as the seventh- and 11th-best interior defensive linemen in the NFL, respectively.

Wingo arrives in Detroit coming off the season-ending injuries from 2023. The talented 21-year-old could work his way into a rotation on the line, but 2024 may just be a season for Wingo to get healthy and get used to the speed of the NFL game. With McNeill in a contract year and set to earn a decent sum, though, Wingo come represent the future for the Lions at defensive tackle.