DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Headed into Thursday night, the Detroit Lions future looks very bright with nine overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. The first night of the draft will bring two first round picks a no. 6 from the Rams trade and no. 18 from their finish this year. They then have two picks in round two at 17 and 24.

Detroit maybe looking for talent on defense continuing to build on the season they had. Trading away Jeff Okudah earlier this month to Atlanta, they acquired another pick in the fifth round. General Manager Brad Holmes says, “We just remain confident in our process. I say all the time: We’ll surrender the results to our process, and so far, we’ve gotten good results. So, the process, our culture is numero uno for us, and so far, so good.”

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According to detroitlions.com, here are the 10 prospects of interest for the first round on Thursday night.

Will Anderson, Jr. – Alabama. He had 62 tackles for loss and 34.5 sacks in 41 games played. He is one of the top pass rushers available.

Jalen Carter – Georgia. A national champion, he is the top defensive lineman in the draft. His strength and quickness would go well with Aidan Hutchinson.

Tyree Wilson – Texas Tech. He was a top 10 pass rusher last year in the NCAA. In two seasons, he had 27.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks.

Devon Witherspoon – Illinois. A cornerback that plays aggressively, who had 17 passes defended and three interceptions this past season.

Bijan Robinson – Texas. Most likely the top running back in the draft, Robinson rushed for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns this year.

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Lukas Van Ness, Iowa. Another pass rusher, he ran a 4.58 in the 40-yard dash at 272 pounds.

Nolan Smith, Georgia. Part of one of the best defenses in the nation and winning a national championship, Smith ran a sub-4.4 (4.39) 40-yard dash and was graded as one of the highest character prospects in this year’s draft.

Michael Mayer, Notre Dame. A tight end, Mayer was a three-year starter who had 180 receptions, 2,099 yards, and 18 touchdowns in his career.

Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh. A defensive tackle that was the program’s first unanimous All-American, he had 14.5 tackles for loss.

Bryan Bresee, Clemson. A big defensive tackle that can play any where on the line, he was a three-year starter for Clemson.

The fans will find out on Thursday night where Detroit is heading in the 2023 draft with their first two picks. For now, it looks as though they may be getting their defense ready for the new season.