The Detroit Lions are following a plan — steadfast and determined — boldly plowing ahead under general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia. It’s just that, um — let’s try to be fair here — sometimes it’s a path that only they can see. They drafted Hawaii linebacker Jahlani Tavai in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft on Friday night. And yes, I will give you some time right now to blink your eyes and say: "Who the heck is that?" [ Lions take Jahlani Tavai: 'I heard the Patriots love this player' ] Tavai is a 250-pound linebacker coming off a shoulder injury, who missed the Senior Bowl and might have been available later in the draft, as in, on Saturday. Shoot, he said that even his agent thought he might be a Day 3 guy. But he is versatile and tough — things Quinn and Patricia value above all else. “I want fans to know that I’m going to play every down that I can,” Tavai said. “I’m going to hustle to the ball and just show that I’m giving 110 percent effort every play. That’s the main thing that I want to show, just that I’m going to be that guy that they’re looking for basically.” Best-case scenario for Lions fans: This was a brilliant pick and the Lions have solidified their linebacker situation, adding versatility and toughness. Presumably, this could allow Tavai to play inside linebacker and Jarrad Davis will be used more as an edge rusher. Worst case: The Lions just made a huge reach, and watching Quinn and Patricia work is like watching a scene from the Netflix movie, “Bird Box,” where everybody is forced to run around wearing blindfolds. Only time will tell. "Really versatile player, four-year starter, two-time captain, very versatile linebacker, can play the run, can rush, can blitz, can cover," Quinn said. "(He’s a) very unique player." It’s safe to say nobody saw this coming. When did Tavai expect to be drafted? “Well, prior to the draft, what my agent was telling me was either Day 2 or Day 3,” Tavai said. Yes, Day 3. As in, fourth round or worse. That just warms your heart, right? [ Lions make 'great culture pick' in Boston College's Will Harris in Round 3 ] “So really, I wasn’t really sure,” he said. “I was just waiting for a phone call within those rounds. Like I said, I’m just really happy and really thankful for the opportunity that Coach (Matt) Patricia and the Lions’ staff gave me right now. (I’m) really excited.” Let’s recap the Lions first two picks of this draft. After taking tight end T.J. Hockenson with the No. 8 pick, some Lions fans were dejected. And if you thought, "Man, taking a tight end in the top 10 just feels wrong," — you wouldn’t be wrong. And after taking the second pick, they were left uttering: "Are you freakin’ serious?" Now, it is time to do what we always do, after a stunning Lions pick, and point out the players the team could have taken in the second round: The Lions could have taken Joejuan Williams, a cornerback from Vanderbilt, who the New England Patriots took at No. 45. The Lions could have taken Greedy Williams, a corner from LSU, who the Cleveland Browns took at No. 46. (OK, so he doesn’t tackle well; so be it.) "You see him on the film play on the edge," Quinn said of Tavai. "You see him set the edge, you see him rush the passer and then two snaps later, he’s playing Mike bubble linebacker coming downhill and smashing a guard. There’s guys that can do that." In Round 3, they traded up seven spots with Minnesota to take Will Harris, a Boston College safety. "I thought we had a really, really good second day of the draft," Quinn said. There is only one thing we know for certain, right now. Quinn and Patricia are doing it their way. Unafraid of public perception. They drafted a tight end in the first round, even though he knew many fans would freak out. You have to give them credit for not buckling under public pressure. You have to pick the guys you love. And that’s great, if they are right. They are trying not only to bring in players, but change the culture at the same time. This is an incredibly important offseason for this franchise — from free agency to the draft. [ Who is Jahlani Tavai: A quick look at the Lions' second-round draft pick ] They signed Trey Flowers to replace Ezekiel Ansah. They signed Justin Coleman, a corner, to a four-year deal for $36 million. They signed Danny Amendola to play slot and improve the culture. (He knows what it is like to be on a winning team.) Will all of those moves work? If they are right, Patricia and Quinn will be here a long time. If they are right, they will get this team into the playoffs. If they are right, they are remaking this team for the long haul. If they are right, they have fixed their tight end situation, signing Jesse James in free agency and bringing in Hockenson. “Yeah, put them on the field together. Two really good tight ends. Probably work a lot of 12 personnel, which is one back, two tight ends,” Quinn said. “I think that’s something that our offense can really work through. I think we can be very multiple. We can switch easily to 11 personnel and have Danny (Amendola) out there with our receivers, and then pick your poison to what tight end you want to put on the field.” But if they are wrong, if Tavai is another Teez Tabor — a second-round pick who hasn't worked out — this is going to get ugly. This team has no wiggle room for mistakes. It has missed the playoffs for two straight seasons. If Quinn and Patricia are wrong, well, we have seen that movie for far too long around here. Because the ending is painful and certain. And all too familiar to Lions fans. Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.<doc-sep>The Detroit Lions picked safety Will Harris in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft on Friday night. Who is the newest Detroit Lion? Here are a few fun facts about the newest member of coach Matt Patricia's defense. Introductions not needed Harris played at Boston College from 2015-2018. His best season was in 2017, when he had 83 total tackles (45 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, one interception, three pass deflections and four fumble recoveries. In that season, and in 2016, Harris played on the defense that had an assistant coach named Paul Pasqualoni, now the Lions defensive coordinator, who was the defensive line coach at Boston College for the 2016 and '17 seasons. Harris finished his Boston College career with 225 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five interceptions, 12 pass deflections and six fumble recoveries. Family affair Harris' father, also named Will, played football in college at Mississippi State from 1989-1992. He also played in the NFL, though his son was taken a few rounds higher. Dad Harris was picked in the seventh round by Buffalo in 1993. 'I'm a dog' NFL draft prospects can get asked some pretty interesting questions during the draft process. Harris is one of them. According to USA TODAY's Draftwire, Harris said the strangest question he was asked is if he was a cat or a dog? The answer on his end wasn't hard. "I was asked to choose between a cat and a dog. Like which one am I? That one was pretty strange. It definitely caught me off guard a little. It was a pretty easy answer for me. I’m a dog all the way, 100 percent." More:Lions get 'B' for drafting safety Will Harris in Round 3 More:Lions make 'a great culture pick' in Boston College's Will Harris Highlights Wonder what Harris could bring to the Lions? Check out this highlight reel:<doc-sep>After years of plucking lemons, the Detroit Lions finally seemed to nail their second-round pick last year when they traded up to get Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson at No. 43 overall. Johnson led the Lions with 641 yards rushing as a rookie and finished second in the NFL with a 5.4-yard-per-carry average, and though he missed six games with a knee injury, he stands to be the team’s feature running back in a more ground-oriented offense this fall. Already, Johnson has had a better career than some of his second-round predecessors, guys like Mikel Leshoure, Ryan Broyles and Jordan Dizon who flamed out quickly in the NFL. This year, the Lions have — wouldn’t you know it — the 43rd overall pick again early in the second round. On Day 1 of the draft, they addressed a need at tight end by taking T.J. Hockenson with the eighth overall pick. They still have holes to fill at wide receiver, right guard, on the defensive line and in the secondary, and two picks with which to fill them today. Here are 15 players who could interest the Lions in Round 2 of the NFL draft: OL Dalton Risner, Kansas State – A three-year starter and three-time captain, Risner embodies a lot of what the Lions want in their linemen. He’s tough. He has long arms. He played center and right tackle in college, and he might project best as a guard in the pros. OL Connor McGovern, Penn State – At 6-5 and 308 pounds, has the size and power the Lions like in their linemen. He started at both guard and center for the Nittany Lions, and is considered a better run blocker than pass protector for now. CB Greedy Williams, LSU – It’s a bit of a shock that Williams is still on the board, and the concerns about his willingness to tackle are real. But Williams is an excellent cover man who said Wednesday he’d love to play for the Lions and team up with Darius Slay. CB Byron Murphy, Washington – Of the four potential first-round cornerbacks, Murphy was considered one of the best fits for the Lions. He played in a zone-heavy scheme in college, but he’s a willing tackler who had seven interceptions in 20 career games played. CB Joejuan Williams, Vanderbilt – The Lions whiffed on the last big cornerback they took in the second round, Teez Tabor, but they could go back to the well again. Williams is nearly 6-4 and led the SEC with 14 pass breakups. Like Tabor, speed is an issue as he ran a 4.64-second 40. CB Rock Ya-Sin, Temple – Ya-Sin played just one season of Division I football after transferring up from Presbyterian, but he broke up 14 passes last season and was regarded as one of Temple's toughest players. CB Justin Layne, Michigan State – Layne should come off the board early Friday as arguably the best remaining cornerback in the draft. He has good size at 6-2 with 33-inch arms and has good ball skills as a converted wide receiver. CB Lonnie Johnson, Kentucky – Another big cornerback at 6-2, Johnson showed good athleticism for his size in combine drills. He had just one interception the last two seasons but visited the Lions earlier this month. S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida – This is a really deep safety class, and the run on the position could start early Friday. Gardner-Johnson is a do-it-all player who returned three of his nine career interceptions for touchdowns. S Taylor Rapp, Washington – Rapp reportedly ran in the 4.7s at his pro day, which is a frightening number for a safety. But he’s a punishing run defender who started three seasons for the Huskies and made a pre-draft visit to Detroit. S Nasir Adderley, Delaware – Adderley started his college career as a cornerback before moving to safety, and his coverage skills remain his strength. He’s cousin with Hall-of-Famer Herb Adderly, and he could provide added value as a return man. DE Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech – Ferguson finished as the NCAA's all-time leader with 45 sacks and would obviously add some much-needed pass rush to the Lions' defensive line. He wasn't allowed to test at the combine because of a fight he was involved in four years ago. WR Parris Campbell, Ohio State – Campbell had a 90-catch season for Ohio State last year and is the type of playmaker the Lions can use on offense. He’s a big slot receiver who ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, tied for third fastest at any position. WR A.J. Brown, Ole Miss – Another big slot receiver, Brown isn’t quite as fast as Campbell, but he’s considered a stronger player and better route runner. He broke his own school record with 1,320 receiving yards last season and caught 19 touchdowns among 189 receptions in his three-year career. WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina – Samuel vaulted himself into the early second-round discussion with a strong Senior Bowl week. He was a prolific return man in college who missed most of 2017 with a broken leg. He projects best as a slot receiver in the NFL. Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Read more on the Detroit Lions and sign up for our Lions newsletter.<doc-sep>
Allen Park — The Detroit Lions filled a top need in the first round the of 2019 NFL Draft, selecting Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson with the No. 8 overall pick. But there's still plenty of work to be done. The Lions are slated to have two picks on the second day of the draft: No. 43 and No. 88. Here are 10 players the team could consider when the draft resumes Friday evening. Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State If you believe the Lions defense will continue to strongly resemble the New England unit coached by Matt Patricia for several years, the team would prefer to get a big, physical cornerback to play opposite Darius Slay. Layne could stand to add a few pounds, but you can't teach 6-foot-2. Plus, he's got plenty of experience playing press coverage for the Spartans. He broke up 15 passes last season, to boot. Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma From the outside looking in, Detroit's biggest need remains guard. Ford has experience playing both guard and tackle. That versatility would be viewed favorably by the front office and coaching staff. More importantly, he allowed just seven pass-rush pressures last year, while also possessing the weight (329 pounds) and power to move guys in the ground game. Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina Danny Amendola is a solid stopgap option in the slot, but the aging veteran is only under contract for the 2019 season. Samuel would add some explosive depth to the receiving corps, while being groomed for a bigger role as a shifty, run-and-catch option in 2020. Chase Winovich, Edge, Michigan The first thing that stands out about Winovich's game is his relentless motor. As long as the play is alive, he'll be in full-speed pursuit. He doesn't have an ideal build for Patricia's scheme, with shorter arms than the Lions like on the edge, but that didn't stop him from recording 34.5 tackles behind the line the past two seasons for the Wolverines. Damien Harris, RB, Alabama The Lions have a full depth chart at running back after signing C.J. Anderson, but with three of the team's top four backs on expiring deals, Harris would be a strong long-term complement to Kerryon Johnson. Connor McGovern, G, Penn State If the Lions pass on drafting a guard in the second round, McGovern could be an option in the third. Most of his experience comes playing right guard, where the Lions are looking for a new starter. At this stage, he's probably more advanced as a run blocker than a pass protector. Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota Like Hockenson, Cashman is a former walk-on who clawed his way to a prominent role on a Big Ten roster. He has top-end athleticism and could be dominant special teams contributor immediately, while being developed for a bigger defensive role in the future. Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State Stylistically, Butler offers something completely different than Samuel. At 6-foot-6 and with a surprisingly amount of experience in the slot, he would give the Lions a matchup piece that could be a nightmare for opponents to cover in the red zone. Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan Hey, look, another local prospect. And why not? Bunting isn't quite as big as Layne, but he's still solidly built at 6-foot, 195 pounds. Combined with good speed and elite leaping ability and you have a small school prospect who has potential to be developed into a quality NFL starter. His nine interceptions the past three years are indicative of quality ball skills. Christian Miller, Edge, Alabama Have you heard the Lions like Alabama defensive linemen? Listen, it's worked out well to this point. A'Shawn Robinson and Da'Shawn Hand have formed an impressive interior tandem in Detroit last season. Miller's production took a big step forward as a senior, resulting in 8.5 sacks. And counter to Winovich, Miller's arms go on for days. jdrogers@detroitnews.com Twitter: @Justin_Rogers