Ndamukong Suh is reportedly taking his talents to South Beach and therefore leaving a massive -- literally and figuratively -- hole in the middle of the Detroit Lions defense.
Who could be the best available selection with the No. 23 overall pick? NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks they could find a good Suh replacement from the Pacific Northwest.
"We've talked a lot about Eddie Goldman out of Florida State, but I'll say Arik Armstead from Oregon," Jeremiah said on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft." "He is intriguing because of his size and length. He's 6-foot-7. He would fit in great with that Detroit front. When you look at the size they have, they're almost 6-foot-5 across the board. Add somebody that's 6-7, and that's a big front Aaron Rodgers has to deal with."
Armstead was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and developed nicely for the Ducks into a key defender on their way to the national title game last season. He's played a number of spots along the defensive line during his time in college and could easily fill a role in both a 3-4 or the Lions current 4-3 base package.Â
Armstead might not be as wide and disruptive as Suh was for the Lions, but he's a dependable run-stuffer and can get to the quarterback no matter if he's lined up inside or on the outside as a defensive end. NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock ranks Armstead as the fourth best interior lineman in the draft, and he could certainly be an option for Detroit in the back-half of the first round.
Recent NFL.com mock drafts have Armstead going as high as No. 15 overall to the San Francisco 49ers, but the majority of analysts believe he'll be off the board right around where the Lions select at No. 23.
It will certainly be hard to match Suh's effectiveness, but building a mammoth defensive front with players like Armstead to combat quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers and Teddy Bridgewater over the next several seasons certainly sounds like a good plan.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
