The Detroit Lions are headed into a key road date with Carolina on Sunday Night Football, but the scouting work doesn’t stop there. With Week 5 of the college season on deck, Detroit’s draft eyes should already be locked on a handful of defenders and one wildly versatile quarterback who could shape the team’s future roster plans.
The most intriguing name on the board might be Cole, one of the top linebackers in the 2027 class. The Bulldogs defender has flashed the kind of athletic burst that makes him a problem when he’s sent on the blitz, and he’s already piled up 1.5 sacks through four games for the No. 2 team in the country.
His play recognition still needs refinement, but the traits are obvious. With CJ Allen having gone to Indianapolis in the second round this past April, Cole looks like the next potential early-round linebacker to keep an eye on.
The Bulldogs host Vanderbilt at 12:45 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Detroit should also be paying close attention to another Bulldogs defender in Bolden, a safety with real versatility. He’s projected as a free safety at the next level and brings reliable tackling, though he’ll need to add bulk to hold up physically against receivers in one-on-one situations.
Even so, the fit makes sense for a Lions secondary that still doesn’t have a clear Kerby Joseph timeline in Motown. Bolden could help stabilize that spot, let Brian Branch slide back into the nickel role, or eventually step in as Joseph’s replacement.
Either way, it would be a homerun pick.
The SEC gives Detroit another scouting target in Brown, who will be on the field when Alabama takes on “Super Kamario” Taylor and Mississippi State. Brown has the frame teams want at corner at 6-foot and can work on the outside, where his sticky man coverage stands out.
He did give up too many yards in coverage last season, but his straight-line speed helps him recover at this level. That said, the pros are a different test, and the Lions’ cornerback problem is already well known.
A big outing here could push Brown from early-second-round territory into Day 1 conversation. Alabama travels to Mississippi State at noon EST.
On the Notre Dame side, Shuler brings a different kind of appeal. He’s a safety who can cover ground, line up all over the field and still bring plenty of pop when it’s time to strike.
He’s respected enough to have been voted a team captain, and his instincts in coverage plus his versatility make him a legitimate NFL contributor candidate. The hit power is real, too - so much so that Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald said he “knocked a kid’s lips off” against Rice.
The issue is consistency, because the missed tackles pile up and have to come down before he can climb into Day Two talk for the 2027 NFL Draft. Notre Dame heads to North Carolina at noon EST.
Then there’s Brungard, the FCS quarterback who keeps forcing his way into the conversation. The Ohio native has been a dual-threat problem for defenses and has the kind of highlight reel that jumps off the screen.
This season, he’s completed more than 74 percent of his passes for 1,216 yards and has added 461 rushing yards and seven more scores on the ground. In 2025, he put up 54 total touchdowns, with 26 through the air and 27 on the ground, plus one 50-yard receiving touchdown.
If the Lions are looking for a change-of-pace or red-zone wrinkle for Drew Petzing’s offense, Brungard fits that lane. Dan Campbell knows the value and danger of a Taysom Hill package from his time in New Orleans, and Brungard could be the late-round or undrafted answer.
He’s also not a one-year wonder, entering his third season as a collegiate starter with Youngstown State, which travels to Southern Illinois at 5 p.m. EST.
In Other News...
Panthers Hit With New NFL Discipline Right Before Lions Game
The Panthers are dealing with a little added noise before their matchup with the Lions, as the NFL handed down fines to three Carolina players for penalties committed in Week 3 against Cleveland. A.J. Dillon was fined for a facemask, Lee Hunter for unsportsmanlike conduct tied to taunting, and Thomas Incoom for unnecessary roughness involving helmet use.
None of the three was suspended, so Carolina will still have its full group available when it lines up against Detroit. Even so, the discipline serves as a reminder that the league is watching closely, and the Lions will face a Panthers team trying to keep its edge without letting the extra attention spill into Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Face A Sam LaPorta Question They Couldn't Settle
The Lions and Sam LaPorta have hit pause on contract-extension talks after several weeks of negotiations failed to produce a deal, a familiar sort of detour for a franchise that has not shied away from working on its own timeline. LaPortas side decided to step back for now so the tight end can stay focused on the season, leaving open the possibility that the conversation picks up again once the games are over.
For Detroit, the situation turns one of its most important young pieces into an offseason question again, even if the door is not closed. The team has a history of handling contracts during the season, and it would not be a surprise if it tries again to keep LaPorta in place long term, especially with the chance that any agreement could land him among the leagues highest-paid tight ends. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac TeSlaa Has A Real Chance To Build On Last Week
Isaac TeSlaa finally gave the Lions a glimpse of what he can add to the passing game last week, finishing with four catches for 66 yards against the Jets. For a second-year receiver still trying to carve out a steadier role, it was the kind of outing that can change how a coaching staff looks at the depth chart from one week to the next.
The next opportunity looks even more inviting against Carolina, which has already lost two starting cornerbacks to injured reserve. With Detroit likely looking to keep feeding TeSlaa after his uptick in involvement, betting analyst Drew Ellis is expecting him to top his receiving total from last week, a sign that this might be more than a one-game spike for a young player trying to force his way into the offense. [Read more 🡒]