1. Cornerback

Darius Slay has functioned at a high level since Detroit made him a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft. But after that, the Lions don't have much here. Rashean Mathis and Cassius Vaughn are both slated to become free agents. And in reality, neither represent the type of long-term solution opposite slay.

With needs at other positions that are seen as weaker in the 2015 NFL draft, the Lions may be best served to wait and grab a player at this position later in the draft. That's where Stanford's Alex Carer, a perfect fit in Detroit's defensive scheme, comes into play. Unless he skyrockets up draft boards—a possibility—Detroit will likely be able to nab Carter in the second round. Another player to watch here is USC's Josh Shaw, who plays a physical type of cornerback that would work well opposite Slay. He could also likely be had late Day 2 or early Day 3.

2. Defensive Line

It's extremely unlikely that both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley will return to the Lions in 2015. And even if Detroit is able to re-sign one of them, it will have to hit the draft to find another player or two along the interior of its defensive line. There simply aren't any other starter-caliber defensive tackles on the Lions roster, especially considering the scheme this team runs. Look for the Lions to address the defensive tackle position early.

If that's the case, someone like Florida State's Eddie Goldman comes into play. At 320 pounds and with an ability to rush the passer, he's a tremendous fit to replace one of Detroit's existing stars. Equally as important for the contending team, Goldman has the ability to step into a starting role immediately because of plus technique. If the Lions were to wait, Iowa's Carl Davis could come into play. At 6'5" and 320 pounds, Davis has the size to create tremendous leverage at the line of scrimmage, which would open up rushing lanes on the outside. He's a potential option in the second round.

3. Guard

Rob Sims is set to become a free agent, and the Lions would be better off looking for a cheap alternative opposite young stud Larry Warford. If the Lions are able to do that, they would have two franchise interior linemen to build the rest of the offensive line around.

While this seems to be a position of need, it makes no sense for the team to exhaust an early-round pick at this position. It could easily find a stop-gap option in free agency that would play up to the level of Sims. At 6'3" and 325 pounds, Duke's Laken Tomlinson might be a solid fit. Considering his level of football IQ and strong technique, Tomlinson would also enable the Lions to potentially start him out of the gate. He's a likely third or fourth rounder.

4. Linebacker

Stephen Tulloch is coming off a torn ACL, but the Lions can bank on him to come back strong next year. In addition to this, DeAndre Levy has upped his game to near Pro Bowl levels. That leaves one outside linebacker position lacking for an otherwise solid group. Ashlee Palmer is nowhere near a starter in the NFL and is set to become a free agent. In addition to this, Kyle Van Noy leaves a lot to be desired. While Detroit might want to give the former first-round pick an opportunity to earn a starting gig, he's likely better off with his hands down in a situational pass-rush role.

An under-the-radar option I like for Detroit is Louisville's Lorenzo Mauldin, who would be a tremendous fit with Levy and Tulloch. He could also be had in the mid-to-late rounds. If the Lions decide to address this posotion earlier—not all too likely—Washington's Shaq Thompson would be an ideal fit. However, it's unlikely he's going to be there at 23.