Corners Kyu Blu Kelly, Tyrique Stevenson emerging as potential Lions' draft targets

Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News

Mobile, Ala. — The only certainty about the NFL Draft is that there are no certainties.

And yet, if there is any foregone conclusion about the Detroit Lions' draft plans, it's that they'll draft a cornerback — maybe even two or three. The team's lack of talent at all levels of the depth chart is a glaring weakness, and something they're likely to address early and often this offseason.

There are a handful of top-flight corners to be had in the range of picks 6 and 18, where the Lions will make first-round selections. After that, the Lions could very well target one of the early risers who've emerged from this week's Senior Bowl practices with their versatility on full display, Kyu Blu Kelly (Stanford) and Tyrique Stevenson (Miami (FL)).

Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly (17) during an NCAA college football game against Arizona State in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.

Kelly (6-foot-1, 193 pounds) was the standout defensive performer of Wednesday's practice session for the National Team. He broke up several passes and had a pick-6, and is sure to be a popular name for Lions fans as the pre-draft process wears on. Stevenson (6-foot-2, 204 pounds), meanwhile, made several pass breakups on balls thrown his way and was rarely beaten, if at all.

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Both were in consideration to be the Senior Bowl's top corner prospects before the event and have only solidified that distinction with their play on the field. Both possess great versatility, which would make them a fit for any scheme.

Kelly said he models his game off Cleveland Browns corner Denzel Ward, who has a similar build and "does a lot of things well at his size," such as "physicality and playing different schemes."

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"(Playing inside) is really comfortable for me. Junior year, I did it all season," Kelly said. "This year, they didn't need me to. My coach was like, 'Go be dominant and show guys you can play outside fully.' But yeah, no problem playing man or zone, inside or outside. I'm comfortable with all that."

Kelly played 83.4% of his snaps at wide corner during his senior season, an increase from 66.8% the year before. In coverage, Kelly allowed 22 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns this past season and didn't intercept any passes, so there are still areas of his game to work on.

Regarding zone defense, specifically, Kelly said he's comfortable keeping his back to receivers — something he did regularly en route to a banner day in Mobile.

"Just having some nickel background my junior year is just like going back to it," Kelly said. "Being able to see the field, see the concepts, seeing sticks, knowing third-and-8 — press-man is like, ‘Where’s he at? I need to step here.’ It’s different in zone. You can see the whole field and make plays like that."

Stevenson played his first two years at Georgia before transferring to Miami for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He took a step forward in coverage during his senior year, allowing a completion percentage of 42.5% and intercepting two passes.

Miami cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (2) plays against Clemson during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Clemson, S.C.

"I'm familiar with man and zone," Stevenson said. "Played in the same playbook for three years at my college career, played one (season) under Manny Diaz, and that was a lot of zone, cover two, so I'm pretty much comfortable in any scheme we got."

Stevenson's strength comes from his confidence, he said.

"I'm a confident person. I feel like, whether I get a ball caught on me or not, it's just football. Everybody good," Stevenson said. "But I feel like my confidence don't shake regardless of anything going on around me, whether it's off the field or on the field. I do not let my confidence shake at all."

There is, however, one area where Kelly has an advantage over his Hurricane counterpart: His genes. Kelly said his football-playing father has been a huge asset for his own career.

"It's a blessing in itself," Kelly said. "I mean, just right now, I'm getting a bunch of coaching points immediately after practice, before I even reach film. Just having that guy in my corner to be my toughest critic — some people really build you up a lot, and you can get complacent, but he always makes sure to keep me level-headed and keep me working."

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @nolanbianchi