Lions Insider

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and his staff are coaching one of the squads at the Senior Bowl down in Mobile, Ala. this week, which will give them an up-close-and-personal look at some of the best senior prospects in April’s NFL Draft.

Here are 10 players Lions fans should keep an eye on:

Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon: The Lions are on the lookout for a change-of-pace back with good speed who can catch the ball out of the backfield. Barner rushed for more than 1,700 yards this season with 21 touchdowns and caught 20 more passes for 256 more yards.

Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson: He’ll probably end up being one of the fastest running backs in the class and is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball, much like Jahvid Best.

Denard Robinson, WR/RB, Michigan: One of the more interesting prospects at the Senior Bowl. The former Michigan quarterback has world-class speed and any offensive coordinator in the NFL would love of the challenge and trying to find ways to get him out in space. Teams will have a close eye on his hands down the field and route-running ability all week.

Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor: Williams’ production was off the charts in 2012, finishing with 97 catches for 1,832 yards and 12 touchdowns. At 6-foot-3, he’s got good size and play-making ability on the outside. The Lions could be looking for an outside receiver depending on Titus Young’s status with the team next season.

Brian Winters, G, Kent State: The Lions are looking to upgrade the interior of their offensive line and Winters is the third-best guard available behind Chance Warmack (Alabama) and Jonathan Cooper (North Carolina), who could both be top-15 picks.

Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU: A freakish athlete at 6-foot-6, 270 pounds who can run the 40-yard dash in under 4.6 seconds. He’s quick off the line and can play a number of different positions. The Lions are looking to upgrade on the edge and Ansah is a wild card.

Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers: The Lions will potentially have a need at linebacker with DeAndre Levy and Justin Durant both free agents. Green was a tackle machine at Rutgers totaling 374 (137 this past season) in four seasons with the Scarlet Knights. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, but isn’t a liability in coverage and has a nose for the football.

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State: Banks fits the profile of what the Lions are looking for in a cornerback. He’s got great size at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds and is an aggressive cornerback who isn’t afraid to mix it up. Can he run with some of the quicker receivers? He’ll get to answer that question this week.

Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas: Vaccaro is the best safety in the class and a likely top 20 pick. He recorded 91 tackles with two interceptions this season. The Lions need to find a young, cover safety in the draft and will also look closely at Fresno State’s Phillip Thomas this week.

Jeff Locke, P, UCLA: It’s about time the Lions got themselves a young punter with a strong leg. The All-Pac 12 punter has a reputation for great placement and hang time on his kicks and helped UCLA rank 14th nationally in net punting.