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Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, 90, swallows up Syracuse's Prince-Tyson Gulley during a game last season. Several early mock drafts have the Lions targeting Goldman with the 23rd overall pick in May's draft.

(AP File Photo)

ALLEN PARK -- The first wave of mock drafts are starting to trickle in, and they are striking a similar tone.

The Detroit Lions are widely expected to take a defensive lineman with the 23rd overall pick in the NFL draft.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. released the first notable mock draft last week, and projected Detroit to select Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown.

CBSSports.com's Rob Rang and Dave Brugler released their early projections Tuesday, and both mocked a defensive tackle to Detroit, though it was Florida State's Eddie Goldman instead of Brown.

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks has the Lions taking another defensive tackle, Ohio State's Michael Bennett.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of agreement on which defensive tackle the Lions would prefer at 23. But there is a lot of agreement that Washington's Danny Shelton is the top player at the position, and that the Lions will take one of the secondary options given their needs at the position.

Detroit's top four defensive tackles -- Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, C.J. Mosley and Andre Fluellen -- can all become free agents in March.

"I put defensive tackle right up there," Kiper said Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. "Obviously you think about corner, they'll probably look at a running back at some point, offensive guard, but I put defensive tackle as a major, major priority."

Foxsports.com's Pete Schrager is one of the few minority opinions at this point, though he hasn't strayed far. He has the Lions taking Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards in his first mock draft.

"The Lions could be looking to fill two spots at defensive tackle in April, with both Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley expected to hit free agency in March," Schrager wrote. "I can't see the Lions letting Suh sign anywhere else after his 2014 season -- pay him whatever he wants! -- and regardless of whether he is there, I like the thought of Edwards on that defensive line. A 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive end, Edwards can get to the quarterback off the edge. He'll shed weight and can fly."

Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke went completely out of the box, projecting Detroit to address its needs on the offensive line with Miami (Fla.) tackle Ereck Flowers.

"Much of Detroit's offseason hinges on where Ndamukong Suh signs," Burke wrote. "But we've also seen enough from GM Martin Mayhew in the draft to know that he will not take a player just because his team appears thin at a position (see: cornerback). Flowers is a Round 1 talent who could develop into a long-term starter on the line. Detroit could consider him at left tackle, with Riley Reiff moving to the right or a guard spot; at right tackle, where an injured LaAdrian Waddle left the Lions with colossal problems; or at guard."

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