This is the sixth of an eight-part series previewing the Detroit Lions’ interests at the NFL combine. Today: Defensive backs. Previously: Receivers | Running backs | Offensive line | Quarterbacks | Tight ends

Need: I mean, the Lions have won nine games in two years and are currently riding an NFL-worst nine-game losing streak. They have needs everywhere. But their need in the secondary is among their most serious. They just allowed the most passing yards in the league. They just picked off the fewest passes. They just got swept by Mitchell Freaking Trubisky, who threw five touchdown passes and one interception while handing Detroit two losses last season. Against the rest of the league, that guy had 11 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Trubisky sucks. But against Detroit, he had his two highest-rated games of the season.

That secondary was bad last year, it got worse after the Quandre Diggs trade, and now things are more tense than ever with star cornerback Darius Slay, the best defensive player Detroit has left. Slay is entering the final year of his deal, and while he loves playing in Detroit, he’s been at odds with the new culture for a while. He’s not exactly a fit for what Matt Patricia is trying to do, and it could lead to a split if the Lions don’t make him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Considering Slay will turn 30 before his current deal is up, it’s hard to see Detroit giving him that kind of dough. Then again, Detroit -- which came within 64 yards of setting the franchise record for defensive futility last season -- really can’t afford to be in the business of losing good defensive players either.

It’s a real pickle. The club is reportedly shopping Slay, but there’s no telling what happens on that front. And either way, with Rashaan Melvin about to hit free agency and Amani Oruwariye still developing, Justin Coleman is the only sure thing Detroit has right now at cornerback. And even he was a big disappointment after joining Detroit last year.

The numbers are weak at safety too, where Tracy Walker is coming along nicely, but Diggs is gone and Will Harris disappointed in his place. The numbers are such that the Lions need new blood in the secondary. Lucky for them, they should have plenty of options in the draft.

Top prospects

CB Jeff Okudah (Ohio State): Joe Burrow and Chase Young are the favorites to go 1-2, which means Detroit could add the best defensive back in America to its secondary. You should hear the way analysts talk about this Okudah guy. “Some of the stuff you hear about him, and the workouts, like jumping 40 inches, going to less than 4% body fat, it’s just crazy stuff,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said this week. Jeremiah went on to say Okudah is the highest-graded corner prospect he’s seen since Marshon Lattimore, and compared him favorably to Stephon Gilmore. That’s some pretty lofty territory, but Jeremiah isn’t alone. “I think he’s going to have as high a grade as Patrick Peterson,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper said. Alrighty then.

But look at the numbers, and you can understand why people love him. Put it this way: Okudah is the only Power 5 school cornerback to play at least 10 coverage snaps in at least 15 games the last two years, and never allow more than 50 yards in any of them. It’s not just that he’s really good, either, but how he’s done it that makes him such a good fit for Detroit. Okudah is big, physical and has loads of experience playing press man, all of which suits the Lions scheme well. On 184 snaps of press coverage, Okudah never allowed a completion longer than 12 yards. On 400 coverage snaps overall, just six resulted in a completion of 15 yards.

So, yeah. The Lions are going to have some tough choices to make if they hold onto the third overall pick, including whether to take Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. But for all the quarterback talk that has dominated the draft conversation in Detroit, it’s important to remember the Lions were a sub-.500 team last year even with their quarterback playing at an MVP-like level. They were so bad because of their defense, and especially their inability to stop anybody -- even Mitchell Trubisky -- through the air. They need a better pass rush, sure, but they also need guys who can cover, especially if Slay splits this offseason. And there’s no prospect in America who can cover better than Okudah. It’ll be tough to pass on Tua, but it’ll be tough to pass on Okudah too, which potentially sets up Bob Quinn and co. for a major, franchise-altering decision.

CB C.J. Henderson (Florida): Bob Quinn has made eight picks in the first two rounds of the draft. Five of those players came from the SEC, and two were defensive players from Florida. The man has a pattern, and Henderson fits it. That guy was filthy in 2018, when he allowed just 18 catches. You know, for the season. In the nation’s toughest conference. And none of those catches scored touchdowns, by the way. His numbers did slide a little in 2019 as he battled an ankle injury that cost him three games, but he’s too big, too fast and too good to make it anywhere close to Day 2. If the Lions do trade into the back half of the first round, though, Henderson could definitely be an option.

CB Kristian Fulton (LSU): He led the national champs with 14 passes defended last season. He was one of the best cover men in the nation’s best conference. The resume is strong. But it’s not perfect. Fulton also missed the entire 2017 season because of a drug-related suspension, which means the combine will be more important for him as he tries to convince clubs he’s not a red flag. Some analysts are wondering about his speed too, so keep a close eye on the stopwatch in Indy.

S Grant Delpit (LSU): On the other hand, speed isn’t an issue for this LSU defensive back. He’s a ridiculous athlete, and a good bet to blow up the combine. He played all over LSU’s defense, including in the box, the deep middle, coming hard on the blitz, and he even lined up in the slot to match up with tight ends and receivers. Delpit was sticky in coverage too, holding quarterbacks to a 57.3 passer rating when targeting him.

S Xavier McKinney (Alabama): Detroit loves versatility all over the field. That’s especially true in the back end. And McKinney can do it all, from sticking with slot receivers to covering the middle of the field, and he’s especially good on the blitz. Pairing him with Tracy Walker and Will Harris would give Detroit three safeties who can do a lot of different things, and offer the potential to really confuse opposing quarterbacks -- which is exactly what Matt Patricia is trying to do with his defense. Problem is, McKinney almost certainly isn’t sliding to the Lions at 35.

Possible Lions fits

CB Noah Igbinoghene (Auburn): A former track star turned receiver who later switched to cornerback. So as you might expect, he’s still learning the nuances of the position. Still, he held up very well in the SEC. Again, that has to be attractive to a Lions team that has prized SEC players over the years. Because once this guy settles into the position, there’s no telling how good he can be. He’s also a physical player who is willing in run support. And his track background could help make him one of the big names in Indy.

CB A.J. Terrell (Clemson): He was exposed a bit in the national championship game, which I think has suppressed his stock a bit. But he’s still got a lot of good film out there, and I suspect he’s still 6-foot-1 too. Terrell is just another big corner who has played a lot of man coverages, which should make him at least a candidate for this Matt Patricia defense. There’s no secret to the kind of guys Detroit wants on the perimeter, and I think Terrell could fit it. The concern is he’s not known for top-end speed, so blowing up the combine would go a long way toward solidifying the evaluation.

S Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne): At 6-foot-1 and 217 pounds, he’s a big man who can really run. He was ridiculous on defense and as a return man at Lenoir-Rhyne, as you might expect from a guy like this at a school like that, but it translated well during Senior Bowl week. His name was one of the most talked about in Mobile, and he made many lists of the biggest risers. He’s probably best cast as a strong safety, although some teams could be interested in him as an outside linebacker. In Detroit, he probably would fill the Tavon Wilson role as the big safety who creeps into the box.