Lions coach Dan Campbell acknowledged the team’s strong interest in cornerback Devon Witherspoon during the 2023 NFL Draft but expressed satisfaction with their draft strategy after trading down.

Campbell revealed on Saturday that it was no secret the Lions were keen on Witherspoon, who was selected fifth overall by the Seattle Seahawks, just ahead of Detroit’s sixth pick.

“Yeah, we really liked him a lot,” Campbell stated. “What you see on tape is exactly what we thought he would be.

He’s a competitive, feisty, tough football player. He plays corner, he plays nickel—an active player, a ball hawk.”

Witherspoon began his career with the Seahawks playing nickel but has since transitioned to outside cornerback in base defense, moving inside during nickel packages.

Last season, he made a significant impact, recording 79 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, 16 passes defended, and an interception.

He has continued to perform well this season, accumulating 17 tackles, one pass defended, and achieving a 70.8 PFF grade, ranking 27th among NFL cornerbacks.

Although the Lions didn’t end up with Witherspoon, their decision to trade down from the seventh to the twelfth pick proved to be beneficial. They used the acquired picks to select running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta.

Campbell expressed confidence in this outcome, stating he was content with the players they secured instead of choosing Witherspoon.“I would take (Brian) Branch, LaPorta, and Gibbs for that,” Campbell commented.

He noted that had the team selected Witherspoon, they would have missed out on acquiring one of those additional players.

He emphasized that the combination of three players gained through the trade was more valuable than a single selection, reinforcing his belief in the team’s overall draft strategy.