If CB Prince Amukamara and OT Tyron Smith are gone when the Lions come to their 13th pick, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper thinks they’ll have to ask themselves if OLB Akeem Ayers is worth that pick. If he isn’t Kiper thinks the Lions could trade down.

In his latest mock draft, released today, Kiper has the Lions taking Amukamara with the 13th overall pick. Cornerback is one of the Lions’ biggest needs, so if Amukamara, who is regarded as the second best corner in the draft, is there it could be a no-brainer.

“If you look at 13, will Prince Amukamara still be there out of Nebraska, if he is it makes it pretty easy to project. In the second round if you’re the Detroit Lions you look at an outside linebacker like Bruce Carter from North Carolina. Then in the third round get an offensive tackle like Marcus Gilbert from Florida. So you could conceivably come out with your cornerback, outside linebacker and offensive tackle in the first three rounds, if it felt that way,’’ Kiper said in a conference call today (Wednesday).

Because of all the red flags with the top quarterbacks available, this draft is tough to predict.

But ESPN analyst Todd McShay, who also released his latest mock draft today, also has the Lions drafting Amukamara with the 13th pick.

In his analysis of Amukamara, McShay wrote: “He's a plug-and-play prospect who would offer an instant upgrade.’’

Twenty-two days to the draft.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)