OT- With 5th pick in the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select...

Submitted by ATLalumni on

Manti Te'o???

This draft is really weak at DB, super strong at DL.  Do the Lions really draft another DL?  I would love Damontre Moore, but he might be off the board at 5.  No OL is rated that high, maybe one of the Bama boys.

jokenjin

January 8th, 2013 at 4:06 PM ^

I'd take DeMarcus Milliner.

Also, as much as I love Jeff Backus, I think it might be time to think about drafting his successor - possibly Lewan or Joeckel?

SalvatoreQuattro

January 8th, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^

Their defense lacks playmakers at LB, DE, CB, and S. Drafting an offensive linemen with the 5th pick is simply not wise. It is either a DE or a trade down.  The Lions desperately need defensive playmakers. Offensive tackles can be found anywhere and as the Packers and Pats have proven, you don't need elite OTs to be a dominant offense. However, a guard and center is needed.I would not mind drafting Barrett Jones in the 2nd if he is available. His versatility is something the Lions do covet.

I just as soon re-sign Cherilus, start Nagy at center, and resign a FA guard then draft a tackle high this year. 

TheLastHarbaugh

January 9th, 2013 at 7:15 AM ^

What? The Packers and Patroits haven't proven that at all.

They've proven that if you ignore your offensive line issues and rely totally on your elite QB to have to bail you out on every occasion, eventually it's going to come back to bite you in the ass when you face an elite pass rush.

This is of course aside from the fact that you're completely wrong about the Patriots O-Linemen being found later in the draft. The 2 best offensive linemen on the Patriots, Logan Mankins (G) and Nate Solder (LT), were 1st round picks. Their other tackle, Sebastian Vollmer, was a 2nd round pick. So no, the best organization in football isn't digging their O-Linemen out of the trash heap, or waiting until the later rounds to draft them. 

The past few years they've made an effort to draft O-Linemen, specifically tackles, in the 1st 2 rounds for the precise reason that their patchwork O-Lines were getting Tom Brady killed, not allowing them to run the ball successfully, and were pretty much the main thing that prevented them from winning 2 more Super Bowls.

As far as the Packers are concerned, 2 of their last 3 1st round picks have been offensive tackles, so as an organization they've clearly been trying to get top flight O-Linemen in the early rounds of the draft. 

It's not as if the Packers are starting late round draft picks by choice, or as part of some organizational decision. They've been forced to as a result of injuries.

Ben from SF

January 8th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^

If the Lions are run by Bill Belichick or Ted Thompson, then getting extra picks is a no-brainer.

However, since the Lions are run by Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand, more picks may mean more WR's and DT's...

Ali G Bomaye

January 8th, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^

Under the new rookie salary structure, even a high first-round pick isn't cost-prohibitive.  The 5th overall pick last year, Justin Blackmon, signed a 4-year, $18.5 million contract.  It's not like several years ago, when the Lions had to give Stafford/Suh/Johnson $12 mil/year.

Jack Daniels

January 8th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^

They need to help the secondary. They've put it off too long. Go with Millner if he's there. If he isn't, I would consider trading down (or take Moore if he's still there).

CrableChokeSlam

January 8th, 2013 at 4:16 PM ^

MLBs shouldn't be drafted this high, especially ones that whiff on multiple tackles in one game. Remember when Aaron Curry was a once-in-a-decade linebacker? 

Mayhew's always gone the best player availabe route, but the Lions have a lot of glaring weekenesses. I say Moore if he's avaiable or hope that someone wants to trade up.

Naked Bootlegger

January 8th, 2013 at 4:45 PM ^

Curry wasn't/isn't a pure MLB - even though there was talk the Lions would make him one if drafted - but your point still stands.   He was a major draft whiff by Seattle.

Out of curiosity, why are MLB's rated so low in relation to other positions and not generally worthy of a top 5 pick?   Who is the most successful recently-drafted MLB in Round 1...Patrick Willis?   I think he went somewhere between 10-15.

Monocle Smile

January 8th, 2013 at 5:45 PM ^

But I think it's because you don't need guys who are wildly athletic at MLB. All you need are good tacklers with high football IQ. It's great to have a Patrick Willis, but it's the same reason no one drafts a kicker in the third round of Fantasy Football...no one else will, either, so you don't need to take them high.

TheLastHarbaugh

January 8th, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^

MLB is just not as valuable of a position relative to other positions That's not to say that it isn't important, it's just not as valuable. It would be like taking a TE in the top 10. That guy had better be a superstar or else you're not getting good value for your pick.

I'm not that familiar with the new rookie pay scale yet, but basically, when you draft a position like MLB with the 5th pick, the amount of money that guy gets from that pick will automatically place him either as the highest, or one of the highest paid MLBs in the entire league. So basically, if the Lions draft Te'o, he has to be a star just to break even on the pick. He can't be just a solid player for 10 years, he has to be one of the best MLBs in the game. That's why drafting Te'o at 5 doesn't make any sense, and isn't a high value pick.

It would also be incredibly stupid for the Lions to draft Te'o because IIRC, they just signed Tulloch to a long term deal, so it would be throwing a shit ton of money down the drain, something this organization desperately cannot afford given their cap situation.

Michigan4Life

January 8th, 2013 at 4:16 PM ^

Lions need help S more than at CB.  Vaccaro is a stud and can cover WR/TE one on one as well as come up to stop against the run.  He shut down Tavon Austin before he got hurt.

CookieMonster

January 8th, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^

first option - Jarvis Jones

second - Luke Joekel (spelling?)

If neither are there trade down into the 9-14 range and get Dee Millner. Something tells me Millner does not have great top end speed and that will bump him into that range. Just my opinion. 

APBlue

January 9th, 2013 at 6:06 AM ^

I'm no expert, but I've read that Jarvis Jones is more of a 3-4 linebacker.  Since the Lions run a 4-3 D, he may not fit their team best.  I do like the way that guy plays, though.  If he fit their D, he would be exactly what they need - a playmaker.  

I like Barret Jones, but someone earlier said he might be available at the top of the 2nd round.  That would surprise me, but whatever.  Bring him on.  

I also like Milliner.  #1 corner...#2 corner...I don't care.  Everytime I watched Alabama the kid made plays.  

Trading down would be best, but it never seems to happen for the Lions.  

turtleboy

January 8th, 2013 at 4:18 PM ^

There is a ton of offensive line talent coming out this year, they can probably take a starter in the second round. There doesn't seem to be a DB worth the #5 pick this year, or even the #10 pick imho, no matter how bad we need one. Either we take someone worthy of the #5 pick, or we trade down and pick twice, for DB and OLine. If we keep our pick I'm hoping we take Jarvis Jones as he seems like the second coming of Terrell Suggs. He's a qb's worst nightmare with sacks, tfls, and batted passes. His speed and tackling out in space is impressive, too. If we trade down I hope we can swing a tandem of Milliner and Lewan/Warmack/Jones who could fall due to other teams addressing needs at other positions.

Elmer

January 8th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^

Another good player to help them finish in last place.

I'm starting to wonder if the Lions would even win with a Pro Bowl roster.

there_in_2005

January 8th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^

i would prefer a 6'4" 250 pound wide receiver who has been out of football for a year, has trouble with his weight and runs a 4.8 where you have drafted wide receivers with your #1 pick like each of the previous 3 years.

Ventilator

January 8th, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^

The smart thing to do would be to trade back and draft Milliner. Don't have much faith in them doing it, though. Probably will stay at #5 and draft Moore or Werner to play DE in this terrible wide-9 Cunningham scheme. Don't think Teo was a top-10 pick before last night and probably lost some stock after that performance.

Jmilan

January 8th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^

While talking to a buddy of mine he suggested trading back and taking either Reid from LSU or Milner and then in the second picking up Barrett Jones if he's still available but it's unlikely. We need secondary and OLine terribly.

JohnnyBlue

January 8th, 2013 at 4:47 PM ^

if there is a stud corner or saftey on the board that warrents a #5 pick take him.  otherwise trade down. wouldn't hate seing them trade down once to 10 and maybe then droping out of the first round completly with another trade.  get a ton of 2nd and 3rd round picks.  Lions don't really need elite tallent anywhere (accept in the secondary, but there isn't any really this year...from what i've seen) they just need alot of good to ok players to add depth and replace some aging player.  (Need a Center a Garde, a DE might be nice, another LB, a GASP WR...(scat back variety maybe Denard if he is there in the 3rd)