OT: Lions/Michegan fan dream draft.
Hutch at 2
Dax at 32
Ojabo at 34
I also wouldnt be upset if it was an all UGA draft for the first three picks:
Walker at 2
Dean at 32
Cine at 34
Either way, the Lions defense would improve greatly.
Obviously the odds a slim and slimmer or worse but I would'nt be upset either way.
I’m starting to agree more with u/Blue Middle’s diary post that the Lions should trade out at 2 if Hutchinson goes #1
also good luck with the spellcheckers OP
Good luck finding a trade partner.
Exactly. There is no “must get” player in this draft that teams will trade draft capital to move up to #2. There’s multiple high level EDGE guys who are relative substitutes in Hutch, Thibbodeaux, and Walker in the top 10. At OT you can take one of Neal, Ekwonu, and Cross in the top 10. No one’s gonna trade up to #2 to take a safety or CB. No one’s trading up to #2 to take Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett. So the Lions kinda just have to take the best available at #2.
Ha, I'm good with the spell checkers, I'm a big boy.
I saw it after I posted it and laughed, oh well. I aint scurred.
i'd like to draft an 'i'. can we draft an 'i'? just one. or trade it for an extra 'e'?
Draft "I" before "e."
Except if you’re drafting after the Seahawks.
Brilliant. I couldn't think of a "c," but "Seahawks" is perfect!
April 28th, 2022 at 10:23 AM ^
HA! I thought I was getting TWO E's in return for the I. That would've at least made sense right?
Micheegan? Actually, Michegan is how they spell it in France, you didnt know? ;))
If you had done Meeechigan you might have gotten away with it.
Ohh, I got away with it alright.
Did you see Blue Middle's diary (OT: Lions Draft Summary)?
I did, I like some of his thoughts but I just do not see the Lions drafting a QB, WR or RB with the first three picks.
Also, its obvious I'm a U of M homer but I LOVE Haskins, this kid never loses yardage and never fumbles, always seems to fall forward. Lions RB room of Swift, Williams and Haskins would be strong.
I'd be good with either scenario.
Recently the casinos have seen a lot of money coming in on Walker at #1 instead of Hutchinson. As a result, it has now reached a point where Walker is the betting favorite to be the top pick. Usually, with these types of bets, insider information increases wagers on a specific player.
Then again, Jacksonville may be trying to get other teams to think that to pull off a trade.
2. Hutch (or Thibs, but pref Hutch. Walker didn't do jack on an all-time great D. Hard pass.)
32. Dean Dean Dean Dean DEAN. He is THAT dude. Move up if you have to to snag him.
34. Cine over Dax, but either works. Cine is bigger and just as fast.
That gives the D an awesome core to work with for the next 3 years.
It would be remarkable if Dean were still available at 32. I’m surprised he has some projections to last until the 2nd round.
Getting him and Hutch would be just too awesome. Dean covers a lot of ground sideline to sideline.
While I completely disagree with some of the "experts", they are stating that Dean is 'too small' to play ILB (Bush says hello)....
I just can not get that play out of my head where Dean fly across the formation and tackles Corum in space for a loss. That play alone should make him a lock for the 1st round, but who knows.
2 - Hutch
32 - Dean
34 - Hill
But honestly, I believe that Detroit will be trading the 32 pick, especially if there are 1 or 2 QB left on the board. Someone (ATL, NO, PITT, INDY, WASH) would be willing to take the last spot to garner that 5th option year and the Lions pick up an additional 2nd round (or better yet a 2nd round next year). So it would more look like...
2 - Hutch
32 trade with ATL to swap to 43 and 2023 2nd round pick
34 - Dean
43 - Cine or Brisker
3 impact defenders and additional draft capital for next year
Ya that play sticks with me.
Corum has a slight chance to turn the corner and Dean tracked him down cold. Proper angle and explosive speed.
That play made say oh shit.
I like both scenarios. The D could be greatly improved after this draft if they hit.
I think any combo of the six players I initially suggested would be amazing.
April 25th, 2022 at 11:26 PM ^
Dean is tiny. He played at under 210 lbs at UGA. He won't be protected by the DL in front of him in the next level. It won't surprise me if he's not drafted at 1st round.
His official measurements are almost identical to Devin Bush’s. 5’11 1/4 229lbs. 5 lbs less than Bush.
But yes size is the reason he will slide.
I love guys that play the way he does.
Agree on Dean, he played like a madman flying around the field and solid tackling
I like your scenarios, OP, except if Hutch is taken at #1, you trade out of #2 at all costs, even if you get less than fair value for the pick. Thib reminds me of Suh, attitude-wise and not as good. Walker benefitted from an all-world DL on a great D overall.
I love Dean at #32, in fact if you have to trade up to get him, you do it. Lions need a game-changer at LB. Improving the safety spot (at 34?) is also a great plan.
i think it’s depends on what “less than fair value” means in this scenario exactly. If we aren’t getting a good return, I’d probably prefer to just take the best player available at a position of need. Whoever is valued the most by the staff. Just depends on what exactly that return looks like.
Excellent point. You don't garage-sale the pic, for sure.
Either way, the Lions defense would improve greatly.
What in the last 60+ years of Ford ownership would lead you to believe this?
SOURCE: Watching the actual, on-field, product.
What I hear from people that inexplicably watch the Lions still is that the team actually played really hard and fought hard for their 3 wins. This is both 100% true and a tongue-in-cheek joke.
as miserable as they started, they went what, 3-3 for the last 6 games of the season. and they really did play hard. now, if they start out again like last year 0-10-1, then of course all bets are off. but i will at least keep one eye on their record and see if there is a heart beat.
April 26th, 2022 at 11:22 AM ^
The lions finish almost every year 3-3. Its why they get no number 1 picks. The Lions suck then after that they suck at sucking just enough that their draft pick sucks (more than it should). The Lions cant even lose properly.
4th worst in yards allowed, 4th worst in yards per play allowed, 3rd most TD passes allowed, 2nd most points allowed, 9th most pass yards allowed, 5th most rush yards allowed, 5th most rush TDs allowed.
Holes all over the defense on a unit that was bottom 5 in most stats. I dont think it’s a stretch to say they’d improve greatly by going defense with their first three picks. They can improve greatly and still be a bad defense. That’s just how bad they were.
April 26th, 2022 at 12:03 AM ^
That's some management corporate bullshit speak right there. So yeah, we'll improve because once you've hit rock bottom there is literally no place to go but up. Both SMH and LOL.
Unless you're the Lions.
Hell, if any team could figure out how to be ranked 33rd in defense, it would be the Lions.
Reminds me of a recent all hands at my job. Our company is 1,200 people. We hired 500 people last year. HR bragged about that as a positive when presenting the employee climate survey results.
What HR failed to acknowledge is for those 500 hires, 458 resigned last year.
Yeah but this is football. This is HOW you get better. Bad teams draft and sign replacements. Using your top draft assets to fill a horrible unit is how you improve the unit greatly. But when you’re as bad as the lions are, a lot has to be done before you become good or great.
“Improving” is relative. The defense needs to improve. Using the first three picks on defense is how you achieve that. Just because it doesn’t automatically take us to elite doesn’t mean it isn’t a huge step in the right direction.
Bruh, I gotta have hope. Without hope, we have nothing. Ok, we have nothing, my bad.
Head to head strongly favors the Georgia dudes.
This is sort of true. Clearly Georgia had an exorbitant amount of defensive talent. The issue is it can be difficult to know who the bona fide difference-makers were...the ones that were catalyzing the play of their teammates and the ones who were, somewhat, benefitting from the domination of others. Sorting through all this can be tricky-why the "Lions" have remained near the bottom and the "Patriots" remain near the top.
I'd be surprised if they keep all 3 of those picks. You could easily see trading 32 and 34 to move up if they like a specific player. You could also see a scenario where a team wants either 32 or 34 and the Lions pick up additional draft capital for next year. I'm a Giants fan so I'm expecting the worst
I would love to see them package those picks and move up and get Jordan Davis or even a one in a million shot, a player like Hamilton or Sauce. Getting Hutch or KT and one of those two would give me hope........albeit, cautious hope.
How do you spell Michigan as Michegan? There's no "e" in Michigan, and "i" and "e" are not near each other on the keyboard.
Yeah, I assumed every comment would be blasting the OP for that.........
You like Michigan enough to read this blog but can't spell it?!
Maybe it's an inside joke/pun I didn't get or something.
April 26th, 2022 at 12:21 AM ^
I figured OP was going for Meeechigan, but missed. Gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Same finger-different hand...it does happen...sort of dyslexic.
That's what she said!
Do folks really think Nakobe Dean is going to drop that far in the draft? I know he's supposedly short, but he can't be any shorter than Devin Bush (very basic, but not in-depth Google search showed Dean is 6'0 and Bush is 5'11), and Bush went at #10 overall. Dean checks every other box with absolute authority and is probably the best LB in the draft.
If he falls to 32, the Lions are getting an absolute steal, but my money says he's gone within the first 15-20 picks. Only way the Lions get him, in my mind, is if they trade up to get him. And considering how many needs the team has, I'm not sure they'll be in position to do that. But if you think he’s another cornerstone to pair with Hutchinson on your defense for the next ten years, I guess you do it.
People keep bringing up Devin Bush. While he was drafted at #10 he was really, really bad last year. In fact he may be a direct part of the reason and argument for Dean falling far enough that the Lions have a shot.
One thing I hope to see is the Lions playing it a bit more Patriots like. Field offers to trade out of picks if you can amass draft capital. 32 could be a spot where teams are willing to overpay a little to get their guy at the end of the 1st. I think the Lions have too many holes and still too few picks to start getting aggressive trading up. Sit back and take the bpa, mostly defensively.
At 2 I think you have to go Hutch/Thibs and I would certainly love to see a safety at 32 or 34, maybe a CB if someone slips and certainly would capitalize on a Dean/Lloyd fall.
Problem with trading is, while I don't disagree that its a good option if Hutchinson is taken by Jacksonville, is do you realistically think you're going to get a good trading partner? There are no "can't-miss" prospects this year. No great QB prospects that are worthy of a top-10 pick, much less a top-5 pick. You've got some great DE/OT prospects, but there isn't one that definitively stands out above everyone else. No real consensus on who among them will be the best, who's the most pro-ready, etc.
In essence, I think you'll have plenty of teams who would otherwise be willing to trade up instead just sit back and let the chips fall where they may. I don't think this is the year where you're going to find someone willing to move up to 2, so the Lions will likely just need to take the best player available.
Thats why I said at 32.
April 25th, 2022 at 11:29 PM ^
Devin Bush was significantly heavier than Dean. Bush played at 220-225 at Michigan while Dean played at 208 at UGA (that's per NFL scout from what I've been told). Yes, Dean measured out heavier than his playing weight at the combine but he didn't do any of the combine testing because he bulked up to weigh in heavy.
2. Willis
32. Howell
34. Ridder
I mean, one of them has to work out, right?
Plus give me Haskins in the 4th/5th round - wherever he's slotted. I just think he'll be great value as an all round player, special teams, and effort/attitude. He seems to fit the culture that Detroit is trying to build. One of the most underrated UM players in a long time.