Lions and Tigers

Time for an update...

2009-12-05T07:30:00.005-05:00

11 games into their rookie years, it's a decent time to reflect on theLions draft class of 2009, and to look forward to the 2010 draft.

1. Matt Stafford- Although he has struggled with his interceptions, Stafford's overall game has been well worth the investment at #1 overall. Stafford has only been sacked 21 times in 10 games, which is over a 50 percent improvement from the Lions QB's last year. The offensive line is mostly intact. He must improve his ratings, but the Lions need to get him some more help before that is going to happen.

2. Brandon Pettigrew- His rookie season is over, due to a knee injury on Thanksgiving. His play has been up and down, but does show first round ability. Has had an issue with dropping passes, but it doesn't seem to be a major issue. He's a solid player, but he needs to get back healthy.

3. Louis Delmas- His play has been spectacular at times, but he's had some struggles. He's been fined four times in his rookie year, which is an astounding rate. He might think it's the price of doing business, and he's right to some extent, but he needs to corral his play as he deals with the issues that has caused the fines. He could be a future pro bowler if he does.

4. Deandre Levy- He's been a nice surprise. It was hard to picture him in the middle, where he was started in mini-camp, but he's turned into one of the Lions most versatile performers in recent memory in a hurry. He has played all three LB positions very well. The only question, is who is this year's Levy in this draft. Two more, and the Lions will be set at LB for a long time.

5. Derrick Williams- He looked to have explosion and playmaking skills at Penn State, but where did it go? Red flags should have gone up when he did not run well at the combine, although he ran much better at his pro day, and was excused for having the flu at the combine. The Lions missed this pick at the onset. Three other players would have made more sense here, such as Deon Butler, Mike Wallace, and Johnny Knox. All three were available, and ran better. All three have done much better as pros. Williams must develop.

6. Sammie Hill- For being a developmental type prospect, Hill has played nicely and has started most of the season. He had injury problems week 4 thru 8, but his return has improved the Lions run defense noticeably. He's a terrific value for a fourth round pick.

7. Aaron Brown- Has provided the team with a much needed boost in the speed department, and has improved recently with his play in the return game. He is what he is, a third down back, but he must improve his pass blocking skills. It's also important to note that the Lions had him lined up at split end on Thanksgiving day, where he had shown his ability to make plays with a 26 yard screen against the Browns. Is his future at WR?

8. Lydon Murtha- Has moved onto Miami as a left guard, which is a shame. I thought he'd be a perfect developmental left tackle on the cheap. Besides Williams, this is the biggest blunder by the Lions in this otherwise impressive draft.

9. Zack Follett- Has hit his mark as a special teams ace, and has made an impact. If this is all he is, it's still a worth while pick, but he also has value as a backup LBer.

10. Dan Gronkowski- Finally up with Pettigrew's injury, he showed some flashes in preseason. He was also a nice pick, and adds value with his speed/size.

Looking forward, as of December 6th, the Lions are in the fourth spot. It might be too low to draft one of the two DT's (McCoy and Suh), but that will depend on the QB. Right now the first three picks belong to Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and St. Louis.

Training camp AM practice, 8/06/09...

2009-08-06T13:56:00.000-04:00

Well, I was at today's practice, I took my son and nephew. The biggest issue is that so many key players were out, but Coach Schwartz poo-pooed it to me when he walked by. Said most were dings, he wasn't worried at all. I asked him who #46 was, since he wasn't in the program or had his name on the jersey, he told me it was Carson Butler, who played at UM. Then he asked me if I was a Michigan fan, and I told him I was more of a Lion fan. While talking to me he was giving the boys autographs, and I was very appreciative for the information, which has obviously been released. Practice was fast paced, and different then I had ever seen. Last year, I had seen hitting, which I talked about, but this year, the players are flat out at game speed. The hitting going on is quite crazy for practice, but enjoyable. Matt Stafford was much sharper in my mind than Culpepper, who has a habit of holding on too long, but the offense looks good. Stafford struggled a bit in the red zone drills. I love how Stafford finishes every play like Favre, even runs, and he hides the ball very well in play action. Stanton also looked pretty sharp. Other players that stood out included Aaron Brown, who's built alot like Robert Smith; with his thin legs that are built for speed. Dan Gronkowski and Butler looked sharp, as the Lions QB's used the TE's quite often. Some guy, #81 I think, made some really spectacular grabs, and was kind enough to give the boys autographs, as was Kevin Smith, who does look thicker in the legs than last year.

Lions 2010 Free agents...

2009-05-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

With the help of Netrat's excellent page on the Lions contract situation, looking at the Lions free agent situation going into 2010, and the Lions surprisingly have most of their starters under contract for 2010, with just a few (Culpepper, Foote, Raiola, Loper, and Henry) exceptions. The Lions have already expressed interest in resigning Raiola, and will probably look at Loper hard as a long-term contract also. Culpepper and Foote could very well be temporary fill-ins while waiting for rookies at both spots, and the Lions will definitely need to hit the cornerback spot hard in the next off-season. What Netrat is missing from his spreadsheet is ages, and that would help guage what the plans are.

Reading the tea leaves...

2009-04-13T05:02:00.002-04:00

It's time to start separating the lies from the truth. I'm going to give my impression on what I think the teams are going to do. This isn't really a mock draft per se.
1. Lions- Matt Stafford, QB (backup plan- Jason Smith, OL)- I'm 90% convinced that Stafford will be signed and selected for the pick. The Lions aren't saying much, but the fact they haven't signed a backup QB speaks volumes right now.

2. Rams- Jason Smith, OL (backup plan- Eugene Monroe, OL)- I'm 100% convinced they will select a tackle, they don't have a good backup plan if they don't. They've made their plans obvious by releasing Pace, and not signing a LT.

3. Chiefs- Eugene Monroe, OL (backup plan- Aaron Curry, LB)- I'm not 100% sure about this, but the recent signing of Zach Thomas is a head scratcher. They could move Albert to LG, and reunite the Virginia left side. Scott Pioli does have connections with Virginia HC Al Groh, and would feel safe with this selection.

4. Seahawks- Aaron Curry, LB (backup plan- Mark Sanchez, QB)- If he's there, I believe the Seahawks are lying in wait to take Curry. Otherwise, this is a QB landing spot.

5. Browns- Michael Crabtree, WR (backup plan- Brian Orapko, DE)- I think the Browns absolutely feel a need to select Crabtree. I also think they could still trade Edwards for picks. They have a pass rushing need also.

6. Bengals- Andre Smith, OL (backup plan- Jeremy Maclin, WR)- The thing about the Bengals is they usually draft linemen high, and they don't scout well.

7. Raiders- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR (backup plan- Jeremy Maclin, WR)- The Raiders won't select a player like Crabtree they don't have a time for, but they will select a player like DHB that they have top times on. I'm almost ready to call this a lock.

8. Jaguars- Jeremy Maclin, WR (backup plan- Michael Oher, OL)- The Jaguars have had issues with the WR position for a long time now, and this has become the achilles heel of their team. I don't see many room for trades yet, but anything can happen.

9. Packers- BJ Raji, DT (backup plan- Brian Orakpo, DE)- One thing about the current Packers administration is that they will draft a ton of defensive linemen year in and year out. Other wise, they don't show their cards, and play it close to the vest. Raji is a guess, based on their desire to go to a 3-4; where they can put him at nose.

10. 49ers- Mark Sanchez, QB (backup plan- Michael Oher, OL)- I'm either thinking they're playing it coy by deflecting off Sanchez, or they're obviously not and will take Oher. This is a hard read right now, but is also a strong trading spot for the Jets.

11. Bills- Everette Brown, DL (backup plan- Orapko and Oher)- I'm sure the Bills will be looking to upgrade their pass rush, unless they trade their LT; then they would select Oher. If they can sign him, they'll take the best pass rusher.

12. Broncos- Brian Orapko, DL (backup plan- Robert Ayers and Jarron Gilbert, DL)- With everyone convinced the Broncos will want a young QB, I'm not sure that will happen until later in the draft. They have ammo to move up, but I think they will want to draft heavily on the defensive side.

13. Redskins- Michael Oher, OL (backup plan- Ayers and Gilbert)- I'm pretty convinced they'll select Oher if they don't trade back, which they don't usually do.

14. Saints- Chris Wells, RB (backup plan-)- I'm almost 100% sure this will happen. Lock this one up, unless there's a trade involving the Chargers.

15. Texans- Brian Cushing, LB (backup plan- Moreno, RB)- This pick makes sense, although I like Zac Diles. Cushing would play strong, and Diles would backup at both SLB and MLB.

16. Chargers- Knowshon Moreno, RB (backup plan- Tyson Jackson, DL)- This is a talented team without any obvious needs, and they'll have to replace LT2 soon. Sproles isn't an everydown backer in their eyes, and their GM has let that be known.

17. Jets- Josh Freeman, QB (backup plan-)- This is such a natural fit, so I'll call this a lock now.

18. Broncos- Jarron Gilbert, DL (backup plan- Brandon Pettigrew, TE)- Gilbert's star is rising fast, and he's almost a lock to go in the first round. I wouldn't be shocked if the Lions didn't love him at #20. He's very versatile, and has a body he can grow into. Very projectable.

19. Bucs- Robert Ayers, DL (backup plan- Maybin)- This is not a spot where I see Harvin going. Ayers could go much earlier. He's a good player on a bad college team, and those players usually fall.

20. Lions- Rey Maualuga, LB (backup plan- Malcolm Jenkins, Peria Jerry)- The Lions have let it be known how badly they need a MLB by not carrying one on their current roster, so they'll need to draft more than one. If Gilbert is available, I believe the Lions could also pop him, plus there's a strong chance they'll trade down here. I believe they wouldn't be crazy about the players available here.

21. Eagles- Shawn Nelson, TE (backup plan- Jenkins)- The Eagles have a need at TE, and Nelson is an underrated player. Some players are falling.

22. Vikings- Alex Mack, C (backup plan-)- The Vikings need a center obviously, and they do draft linemen high often.

23. Patriots- Aaron Maybin, DL (backup plan- Jenkins)- Still, not a single CB has been taken. There will be a ton taken in the 2nd round, though.

24. Falcons- Brandon Pettigrew, TE (backup plan- Jenkins)- I believe this could be a lock, if Pettigrew is there.

25. Dolphins- Pat White, QB (backup plan- Clay Mathews)- I believe they are crazy enough to pull this off.

26. Ravens- Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S (backup plan- Mathews)- The dam breaks! Finally, a corner! (if he ends up at corner, of course).

27. Colts- Peria Jerry, DT (backup plan- Vontae Davis)- As long as they have a need at DT (which seems like a long time), they'll have to continue to take them. This is a good fit.

28. Eagles- Clay Mathews, LB (backup plan- Barwin)- Mathews has some versatility, and could give the Eagles alot of options. Kind of surprised he's still there.

29. Giants- Kenny Britt, WR (backup plan- Robiskie)- The Giants have been connected with Britt, although they are famous for sticking to their board regardless of position.

30. Titans- Ziggy Hood, DT (backup plan- Barwin)- The Titans have to replace Haynesworth, and Hood's a good player.

31. Cards- Donald Brown, RB (backup plan-)- The Cards have a strong need for a full-time RB. Brown is solid.

32. Steelers- William Beatty, OL (backup plan-)- For a great team, they have an ordinary line. I'd be shocked if they didn't go linemen here.

33. Lions- Sean Smith, CB (backup plan- Connor Barwin, DL)- Smith is versatile, and could be slotted in at corner or safety. He can run with bigger WR's, and will get alot of practice against Johnson.

My futile attempt at a seven round mock draft...

2009-03-06T22:10:00.002-05:00

Lion's picks:

1. Matt Stafford, QB
1b. Rey Maualuga, LB
2. William Beatty, LT
3. Cornelius Ingram, TE
3b. Dorell Scott, DT
5. Mike Wallace, WR
6. Stanley Arnoux, LB
6b. Lydon Murtha, OL

I expect the Lions to receive 3 comp picks; one in the fourth, sixth, and seventh rounds.

My list of the top 100 prospects in the 2009 draft...

2009-02-25T17:48:00.002-05:00

1. Matt Stafford, QB; UGA: Much has been debated as to his ability to become a top QB, but he is to me the most talented player in the draft. He just turned 21 years old, and is one of the most talented QB's I've ever seen. He has a big arm, and plays with a moxie of a more experienced player. He has big game experience, and is 3-0 in bowl games at Georgia.
2. Aaron Curry, LB; Wake Forrest: Easily the best defensive player in this year's draft, Curry can be found in every play during a Wake game. He's never far away from the action. He destroyed the combine, showing elite level athleticism to show that he'll be a force to be reckoned with at the next level. For some teams, he'll prove more valuable at the will, but I believe he'll move inside to the mike, where he'll cause havoc.
3. B.J. Raji, DT; BC: Although not quite up to the talent level of the top two DT's from 2008's draft (Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis); Raji is no walk in the park for the opposition. He has an excellent motor, and plays with a chip on his shoulder. He does split gaps, so there are times when he misses, but he does hit home runs from time to time.
4. Jason Smith, LT, Baylor: It's hard to believe that he's only played left tackle for three years, so he does show an upside. At this moment, I believe Eugene Monroe to be the better player by the slimmest of margins; although projecting down a few years I feel that Smith will have the better career.
5. Eugene Monroe, LT, Virginia: He is pretty technically sound, and takes good care of his QB. He'll be known as a reliable LT, just not an elite one. I feel he's pretty close to his ceiling, and should be able to start from day one.
6. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: The fact that he isn't able to provide a 40 time doesn't bug me as much as the fact that his height is only 6'1", when it was thought that he was two inches taller. There are some signs of buyer beware with him, such as the foot injury. He's a really good player, I just don't think that he's a great player.
7. Everette Brown, DE, FSU: I've used Andre Carter comps on Brown before, and I believe that is who he is. The difference between him and Orakpo is that he's got more moves, and plays more physically at the point of attack. They're both superior ends/olb's. Transitional types.
8. Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas: Orakpo comes at you from the same direction, but you have to be on your horse to catch up with him. He does ride out of the picture often, so he has to improve on playing the run.
9. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: Maclin might have more natural talent than the more heralded Michael Crabtree, but he also needs to show more consistancy catching the ball. He has good ability in the open field, and has return capabilities.
10. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia: I see Moreno as a cross between Reggie Bush and Kevin Jones, if that is possible. He's not a franchise back per se, but he's a solid #1 type who can carry the mail and catch out of the backfield.
11. Brian Cushing, LB, USC: Cushing is exactly the same type of player that Chad Greenway is, and could be a Pro-Bowler type soon. He can help alot of teams in a lot of ways.
12. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State: He's a throwback to the type of TE that used to be more prevelant back in the day. He's the type that you can use against the top pass rushers to help in pass protection, he has great hands, and can help in the passing game with big catches; and he also blocks well in the running game. He's a rare bird, a three down TE.
13. Mark Sanchez, QB, USC: My instincts tell me that this is too high for him, but he can be a solid system QB if he goes to the right team. There is a huge gap between him and Stafford. Sanchez needs to go to a west coast type offense.
14. Andre Smith, T, Alabama: This is as far as he should fall, although he'd be a tough cat to pull the trigger on. If anybody shouldn't be invited to New York for the draft, it's Smith.
15. Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State: He jumps out with his super first step. He reminds me of Terrell Suggs. Very similar 40 times, and very similar players.
16. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois: He's got to show that he's not going to bust like his brothers, but it would concern me. He's a good player, who should be better based on his athletic ability.
17. Chris Wells, RB, OSU: He's a safe player to take, as long as he is healthy. He got nicked up a bit, but nothing too major. He reminds me of Jamal Lewis.
18. Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi: He has alot of energy for a 300 lber, and is a pretty good slasher type.
19. Michael Oher, T, Mississippi: He's extremely similar to Gosder Cherilus. Even makes the same mistakes, although he's a better left tackle than Gos.
20. Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU: A ready made player that will have a predictable career playing two downs, and getting a couple of sacks, but plays the run extremely well on the left side.
21. Rey Maualuga, LB, USC: He isn't quite the player I thought he'd be, but he is solid if he healthy's up. He hit a snag at the combine when he reinjured a sore hammy. He'll be a consistant MLB who isn't going to help in passing downs.
22. Malcolm Jenkins, CB, OSU: He's a cover two corner who might move to FS in the NFL. He has good size and can hit, but he can get exposed.
23. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest: He's Dre Bly reincarnated. Exactly the same type of ball snatching ball hog who's good for about 7-8 int's per year. Great ball skills, but a better tackler than Bly.
24. Larry English, DE/OLB, N.Illinois: He's got a nice motor with nice pass rush skills. He'd be higher if he projected to play better against the run.
25. Leshean McCoy, RB, Pitt: Really the most legit HR threat in this draft, he also might turn out to be J.J. Arrington.
The rest...
26. Alex Mack, C, Cal 27. Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC 28. Clint Sintim, OLB, UVa 29. Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee 30. Sean Smith, CB, Utah 31. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland 32. Clay Matthews, LB, USC 33. Louis Delmas, S, WMU 34. William Beatty, LT, UConn 35. Percy Harvin, WR, Florida 36. Max Unger, C, Oregon 37. Eric Wood, C, Louisville 38. Donald Brown, RB, UConn 39. Brian Robiskie, WR, OSU 40. Shawn Nelson, TE, So.Miss 41. Nate Davis, QB, Ball State 42. Connor Barwin, DE/TE/LB, Cinci 43. James Laurinaitis, LB, OSU 44. D.J. Moore, CB, Vandy 45. Evander Hood, DT, Missouri 46. Eben Britton, RT, Arizona 47. Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose St. 48. Brandon Lewis, CB, Oregon State 49. Darrius Butler, CB, UConn 50. Ron Brace, DT, BC 51. Zack Follett, LB, Cal 52. Michael Johnson, DE, GTU 53. Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama 54. Asher Allen, CB, Georgia 55. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers 56. Kenan Lewis, CB, Oregon State 57. Pat White, QB, WVU 58. Jasper Brinkley, LB, South Carolina 59. Andre Brown, RB, NCState 60. Darry Beckwith, LB, LSU 61. James Casey, TE, Rice 62. Marcus Freeman, OLB, OSU 63. Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma 64. Mohammed Massaquoi, WR, Georgia 65. Duke Robinson, OL, Oklahoma 66. Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina 67. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State 68. Scott McKillop, LB, Pitt 69. Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty 70. Deon Butler, WR, Penn State 71. Jon Luigs, C, Arkansas 72. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida 73. Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona 74. Antoine Caldwell, OL, Alabama 75. Patrick Chung, S, Oregon 76. Cody Brown, DE/LB, UConn 77. Maurice Evans, DE, Penn State 78. Fili Moala, DT, USC 79. Victor Harris, CB, VT 80. William Moore, S, Missouri 81. David Bruton, S, Notre Dame 82. Kory Sheets, RB, Purdue 83. Glen Coffee, RB, Alabama 84. Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida 85. Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin 86. Tyronne Green, OL, Auburn 87. Jamon Meredith, OL, South Carolina 88. Mike Mickens, CB, Cinci 89. Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn 90. Javon Ringer, RB, MSU 91. Paul Kruger, DE, Utah 92. Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond 93. Kyle Moore, DL, USC 94. Dannell Ellerbe, LB, Georgia 95. Tyrone McKenzie, LB, South Florida 96. CQ Shipley, C, Penn State 97. John Phillips, TE, Virginia 98. Phil Loadholt, OL, Oklahoma 99. Terence Taylor, DT, UM 100. Darcel McBath, S, Texas Tech

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Safety

2009-02-16T15:26:00.002-05:00

North Squad:

1. William Moore, 6-00.1, 223 lbs.- He really struggled all week long, and his ranking is falling fast. Doesn't have the size necessary to move to LB, although that could happen. Gets lost in coverage.
2. Patrick Chung, 5-11.1, 207 lbs.- He had an outstanding week, and showed great awareness and ball skills. He might not be the best athlete, but his preparedness is top notch. He's always where he needs to be.
3. Louis Delmas, 5-11.2, 197 lbs.- He's slowly moving up to the top of the safety class, although I remain skeptical. He is very good in coverage, although his ball skills need to improve. He needs to continue his good Sr.Bowl week with an outstanding combine to clinch the top spot, although this isn't the best class of safeties.
4. David Bruton, 6-01.6, 210 lbs.- Very good size, will have to see what his speed is. Always seems to be a day late and a dollar short, but I think he needs to move closer to the line, and be an "in the box" type.

South Squad:

1. Derek Pegues, 5-09.3, 193 lbs.- For his size, he likes to get his nose dirty. He has decent coverage skills, and can tackle.
2. Chip Vaughn, 6-01.0, 218 lbs.- He struggled in space with coverage, and didn't tackle well. He needs a good combine.
3. Michael Hamlin, 6-02.0, 207 lbs.- He's got a nice nose for the football, and makes plays. He's either a mid 2nd to an early third rounder.
4. Rashad Johnson, 5-11.4, 195 lbs.- Very experienced, very steady player with some ball skills. He makes plays. Solid second rounder.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Corners

2009-02-16T14:41:00.002-05:00

North Squad:

1. Darius Butler, 5-10.1, 178 lbs.- Moves great, but doesn't have great ball skills. This will be his downfall, since he does everything else well.
2. Victor "Macho" Harris, 5-10.7, 186 lbs.- Plays much bigger than his size would indicate. Plays fearlessly, with a chip on his shoulder. He's the type that needs to be drafted based on his attitude. He rubs off well on other players. He's another rat. He knows what he needs to do to get better. One of my favorite players.
3. Deangelo Smith, 5-10.4, 191 lbs.- Leaves you wanting more on the playing field. Doesn't play the ball well, doesn't play his man extremely well. Didn't tackle extremely well. He was disappointing during the Sr.Bowl.
4. Keenan Lewis, 6-00.5, 198 lbs.- Plays very nice press coverage. Very physically imposing. Can match up well with most receivers. Needs to improve ball skills.
5. Mike Mickens, 5-11.0, 176 lbs.- He has a nice pair of hands, but needs to play better in space. Better in press coverage than off-man.

South Squad:

1. Coye Francies, 6-00.2, 179 lbs.- Really underrated, and came into his own when he showed up in Mobile. Is definitely a cover two type, but shows athleticism and nice ball skills.
2. Alphonso Smith, 5-08.7, 193 lbs.- Might have been the best player at the Senior Bowl all week, along with B.J. Raji. Was extremely dominant in coverage. Outstanding ball skills that will define him. Great tackler, there isn't much more to ask for from the corner position.
3. Ellis Lankster, 5-09.1, 191 lbs.- Struggled in coverage a bit, but doesn't lack in the effort category. Moves very well, and plays alot of press. Needs to play better in space.
4. Domonique Johnson, 6-01.4, 192 lbs.- Great size/speed combo. Very raw skills-wise. Might be a late bloomer type. Must keep an eye on him.
5. Sherrod Martin, 6-00.6, 197 lbs.- Also has great size and speed. Flashed during coverage drills. Showed some hutzpah.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Linebackers

2009-02-16T13:44:00.002-05:00

North Squad:

1. Nik Harris, 6-02.0, 233 lbs.- It looked like he took well to the position switch, which is good for him to show he can accept coaching easily. He didn't look out of place, and I'd be surprised if he wasn't drafted high 2nd as a LB.
2. Scott McKillop, 6-01.0, 243 lbs.- He takes really nice angles, and moves well through the junk. He's underrated in my book. He also has nice size, and will be a great value if drafted too late. I see him as a mid rounder with upside.
3. Clint Sintim, 6-02.5, 249 lbs.- He's been getting too much pub for me, he always leaves me wanting to see more. If he goes in the first, he's being over valued. He's either a 4-3 sam, or a 3-4 middle.
4. Tyrone McKenzie, 6-01.7, 244 lbs.- He hasn't shown alot of explosion, but gets to some plays by anticipating well. He's not afraid to get his nose dirty, and is pretty versatile. Not a great athlete, but more of a grunt.
5. Marcus Freeman, 6-00.5, 235 lbs.- He seemingly gets in on every play. He's got a good nose for the ball, and does every thing well. He might not be as big as you'd like him to be, however.
6. Zack Follett, 6-01.6, 236 lbs.- When you talk about under the radar types, here's your man. Great hitter, and a great nose for the ball. Very instinctive, and a better than average athlete. I like him alot.

South Squad:

1. Brian Cushing, 6-03.1, 245 lbs.- Does everything extremely well. Projects to be an all-pro level LB who can be versatile to play many positions. Showed some pass rush ability.
2. Ashley Palmer, 6-01.4, 223 lbs.- Might be too small to play every down. Has some good quicks, and is good in coverage. Might be a third down type nickle backer.
3. Clay Matthews, 6-03.0, 246 lbs.- Showed more redeeming qualities than expected. Showed a great bull rush technique when rushing QB. Can cover, and play the run. Is moving up the ranks right now.
4. Darry Beckwith, 6-00.3, 233 lbs.- Is a nice little player who needs more size. He moves well, but could he put on the weight? Does better in coverage against the run. He's very experienced.
5. Rey Maualuga, 6-01.7, 254 lbs.- Is he a three down backer? No. Does he give you high quality reps when on the field? Yes. Is he good enough to justify such a high rating? That's the question that must be answered. I do personnally prefer James Laurinaitis, who plays with more balance. Maualuga is a solid first round player.
6. Moise Fokou, 6-01.1, 228 lbs.- He showed some athletic ability, but projects to a mid-lower round pick. He played well in the game.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Defensive Line

2009-02-14T07:56:00.002-05:00

North Squad:

1. B.J. Raji, 6-01.5, 334 lbs.- Great decision of his to show up and dominate with authority to show that he's an elite prospect. Nobody could block him.
2. Ron Brace, 6-03.0, 329 lbs.- I love how he attacks his blocker. He'll never be a great pass rusher, but he'll be a necessary cog in any defensive line.
3. Ziggy Hood, 6-03.1, 298 lbs.- He'll have to show he's got more than the spin move he showed at the Senior Bowl. He wasn't blocked while he was there, but there isn't as much room in the NFL. He has a chance to be a Darnell Dockett-type.
4. Will Davis, 6-02.3, 262 lbs.- He showed some pass rush ability, but he's not a top prospect. Likely a mid rounder type.
5. Larry English, 6-02.1, 254 lbs.- Doesn't have the size yet to be an every down DE. He has great explosion off the edge, but for now he's a one trick pony. He'd be fantastic as a 3-4 OLB.
6. Cody Brown, 6-02.1, 242 lbs.- He's likely to be a 3-4 OLB, and has good pass rush ability. He's also solid against the run.
7. Tim Jamison, 6-02.5, 265 lbs.- He has ok size, and is pretty good against the run. He shows flashes, but not enough to be highly regarded. He's a mid round candidate.
8. Mitch King, 6-01.4, 275 lbs.- The guards couldn't block him on the inside, and that might be his calling card; as a situational DT pass rusher. He's too short for the outside.

South Squad:

1. Fili Moala, 6-04.2, 303 lbs.- He's got the ability to be pretty versatile, and can play alot of positions. He's a strong 2nd round posibility. He had a good, not great, Senior Bowl week.
2. Corey Irvin, 6-03.0, 296 lbs.- He flashed at times, and showed that he's a legit mid round prospect.
3. Peria Jerry, 6-01.5, 290 lbs.- He's a tad undersized, but like the "whirling dervish" Z.Hood, he's got exceptional quickness inside, and can run sideline to sideline. Late first, early second is where he'll likely go.
4. Vance Walker, 6-02.0, 295 lbs.- Good size, not great. He's likely a backup, and a mid rounder. There are a lot of players like him in this draft.
5. Kyle Moore, 6-04.6, 264 lbs.- Very good size, and could play alot of positions in the NFL. His versatility will likely knock him up a notch, and he could go in the second round.
6. Robert Ayers, 6-03.1, 273 lbs.- His stock is soaring, and rightfully so. He can really rush the passer, and might be a steal if he goes too late in the first round.
7. David Veikune, 6-02.2, 255 lbs.- He reminds me of Tedi Bruschi in a way. He could be the type that plays alot of positions, and has some versatility to him. I don't think he'll be a lineman, I see him more as an OLB, even a MLB.
8. Lawrence Sidbury, 6-02.3, 267 lbs.- He's got some ability, but he's probably going to have to develop some. He did a good job at both the Sr Bowl, and EW Shrine game. Middle rounder.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: RB's

2009-02-14T07:23:00.002-05:00

North Squad:

1. Kory Sheets, 5-11.1, 203 lbs.- Sheets doesn't have great size but showed a decent burst in practice.
2. Jeremiah Johnson, 5-08.6, 198 lbs.- Johnson shows some quicks, but isn't an every down back. Maybe a third down back.
3. Cedric Peerman, 5-09.3, 210 lbs.- Peerman showed some flashes, and could surprise with his production in the NFL. Sleeper candidate.
4. Eric Kettani, 5-11.5, 231 lbs.- OK prospect, but his Navy status makes it difficult to see him being drafted. More of a FB type, anyways.
5. Tony Fiametta, 5-11.7, 246 lbs.- Pretty decent FB prospect, with some OK hands. Is a late round/FA fodder type who could make a roster.

South Squad:

1. James Davis, 5-10.6, 207 lbs.- Didn't show a burst, was pretty disappointed with his play all week. Did not stand out.
2. Rashad Jennings, 6-01.0, 234 lbs.- Came in with a rep, left with a whimper. He didn't show a burst, either. Will need to gather more info.
3. Andre Brown, 6-00.2, 224 lbs.- The star of the RB's at the Sr. Bowl. Showed that he's got some upside.
4. Arian Foster, 6-00.4, 232 lbs.- Not exactly light on his feet, but has some movement as well. He could surprise.
5. Quinn Johnson, 6-00.6, 251 lbs.- Great size, and good feet. Definitely the superior FB prospect. Good blocker.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Offensive Tackles

2009-02-08T02:04:00.004-05:00

North Squad:

1. William Beatty, 6-06.0, 291 lbs.- He had a great week, and is moving up my list because of it. He has great feet and a great wingspan. He also has a frame where he can easily put on 20 lbs. He's a great prospect.

2. Xavier Fulton, 6-04.4, 301 lbs.- He struggled with movement, he didn't have a great week. I think he needs to move inside, and play left guard. He's a mid to late round guy.

3. Phil Loadholt, 6-08.0, 343 lbs.- What you see is what you get with him. He proved at the Sr. Bowl that he is strictly a RT, but I think he's a starter in this league. He's a cab ride to get around, and he can mash, although speed rushers do give him fits.

South Squad:

1. Michael Oher, 6-05.0, 309 lbs.- Although he was a little inconsistant with the one-on-ones, Oher did impress enough this week to retain his first round status. He did prove, however, that he's not an elite prospect; he has work to do. He does play too high at times, which is correctable. Otherwise, he's pretty sound, and will be a good, not great, player.

2. Troy Kropog, 6-05.3, 316 lbs.- He had a pretty good week, and is moving up draft boards. He should go in either round 2 or three, but he's more of a zone blocker, and should do well in that scheme. He reminds me of those NE blockers they churn out of the factory.

3. Jason Watkins, 6-06.0, 317 lbs.- He had a decent week, but showed better during the game. He might be a little bit under the radar right now, someone might get him in the third or fourth and get a guy who might start. Watch out for him at the combine.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Guards

2009-02-06T13:07:00.002-05:00

North Squad:

1. Kraig Urbik, 6-05.3, 323 lbs.- Urbik was one of my favorites. You would see him smiling while he was playing physical. That's his style. He is limited to phone booth type of stuff, but the smaller the space for him, the better. He's also strictly a right guard, so he has to start to carry value.

2. Andy Levitre, 6-02.3, 306 lbs.- He's sort of a tweener, and needs to become more versatile. He struggled when he had to move his feet, which was sort of his forte. He's more of a puller/trapper, so he's got to go to the right team.

3. Trevor Canfield, 6-04.4, 311 lbs.- He did well at times, but is still just a late round guy. He had trouble moving his feet when times were tough, which was the norm for most of the blockers.

South Squad:

1. Tyronne Green, 6-01.5, 305 lbs.- He moves his feet well, and has a little bit of a streak going for him. He put in a solid week, although the south didn't have the defensive tackles that the north team had to deal with.

2. Anthony Parker, 6-01.7, 310 lbs.- He looked the smoothest of the natural guards, which isn't saying much, since there wasn't a strong class. Some of the centers will move to guard, but I think Parker can start on Sundays.

3. Herman Johnson, 6-07.3, 382 lbs.- He looked out of place, he doesn't belong in this atmosphere. Who invited him? He's big, but so am I. I wouldn't have him on my board, he's not at all an athlete. I don't think he can move within a phone booth, let alone deal with someone who can move a little.

Tigers tidbits...

2009-02-05T03:00:00.002-05:00

1. Justin Verlander just agreed to a one year deal for 2009, avoiding arbitration. The Tigers have done a great job in avoiding arbitration since Dombrowski has taken over. I don't see him wanting a long term deal until he becomes a free agent after the 2011 season. If the Tigers are considering trading anyone with a high return, next year might be the time with Verlander if he isn't signed long term. Stay tuned.

2. Rick Knapp is a great choice for pitching coach, bringing over the Twins organizational philosophies of command over velocity and movement. The signing of Brandon Lyon falls in place with this philosophy, and the Tigers need to keep this up. I also disagree that Armando Gallarraga should be in any trouble to make the team this year. He was very efficient, and very effective as a starter, and the Tigers need his consistancy. No amount of what Dontrelle Willis brings in the spring would convince me that he and Nate Robinson should be in the rotation.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: Center

2009-01-23T08:19:00.002-05:00

North Squad
Alex Mack; 6-04.1, 312: Mack has been extremely solid at the practices, and shows a nice upside in the pivot. He's had some minor struggles with BJ Raji, but everybody has. He has great size, and should be a solid 2nd rounder.

Max Unger; 6-04.6, 299: Unger has struggled as much as anybody else, especially with snaps that must be addressed. Blocking wise he's been ok, but I'd like to see him at different positions.

Ryan Shuman; 6-02.6, 300: Shuman has battled as much as possible, but he's not athletic enough to start in the NFL.

South Squad
Antoine Caldwell; 6-03.3, 307: He's a bit of a pit bull, and gets very low. He anchors very well, and sets his feet. He's got the best feet of the centers.

Eric Wood; 6-04.1, 304: He hasn't disappointed. He's one of my favorites, and is quite a battler. The line play this year has been extremely impressive, and he's standing out.

Jonathon Luigs; 6-03.3, 302: He's been very solid, as the South centers have dominated the line play this week.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: TE's

2009-01-22T09:26:00.002-05:00

North Squad
Connor Barwin; 6-03.3, 253: Can play both DE and TE. That kind of versatility goes a long way. Could be either in the NFL. Solid TE prospect, he's suppose to be better at DE.

John Phillips; 6-05.3, 251: Great size, but not athletic enough. Hasn't caught my eye, will have to wait until combine to get a better read on him.

Brandon Pettigrew; 6-05.1, 257: Great all around player. Doesn't play fast enough, but is good in passing game. Won't stretch the field, but is a great blocker.

South Squad
Shawn Nelson; 6-04.6, 238: He's got very good feet, and has held his own as a blocker. He's looking up, and should be a third round pick.

Travis McCall; 6-02.0, 276: Kind of short, might move to fullback. Inline blocker type.

Anthony Hill; 6-05.1, 264: All-pro body type. Great size, need to see more, probably at combine.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: WR

2009-01-21T09:20:00.002-05:00

I'll skip the RB's until after the Senior Bowl game, which is the best time to evaluate the RB's.

North Squad:
Brooks Foster; 6-00.5, 204: He's shown a burst for someone who had injury problems and missed his bowl game. According to NFL network he isn't 100% yet, but he's showing great heart and effort. I am eagerly awaiting his time.

Derrick Williams; 5-11.2, 197: He's always been one of my favorite type of players, as he plays with the type of energy that is contagious. He has great burst, but has struggled somewhat with his hands. I wouldn't sell him short, as his short area burst is top in this year's draft class. He's making plays in practice.

Brandon Gibson; 6-00.3, 204: I need to see more of him to get a better feel for him.

Juaquin Iglesias; 6-00.5, 204: I thought he'd be bigger, but he is what he is. He's a solid third round type who will be an extra receiver. He needs to develop to become more.

Ramses Barden; 6-06.0, 227: He has legitimate size, but that might be all he's got going for him. I need to see more, but he's not impressing so far.

Brian Robiskie; 6-02.7, 207: I think he's always been sold short, but he's a great route runner, and should take less time to develop. He's the type who could start in the NFL right away, not many WR's can do that. I think he's underrated, and should be a high second rounder.

South Squad:
Mo Massaquoi; 6-01.3, 210: He's had the case of the dropsies in practice, which is his rep. I think he's average, and is overrated. He's also a tad shorter than I thought he'd be.

Mike Thomas; 5-08.0, 187: Don't let his size fool you, he's a rat, and a tough receiver. He has a little bit of Steve Smith in him, but I don't know if he can handle the deep routes like Smith. Right now he's great underneath, and has very good hands. He's a receiver's receiver.

Quan Cosby; 5-08.6, 191: He's more of the possession type, and I don't see too much of an upside. He's got decent hands, and looks like a decent mid round pick. He's experienced, and is close to a finished product.

Patrick Turner; 6-05.1, 221: I don't believe he's in Mobile, or I'm completely missing him.

Mike Wallace; 6-00.1, 189: Unheralded receiver who was a key cog in college defense. He's got some quicks to him, and I believe he's running under the radar right now. Watch out for him. I need to see him run.

Kenny McKinley; 5-11.5, 182: Is struggling in his limited reps in Mobile. Had QB problems at SC, so it's tough to get a guage on him.

Senior Bowl Positional Detail: QB

2009-01-21T08:33:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Great Blue North for the measurements...

North Squad:
Graham Harrell; 6-02.0, 217: Harrell has caught my eye, as he definitely looks prepared to take snaps from center. He has been extremely accurate, but hasn't had to make too difficult of a throw yet. I know he can throw the deep ball, I need to know if he has enough arm to make all the necessary throws. His stock is rising, and he's a safe bet to go in either the second or third round. Another thing I like about Harrell is that he makes his decisions quickly, and gets the ball out fast. He's not quick, but knows where to go, and when to step up in the pocket.

Rhett Bomar; 6-02.1, 224: He's been inconsistant with his arm slot, as he drops down to a three quarter delivery at times which compromises his strong arm. He's physically talented, but struggles with his mechanics, and shows indecisiveness in the pocket. He's a late round project, and I don't know if he's worth the trouble.

Nathan Brown; 6-00.5, 217: He's a developmental project with limited upside. He has decent accuracy and arm strength, but is limited due to a lack of height and limited reps. He looks like a small school QB.

South Squad:
Cullen Harper; 6-02.6, 227: He's had a rough year, as a coaching change and shoulder injury has squandered this once highly thought of prospect. He threw for more INT's than TD's, which is not forgivable. He is probably limited to UDFA at this time.

John Parker Wilson; 6-01.4, 215: He doesn't have alot of natural skills, but has been a mudder who gets the job done. He might be a late round pick, and may make a team as a third option if the stars align for him. He's looked solid in practice, but he's always had an issue with holding onto the ball too long.

Pat White; 6-00.0, 190: He knows what he is, and that is a highly talented player who teams need to find a place for in the NFL. He makes the quintessential slash type of player, who can play many positions and cause a great deal of matchup problems for a defense. He's also shown surprising accuracy down at Mobile.

My top 5 at each position...

2009-01-15T12:41:00.005-05:00

QB
1. Matt Stafford
2. Mark Sanchez
3. Josh Freeman
4. Graham Harrell
5. Nate Davis

I love Matt Stafford, I think he's the perfect fit for the Lions at #1. I think Mark Sanchez is a good game manager, ala Matt Leinart (who hasn't been the manager in the NFL). Freeman has physical ability and size, although he lacks accuracy and consistancy. Harrell I like his presence in the pocket, although questions will linger about being a system QB. I like Nate Davis, but he's rough.

RB
1. Chris Wells
2. Knowshown Moreno
3. Lesean McCoy
4. James Davis
5. Shonn Greene

Chris Wells is headed to the top 10 as a power runner, although RB's do slip. Moreno needs to run well, but has terrific athleticism, and should garner first round grades; although it's possible he'll fall with McCoy to the 2nd round. I think Greene is a special case, and might have the best game for the next level. He runs with great leverage, and plays fast. He'll be a bargain with his advanced age. I also love Glen Coffey, who's a gamebreaker himself.

WR
1. Michael Crabtree
2. Jeremy Maclin
3. Hakeem Nicks
4. Kenny Britt
5. Darrius Heyward-Bey

There is actually some depth at this position now, with an exceptional load of underclassmen joining the ranks. Crabtree needs to run well, but should still go high-1. Maclin is a multi-faceted burner, and Nicks has great hands. I love Britt and Bey's upside.

TE

1. Brandon Pettigrew
2. Chase Coffman
3. Jared Cook
4. Travis Beckum
5. Dennis Pitta

Pettigrew is a stud, and should go somewhere in the mid-late first. Coffman is a solid player, and should be a predictably handy pass catching TE at the NFL level. Cook has physical tools, although his performances have been up and down. He could get a late push for his talents, but buyer beware. Beckum is coming off the broken leg, but would have been a first day pick before his injury. I'd love to see Pitta run a 40 before I'd assess a final grade. This is a good class, but it could have been a great class with Gresham.

OT
1. Andre Smith
2. Michael Oher
3. Eugene Monroe
4. Jason Smith
5. Phil Loadholt

I concede Smith will go high one, but there's alot that I remain weary about him. He scares me on an island, and he had TE help on his side at Alabama. I've knocked Oher, but he's a good football player. Probably a top 10 pick. Monroe and Smith are very similar, and they are two experienced and dependable blockers. I'm higher on Loadholt than others are. He reminds me of Marcus McNeill of the Chargers, and he might be able to stay on the left side.

OG
1. Duke Robinson
2. Sergio Render
3. Herman Johnson
4. Kraig Urbik
5. Anthony Parker

Ugh, Duke! When he's in control, he's a top of the line blocker, but he commits too many penalties for my liking, although technically I have to put him at the top. I like Render more than Johnson, but maybe Johnson is out of position...RT anyone? Urbik is a battler, and Parker has good feet.

C
1. Max Unger
2. Alex Mack
3. Jonathon Luigs
4. Eric Wood
5. A.Q. Shipley

Mack is getting some hype, but Unger has more value, as he can play almost anywhere on the line of scrimmage. The rest including Cooper, are very good centers. This is the best class of centers I can remember...

DE
1. Everette Brown
2. Brian Orakpo
3. Aaron Maybin
4. Tyson Jackson
5. Michael Johnson

This is a really solid group of pass rushers. I like Brown over Orakpo, simply because I think he's more physical at the point of attack, and he reminds me of Andre Carter. Orakpo has great burst, but bursts his way out of too many plays. Jackson is a better run defender, and Maybin is a 3-4 OLB rush end waiting to happen. Johnson is more for show than go.

DT
1. BJ Raji
2. Peria Jerry
3. SenDerrick Marks
4. Fili Moala
5. Ron Brace

I love the team of Raji/Brace so much, and I think Brace is underrated because of Raji. Raji is lurking, but I think the NFL will catch up to him. He's really a superstar, and might be a top 10 (maybe higher) pick before it's all said and done. Jerry and Marks are strictly three techniques, although Moala offers some versatility in the roles he plays. This isn't a strong class, but these are five good players.

OLB
1. Aaron Curry
2. Brian Cushing
3. Clay Mathews
4. Clint Sintim
5. Marcus Freeman

Curry is a stud, although it looks like he has free reign within the WF defensive scheme. He's all over the place, and doesn't look out of place rushing the passer with his hand down. He reminds me of Junior Seau, but bigger. The rest of the guys are all similar...they're pretty safe bets to be solid players at the next level. All three USC LB's could go in the first round, which is impressive.

ILB
1. Rey Maulauga
2. James Laurinaitis
3. Dannell Ellerbe
4. Jasper Brinkley
5. Scott McKillop

I'm not convinced 100% that Laurinaitis isn't the better MLB, but this is a conservative ranking. When I key in on Laurinaitis, he's making great reads, moves well, and has great functional strength, as he showed against Texas. I think McKillop doesn't get enough hype, as he is a better player than given credit for.

CB
1. Vontae Davis
2. Malcolm Jenkins
3. DJ Moore
4. Alphonso Smith
5. Asher Allen

I think Davis is terrific, and I also wonder how fast Jenkins is. We'll know more after they run. I love Moore's toughness, and Smith is a terrific player.

S
1. Rashad Johnson
2. Nic Harris
3. William Moore
4. Louis Delmas
5. Patrick Chung

I've gone back and forth with this safety class, wondering what to think about it. I'm kind of meh about them as a group, although there is something there. I like Harris as a hitter, and I think he should be a SS in the box type. Delmas is getting too much hype, that I'm not buying. He's a nice 2nd rounder, maybe third.

My letter to Wojo...

2009-01-08T09:43:00.001-05:00

Regarding his column today in The Detroit News...

Wojo:

I get your point on your article, but the larger question must be...who's the best player? I believe strongly that these two QB's (Stafford and Bradford) are by far the class of this draft, and Stafford should be drafted #1. If you were to pass on a better player to take a "safer" player, isn't that a riskier pick? I have a littany of issues with Andre Smith, considered by most to be one of the top three players. If every play was a run play, he'd be a perfect guy, he's that good against the run. But if you've noticed one thing about Alabama, is that they play the TE to his side to help him in pass protection. He's inconsistant in pass protection, and the Lions have Jeff Backus, who has played every game in his career. The Lions have issues at guard that need to be addressed (smartly, in free agency and later in the draft), but are fine otherwise on their underrated line (most of the sacks were caused by QB's holding onto the ball too long, and WR's not getting open). If you don't have a franchise QB, do not pass on a franchise QB. And these two players are franchise QB's in my opinion. I disagree that Stafford lacks accuracy or decision making. Actually, he does very well when plays break down, and has shown moxie in the pocket. I'd prefer he also come in as the #2 QB for a year, unless he signs right away and there is no question he should start. Both he and Bradford would be much more talented than any other QB the Lions have ever had.

Thank you,
David Hinkle
http://dave-lionsandtigers.blogspot.com/

Lions roster set for major overhaul...

2009-01-07T08:27:00.002-05:00

Tom Kowalski has an in-depth article about the Lions current roster, and the cuts that could allow the Lions to be up to 39.7 million under the cap when free agency hits. He didn't even bring up Kitna, who would be another 2 million freed up. The point of the article is that the Lions won't (as they mentioned in the GM's press conference) be making headlines in March, but rather in December; so the idea is to get more for their money. They're going to need a great deal of cap money for the draft, with their team record allotment of picks/draft position. They're also going to have to act like an expansion franchise, and build with under the radar type signings, such as the Dolphins heisting of Justin Smiley last year. They're going to have to make themselves bigger and faster and younger. Which isn't easy when you're playing with so much money.

Thoughts on Mayhew hiring, other tidbits...

2008-12-31T03:04:00.002-05:00

I feel very strongly that removing the interim tag from Martin Mayhew and giving him the GM gig was the right thing to do. Not only has he impressed me with the Roy Williams trade, but he has also impressed with experimenting with personnel during the 2008 when the Lions were quickly knocked out of the race. The Lions didn't have to put Kitna, Furrey and others on IR, but it was clear to Mayhew that the Lions needed to move on. And he did, sort of fearlessly; which is what he must do to purge the present roster. I was also impressed with his comments when asked about the scouting staff that the scouting wasn't the problem; the problem was with the decision making, which is throwing Matt Millen under the bus, but also explains that he didn't always agree with Millen. Others feel that he should be lumped with Millen, but that isn't fair or true. He's as well trained to take over the GM job as anybody ever has. His resume is extensive, from law degree to interning in the Redskins personnel department. He has also impressed in that he doesn't show his hand very well. He didn't say much in his initial press conference, although he was asked about personnel. I think he will hire an adept personnel mind, and will gather information from others, including the Head Coach. I feel the Head Coach must be in tune with Mayhew and the personnel department, so that everybody is on the same page. Another impressive quote from Mayhew was that the Lions have let players go who were good players, but they didn't fit a certain system. From now on, the Lions will get the good players, and fit the system around the players they have. This is important, since the Lions have rid themselves of players like Dre Bly and Shaun Rogers because they didn't "fit" their Tampa 2.

As far as the draft is concerned, it looks like Mayhew is mostly concerned with drafting the best available talent. There are plenty of needs, and plenty of picks after the Lions pick up some much needed compensatory picks. Free agency must be used to fill in holes that will allow the Lions to draft for speed. They already are the slowest team in the league, and the defense is also the smallest team. That isn't a good combination right now.

Quick mock I posted at MotownSports...

2008-12-17T10:37:00.002-05:00

1a. Matt Stafford, QB
1b. Terrence Cody, DT
2. Derrick Williams, WR
3a. Jared Cook, TE
3b. Victor "Macho" Harris, CB (Love his toughness, but I need to see a time)
4. (projected comp pick) Scott McKillop, LB
5. Pat White, Athlete
6a. Kendall Davis-Clark, CB
6b. Jordan Shipley, WR
6c. (Projected comp pick) Rich Ohmberger, G
7. (Projected comp pick) Andrew Hartline, OT

I look at the Vikings right now. Pretty terrific team all around, no quarterback. Look at the Titans, I love their team speed, not good enough quarterback. Matt Stafford has the ability, so the tools are there. The Lions can make a huge jump with this group, of course they'll have to continue to work on their defense, and continue to work on their team speed.

Quick ranking of QB's eligible for the draft...

2008-11-28T09:08:00.004-05:00

1. Matt Stafford, Georgia (Jr)- I keep going back and fourth between Stafford and Bradford, but Stafford is much more physically gifted.
2. Sam Bradford, OU (RSoph)- He's a top five candidate. You wouldn't go wrong having either at the top. Bradford might be safer than Stafford.
3. Mark Sanchez, USC (Jr)- Very accurate, and throws a nice ball. Arm strength not elite, but can move a team.
4. Colt McCoy, Texas (Jr)- Throws well on the run, can do everything well, but not an elite QB. He's slated for the mid first.
5. Tim Tebow, Fla (Jr)- He's a mid first round pick. I believe he can be an accurate passer in the pros; he's got some good tools, and is tough as nails.
6. Nate Davis, Ball State (Jr)- He also should be a first round pick, although QB's usually fall because of needs. He's got his quirks, such as using his gloves, and not throwing the ball with the laces, but that is fixable.
7. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech (Sr)- Not getting the credit he deserves. I think he should be an NFL starter, he's much more than an system QB. I also think he's the most ready to start in the NFL right now.

Notes on some prospects...

2008-11-23T05:17:00.002-05:00

I had a good couple of days of watching prospects lately. Here are some of my observations:

George Selvie, SF: Selvie seems to do better against the run right now than against the pass. He's being double teamed quite often, but isn't causing much trouble on pass plays. He's in the backfield on alot of running plays.

Peria Jerry, Miss: Jerry is flying up the board, right now. He's clearly the class of the weak DT class to me. He's literally unblockable at times, and rushes the passer well. He and his brother (a guard) are good looking prospects.

James Laurinaitis, OSU: He doesn't miss a play. Whenever he has a chance to make a play, he makes it. He might not run as well as USC's Maulauga (we'll see about that), but he's the better player. He'll be an elite MLB in the NFL.

Jevon Snead, Miss: As a redshirt sophomore, he's likely to spend another year or two in college, but he's a bonafide QB prospect. He's got uncanny accuracy, and has the requisite size and arm strength. I'll be watching him closely.

Jason Smith, Baylor: One of the most athletic LT's in the draft class. His emergence strengthens this class to include probably the deepest set of OT's seen in a while. His exceptional footwork reminds me of Lomas Brown's, which is a huge compliment.

Malcolm Jenkins, OSU: Great size and is very physical, but that won't matter much if cannot run well enough to cover top receivers. If he does run well enough, he's in play at the very top end of the draft though.

Aaron Curry, WF: Plays the weakside so physically, and is very dominating, I can see why others have him rated so highly. He's a bonafide superstar.

David Bruton, ND: Great size, and is a heat-seeking missile out there. Has a great feel for coverage, especially in the medium zones. He's comparable to Ed Reed.

Michael Oher, Miss: Very much a finnesse player, and a good one. I've had doubts about his ability to stay at LT in the past, which is unfounded. Physically, he shows few question marks.

Lately, this draft class has picked up the pace, and there looks to be decent talent out there. I need to see some forty times before I get too excited, though.

Lions 2009 picks...

2008-11-01T02:41:00.002-04:00

As of today, the Lions have:
Two first round picks; their own and Dallas's...
Their own 2nd round pick...
Their own 3rd round pick plus Dallas's 3rd rounder...
No fourth round pick (traded to Dallas in last year's draft)
Their own fifth round pick...
Their own sixth, plus Tennessee's 6th, via Dallas...
No seventh round pick...

So far, that's eight picks. I would project the Lions to receive at least three comp picks; one in the fourth, a sixth, and one at the back of the seventh if their record doesn't improve.

The problem with the upcoming draft class...

2008-10-31T16:04:00.003-04:00

I haven't made any projections yet. It's far too early, and I want to see this class tested, but this has been a disappointing draft class to say the least. Week by week, I have watched player after player fall short of their hype/expectations that they might be an impact player in the NFL. Some sites list Michael Johnson as a top prospect, and as I watch him, he's not it the same area code as the QB. He doesn't move well, yet he has great size to be a big time pass rusher. As far as pass blockers are concerned, there are question marks with each of them. Andre Smith gets beat by speed rushers, and has help on his left side, usually with a TE. He's a big mauler, and he sets well at times, but he's getting beat by college players that I'm seeing, such as Kentucky's Jeremy Jarmon; a nice player but not a pure pass rusher. The guy who popped out watching Alabama was running back Glen Coffey. Like Smith, he's a JR, and made some big runs in the Kentucky game a few weeks ago. Defensively, S Rashad Johnson popped out as a nice player in the Tide backfield.

Another player who is popping out of the screen is PSU's Derrick Williams. As I watch for players who would be a good fit for the Detroit Lions, he fits the bill well. He's got a nice burst, and does a great job returning kicks. He doesn't run alot of pro style routes, he's very involved in their reverse game and usually runs crossing routes. I'd like to see his 40 times, his hands are good enough.

All and all, it's been a disappointing class, though. The Lions need for some gems to start coming from the depths. They have too many picks for this to be a bad class.

Looking forward to 2009 draft...

2008-10-19T10:57:00.002-04:00

With the trade of Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, the Lions now look forward to the 2009 draft, where they will be in a great position to draft. Not only will they add the Dallas picks to their personal haul, but they should garner at least 3 compensatory picks from free agency in 2008. This would net them 13 picks, with five coming in the first three rounds. So far in my pre-draft studies, I have noticed that the strength of the draft will be on the offensive line, defensive linebacking, and QB is looking deeper if a talented group of Jr's/eligible sophomores like Matt Stafford and Chad Bradford come out. As far the top pick, whereever the Lions might fall; they're looking at a top 5 pick, and they need to find out if they have their QB of the future on the roster. If they don't, they need to look at the two young QB's, and groom them for the future. Otherwise, there are three top left tackles coming out this year that will probably take their attention. The best of the lot is Eugene Monroe of Virginia. Extremely fleet afoot, he reminds me of Lomas Brown when he came out of Florida. He might be a better run blocker, and is very similar also to Joe Thomas, minus the knee issues. Other top left bookends include Michael Oher of OlMiss, and Andre Smith of Alabama. Michael Oher's a nice story, but I'd be reticent to select him with that high of a pick. Smith might have weight issues, and might have to move to the right side in the NFL. He might have problems with speedier rushers.

Positional Analysis: Defensive Backs...

2008-09-07T03:49:00.002-04:00

Cornerbacks

1. Leigh Bodden: At 6'1", 193 lbs, Bodden has the ideal mix of speed and size to matchup with other top receivers. He comes from the Browns, which means he doesn't have alot of experience with the cover 2, but he's a perfect match for what the Lions need. He has had a problem of staying on the field, so he needs to stay healthy to keep the extension bonus he signed for.

2. Brian Kelly: At age 32, Kelly is an old warhorse for a corner, but he's got plenty of talent around him, as I would bet the Lions would want to groom others behind him to take over. He's showed a great deal of moxie, and adds a presence that is needed for the Lions to succeed.

3. Keith Smith: Smith finally started to come into his own last year, as he's an adept cover corner. He's improved with his tackling, but still has work to do. He flashed last year, when his interception for a TD beat the Bears. He has excellent ball skills.

4. Travis Fisher: Largely underappreciated due to his horrific ball skills, Fisher is the top Nickel corner the Lions have, due to his solid tackling ability. He's almost 29, so he's a vet, but doesn't have too much time left. One thing to note is that he's played in the cover 2 for his entire career, so he knows what he's doing, and can play any corner. He has 9 career INT's, but only 2 the past three years.

5. Ramzee Robinson: If he's proven anything in his time with the Lions, Robinson has proved that he's a really tough cookie who will get everything out of his talent base. His play in the preseason was so special, that he beat out athletically superior Dovonte Edwards, who production was as bad as Robinson's was good. Here is a case where the Lion's coaches got it right.

Safeties

1. Gerald Alexander: Always at the right place at the right time, Alexander is an example of what coach Rod Marinelli preaches. Not a flashy player, but always uses the correct techniques, whether it be in coverage or in tackling. He doesn't miss many tackles. He and Dan Bullocks should man the safeties for a long time in Detroit.

2. Daniel Bullocks: Just as he was blossoming into a star, Bullocks blew a knee. He's being slowly added back to the mix, as the Lions are pretty deep with Dwight Smith and Alexander both starting, but when he's one hundred percent, he should be starting as he is a better overall player than Smith.

3. Dwight Smith: Smith is valuable to the Lions, since he not only is a capable starting safety, but is also a terrific backup at nickel corner. He's been a pretty consistant ballhawk, as he's taken 22 picks in his career. He's not going to wow you with big hits, but he's always good for a few picks.

4. Kalvin Pearson: Known as a special teams dynamo, Pearson got to start one game in 2007 and made 16 tackles, which is pretty impressive. He'll be needed on special teams coverage units more than in the Lions defensive backfield.

Positional Analysis: The Lions defensive backfield is in the best shape it's been in a long time. Theres great size and athleticism all around, as the Lions are relatively stacked right now.

Positional Analysis: Linebackers...

2008-08-28T10:08:00.002-04:00

Outside Linebackers

1. Ernie Sims: Coming into his own in his 3rd year, Sims may be the best weak-side backer in the NFL right now. Last year Lions opponents gained just 48 yards on 13 carries on sweep plays with Sims at the point of attack, with a big 25 yard gainer on just one play. His play against the pass is improving by the day. There isn't anything he can't do. He is the Lions best defensive player.

2. Alex Lewis: Underrated, and underappreciated, Lewis gets a chance to start at the strong side, where his speed and heart can make up for his lack of size. He's really a speed guy, and one of the Lion's best blitzers, he doesn't get the chance to blitz often enough. I also think he'd be an interesting guy to line up and rush the passer on third down, but his speed is also needed downfield. He's also one of the Lions best special teams performers on the coverage units.

3. Anthony Cannon: Another speed backer in the mold of Lewis, but not as athletic, Cannon has made his presence known on special teams, which should keep him on the roster. He has terrific straight line speed, but has issues moving laterally. He'll backup the weakside (Lewis would move over if a long term injury occurs to Sims), so he won't be needed on defense much.

4. Leon Joe: Joe has some experience in the league, since he was drafted in 2004 in the fourth round out of Maryland by the Bears. He's moved around, playing for the Bears, Cardinals and Bills before signing with the Lions, and he might have a job. His play has been extremely steady in the preseason, and he could backup at the strong side.

Middle Linebackers

1. Paris Lenon: Lenon is a really solid guy, just not the flashy type. Still, he's extremely productive, with 161 tackles last year, two sacks, and one INT that he ran back for 61 yards. He should start whether he's at MLB, or at the strong side when Dizon is up to speed.

2. Jordon Dizon: He's starting to come on, and show why the Lions were so high on him at the draft. I think the Lions are doing the right thing, force-feeding him MLB, instead of switching positions to match their needs. Alex Lewis is a good enough player that they don't have to do that. This experience will work out well in the future, when starts to know the defense, and knows what offenses are doing. MLB is a tall order for any rookie.

3. Buster Davis: Almost written off after a forgettable rookie year when he was one of the few third rounders cut in their first training camp, Buster Davis has played extremely well, and has perhaps forced his way onto the roster with his strong play in the preseason. Last year seems to have motivated Davis in a big way. He's lost weight, and gained focus. He's a squatty type, built perfectly for this defense. And he's turning into a nasty player, which is a good thing.

Positional Analysis: The Lions have long struggled at LB, but they are improved. They have plenty of speed, but lack the size, which isn't really important in this defense. It will be telling out of the gate how much they improved when they play three straight tough running teams; the Falcons, Packers, and 49ers.

My Projected 53 man roster for the Lions...

2008-08-27T10:22:00.002-04:00

My projected 53:
QB (3) Kitna Orlovsky Stanton
RB (4) Smith Bell Pinner Cason (Ret)
FB (1) Felton
WR (5) Williams Johnson McDonald Furrey Ellis
TE (4) Gaines Campbell (will be #1 when back) FitzSimmons Owens (Campbell insurance only)
OL (9) Backus Mulitalo Raiola Peterman Cherilus McCollum Ramirez Foster Scott
DL (9) White DeVries Avril Alama-Francis Redding Darby Cody Fluellen Smith
LB (7) Sims Lenon Dizon Lewis Cannon Joe
DB (9) Kelly Bodden Fisher Smith Smith Alexander Bullocks Pearson Blue
ST (3) Hanson Harris Muhlbach
Practice squad (8) Standeford Clark Harris Drew Henson Ramzee Robinson LaMarcus Hicks Buster Davis HardieCohen

Positional Analysis: Defensive Tackles...

2008-08-15T07:20:00.003-04:00

1. Cory Redding: The unquestioned leader of the defensive line is now Redding, who has started in every game since 2004. His sack production fell from a career high 8 in 2006 to a low of 1 last year, but he was productive nonetheless. He set a career high in tackles with 78 (47 solo), and his 30 defeated run blocks, and 32.3 defeated block percentage (per K.C. Joyner, ESPN Insider) were Pro-Bowl type numbers for a Defensive Tackle.

2. Charles Darby: Although he's being brought in to start, Darby will not have "starter's minutes", meaning he will be used mostly on run downs, and will leave the field when pass rushers are needed. This will keep him fresh, and he should keep others fresh by being the warrior type on tougher downs and on the goalline. I wasn't expecting much of him, but he does show better than expected movement laterally. He can get up and down the line well, but doesn't rush the passer well.

3. Shaun Cody: Although it looked like he might have been the odd man out, Cody is probably going to make the roster, and will be given a chance because of his versatility to earn another contract. This is a make or break season for Cody, and he knows it. He got 1.5 sacks in a game as a rookie against the Panthers, and hasn't had one since.

4. Langston Moore: Moore came out of nowhere, and produced better than Shaun Cody, and got more snaps as a result. Like Cody, he had 37 tackles, but had four sacks, and one forced fumble. His penchant for big plays made him a personal favorite. He needs to play better against the run, since his aggressiveness gets him out of position at times, so he needs to play under control more often.

5. Andre Fluellen: Coach Rod Marinelli obviously saw something he liked from Fluellen, since he flew to FSU to witness Fluellen's predraft workout, and also had Fluellen visit Allen Park before the draft. He has shown his quick step already, as he recorded a sack in the first exhibition game against the Giants. He also has shown that he was stout against the run, as teams averaged only 1.74 yards per carry when they ran at him in his Sr. season at Florida State. He could very well become a force in a year.

6. Landon Cohen: Considerably undersized for a DT, but maybe not in the Lions system. Cohen has shown enough that he's a strong candidate for the practice squad, since there probably isn't a spot for him right now. I foresee him making the practice squad, and being activated due to an injury. Other teams may view him as a 3-4 left end.

Positional Analysis: I see this as a solid position for the Lions, as they have good depth right now, and have added some young talent. They are not at the level with the rest of the division, where DT is the strength of all the teams in the NFC North.

Positional Analysis: Defensive Ends...

2008-08-13T09:25:00.003-04:00

Right End

1. Dewayne White: White has had a solid five year career so far, as he begins his second year starting full time for the Lions. He played extremely well last year until an injury in the Denver Bronco game slowed him down. He had only one sack in the second half of the year, which partly explains some of the Lions defensive problems. For the year, he had 6.5 sacks, although three were against his former team, Tampa Bay. He's also shown that he has superb awareness, as he has shown up big in coverage when dropping back. The Lions need him to provide double digit sack production.

2. Cliff Avril: Although viewed as a tweener entering the draft, Avril had shown during the NFL combine that he was to be reckoned with a 4.5 showing in the forty yard dash, far outdistancing his competition. One would think that he's stuck with the "third down pass rusher" label, but he does have good secondary moves. He has shown during practice, though, that when he's stopped, he's done for good; so he's got to fight that out. He'll get a couple of sacks just from pure speed, but he's also got to produce at other times. He could be a future starter at right defensive end, which is a huge return for a late third round pick.

3. Corey Smith: He has shown that he's a very valuable player, but is also a redundant player, and may get cut if the Lions are in a tight roster squeeze. He'll be 29 in October, so his spot could go to a younger player, although Smith's value is felt on third down and on special teams.

Left End

1. Jared DeVries: Now in his 10th year, DeVries has battled his way from being inactive in the first two games last year, to being one of the Lions most valued linemen. He had 6.5 sacks, with 3 coming in a home win against Chicago (sound familiar?), so he needs to maintain production throughout the season. He will probably see less time on passing downs, due to the development of Ikaika Alama-Francis. This should keep him fresher later in the year, since his production let down later in the year last year.

2. Ikaika Alama-Francis: Drafted in the second round last year as a raw project, Alama-Francis may start to show his vast potential soon, as he transitions to becoming a key member along the defensive line. He is much more physically talented than Jared DeVries, and he needs to produce and become the go-to guy at left defensive end. If he is "the guy" at left end, and Avril is "the guy" at right end, then the Lions are set up pretty well in the future. If not, the Lions need to keep working at it, although you can never have enough good pass rushers. Ask the New York Giants.

Positional Analysis: Offensive Line...

2008-08-06T10:20:00.002-04:00

Tackles

1. Jeff Backus, LT: This is the perfect offense for Backus, who thrived in zone blocking schemes at Michigan. He has started every game at left tackle since he's been drafted in 2001, which is 112 straight games, and he hasn't missed many snaps, either. This is underrated when considering his contributions. He's given up sacks, he's had some rough moments, but for him to be so dependable is what being a top lineman is all about.

2. Gosder Cherilus, RT: When he was selected, many people questioned the move, but drafting Cherilus made sense, and is paying dividends right away, since the other two players mentioned as picks (Otah and Albert) are injured right now. Cherilus is a better fit for what the Lions need. He moves much better than Otah, and has experience as a right tackle, which Brendan Albert does not. During college, he was a better prospect as a junior at right tackle, and struggled as a left tackle, when Boston College switched to the zone blocking scheme, which the Lions will run this year. He has been known to play high when he gets tired, so his conditioning is a key. He'll probably be better early in games than late, so the Lions will have to keep a close eye on him. Also it is impressive that he has played in every game for BC since being redshirted in 2003. He's very dependable.

3. Jonathon Scott, LT/RT: Scott is one of my favorite players, he's a terrific blocker. His biggest problem is that he's not dependable, that he's had some injury problems for two years. He did start the game against Denver last year when the running game rolled up 130 yards, and only allowed one sack in a blowout win. What really has impressed me about Scott is that he has played against the Packers, and has done well against Aaron Kampman, who's one of the best defensive linemen in football. His level of play is pretty high, and he could handle either tackle spot if he could only stay healthy.

4. George Foster, RT: Foster can block, but his mental lapses have killed his team too many times for him to be trusted. He has a history of missed assignments and false starts that have led to his benching for two straight seasons. When he's on, he's pretty good, but it would also give you a false sense of security. He can't make this team.

Guards

1. Edwin Mulitalo, LG: Mulitalo has come in and solidified a problem position at left guard. The only problem is that he'll be 34 years old on opening day, but his long term replacement is probably on the roster. He's experienced with zone blocking schemes, although he seems to be a bit too wide-bodied for the offense. The offense does require athletic guards that can block second level (linebackers) players.

2. Stephen Peterman, RG: Peterman was a good player coming out of college, and the Cowboys hastiness to release him after knee problems has been a blessing for the Lions, as Peterman has become a dependable starter for the Lions. He's more of a battler than a finnesse player, and provides the Lions with a physical presence on the right side.

3. Frank Davis, LG: Davis is closing in on the starters, and will probably see some action when the live bullets fire after the season opens. He's a pretty solid athlete, and looks real good in practice. He could probably hold down the fort for most teams at left guard, and he's a very good value as a backup. My guess is that he'll take over Mulitalo's spot eventually, and will probably run away with the job. He has great feet, and a nice find for the scouting department.

4. Manny Ramirez, RG: Ramirez is currently just recovered from a minor knee injury in camp. This is a different offense than he's ever seen before, as he played in a stretch offense at Texas Tech, and Martz's offense last year. He's a big unknown, but he's built pretty well to withstand the battles at right guard. This is a big preseason for him, to get noticed, and stay active for games.

5. Corey Hulsey: Hulsey has been in the league since 2001, so he's no spring chicken. He has connections to Jim Colletto, as he played for him in 2005 when Colletto was the offensive line coach for the Raiders. He hasn't played much in the NFL, and doesn't figure to make the Lions roster.

6. Carroll Madison, LG/C: He's been notable in camp because of his versatility. He went undrafted, but is probably in line to make the team on the practice squad, as he would be pretty valuable as a backup for Raiola at center. He started in 38 straight games at Syracuse, so he's proven he's a dependable player.

Center

1. Dominic Raiola: He's started for 96 straight games for the Lions, and is a proven performer. He's also perfect for the Lions transition to the zone blocking scheme. In the past, the Lions haven't carried an extra center, since Raiola has been so dependable. That seems to have changed since they no longer have Damien Woody as a fallback plan, so they signed a couple of backup centers for camp.

Positional Analysis: WR's/TE's...

2008-08-04T11:17:00.002-04:00

Wide Receivers

1. Calvin Johnson: Although he experienced some tough luck during his rookie season, Calvin Johnson remains one of the most talented players in all of football. He needs to learn how to stay healthy, and once he figures that out, the sky is the limit. His hands still need some work, but that's really nit-picking. Teams will soon figure out they can't bump him at the line; he's too fast for bigger corners, and too strong for smaller corners. This offense should take more of an advantage of his jumping abilities with fade routes in the red zone, as well as shorter routes that would allow him to break tackles in the secondary. He's due for a breakout season.

2. Roy Williams: Entering his contract year, Roy has proven that he's a top ten receiver in the NFL, and should reap the rewards after this season. It is important that the Lions re-sign him after this season, since replacing him would be impossible. He needs to stay healthy, since he missed four games with a minor knee injury that didn't require surgery last year.

3. Shaun McDonald: Currently on the PUP, McDonald is the Lions most effective slot receiver. He led the team in receiving last year, but with a change in offensive philosophy shouldn't see as much action. Still, he's in his contract year, and it would behoove the Lions to sign him after the season. He's only six months older than Williams, and provides the Lions with a top slot alternative down the road.

4. Mike Furrey: Furrey is an integral part of the Lions offense, as he provides important insurance for all receiver spots, and can play any position well. He caught 61 passes in 2007, but will probably catch fewer balls as the Lions will try to get the ball into their top receivers hands more often, but it doesn't demean his value at all. He's an important part of the Lions going forward, but will need to be replaced, since he's already 31 years old.

5. Devale Ellis: A big reason why the Lions selected Kenneth Moore in the draft is because of Ellis's injury history, but Ellis has outclassed the Lion's rookie in all facets so far. Ellis flashes his quickness during practice, and has shown during games that he can play in the league if healthy. If healthy, his roll with the team should grow, since he has the requisite quickness and youth. He's a lock to make the team as the Lions fifth receiver/returner right now.

6. Brandon Middleton: Probably is on the outside looking in for the Lions right now, and I don't believe he's eligible to be on the practice squad. He's a good competitor who can play in the league for another team that isn't so deep at receiver.

7. John Standeford: He's bounced around the league's practice squads since 2004, and is probably on his last legs in the league. He's not eligible for the Lions practice squad this year, but is a good practice player.

8. Kenneth Moore: In an otherwise excellent draft class, Moore is the one head scratcher of the bunch. He has not stood out in practice at all. The Lions might have thought they were getting a versatile performer who could return kicks and help out in the slot, but he has to show more than he has just to earn a spot on the practice squad. He's looking like a bad pick right now.

9. Taye Biddle: He flashes some speed, and is a practice squad candidate, although his hands leave alot to be desired. He does have a sleek, slender build that screams "speed".

Tight Ends

1. Dan Campbell: Currently is on the PUP, but is still primed to be a starter at some point when he returns from his elbow injuries. He's known as one of the top blocking TE's in the NFL, and his presence will help both the running game and passing game. He has great size.

2. Michael Gaines: Signed as a free agent this year, Gaines is a mountain of a man, who looks like a third tackle and is an excellent source of extra blocking for this years running game. Part of the Lions problems in the past with their blocking was that they put too much on their offensive line to block, and didn't give them enough help. Gaines is the type to help out in the red zone and short yardage. He moves ok, but that's not what he does best. He's very valuable to this team right now.

3. Casey FitzSimmons: Already in his sixth year with the Lions, and still giving the Lions a nice versatile performer who's their best receiver from the TE position. I suppose he'll be valuable on third down situations, and on special teams where he is quite valuable. He led the team with 20 special teams tackles last year.

4. Sean McHugh: As one of the Lions most versatile performers, should win a spot on the roster because of other's versatility as well. Since Jerome Felton can play as a halfback, as well as fullback, he can be a TE/FB and has been pretty helpful for the Lions. He's a solid blocker and a good pass catcher from both positions. He's very usuable, and can help the team.

5. John Owens: He's an extra player right now, and isn't seeing much time in practice. He's a good extra blocker should injuries strike, but he's not eligible for the practice squad, although it's concievable that he could make another NFL roster.

Positional Analysis: As the Lions move forward, they are pretty well stacked up at both receiver and TE positions. They don't have a superstar per se at the Tight end position, but very usable blockers who can catch as well. It's a position they will have to address in the future, but for now, they are in terrific shape. If the Lions re-sign Roy Williams, they should be set at wide receiver for years to come.

Positional Analysis: RB's/FB's...

2008-08-04T05:10:00.002-04:00

Running Backs

1. Kevin Smith: It hasn't taken much time at all for Kevin Smith to make his mark on the team and show that he is a good value, and the Lions could have a franchise type Running Back with a third round pick here. If people knock him for his speed, he ran a 4.45 forty at the combine, and is tough to take down. He's a football player, through and through. Some people might knock the point he ran 450 times as a Senior, which is alot. He's run a similar style of offense in college and was extremely successful with it.

2. Tatum Bell: As the de facto #1 running back coming into camp, Bell is very possibly on his last legs in Detroit. With rookie Kevin Smith showing he can handle most responsibilities, there isn't a need for another RB who can't play special teams, a job Brian Calhoun, Artose Pinner, and Aveion Cason all do well. I'd be surprised if he made the team, actually.

3. Brian Calhoun: If the injuries are behind him (and that's a very big "if"), Calhoun could surprise as a multi-faceted, multi-functional backup who could also help out in returns. He needs to show the burst he showed when he ran a sub 4.4 at his pro day when he came out of Wisconsin. If he has the burst, he should make the team. If not, his spot should go to Cason.

4. Aveion Cason: Cason has been a steady pro, and has somehow remained in the league for 8 years after signing with the Rams as an undrafted free agent. He's a good kick returner, and his return abilities could win him the roster spot. It's possible that both he and Calhoun could make the team, although they have similar abilities. They can both help out in more areas than Tatum Bell, who to me, either wins the #1 job, or gets cut.

5. Artose Pinner: Pinner was signed as an insurance back, but I don't see the Lions needing to use him. This is a good sign for the Lions, who are in better shape that they could have imagined going into training camp. I don't see any way that Pinner will make the team, although he can help out on special teams.

Fullbacks

1. Jerome Felton: Although they haven't had a game yet, Jerome Felton figures to be a key figure in the Lions offense. It was thought that he wasn't a pure fullback when they drafted him, but his techniques are very sound, and he's also played in the zone blocking scheme in college. He also has inside running skills, and can catch the football. He could easily be projected as a game one starter at fullback for the Lions. Look for him to be a one back in large formations with extra tight ends in some formations. He's a good player.

2. Jon Bradley: Although listed at 310 pounds, Bradley has lost weight, and looks like he's under 300 pounds. He's not svelte, but has pretty decent feet. He doesn't have good hands, which could be his downfall. He's also pretty handy on special teams, working on the kick return unit, on the wedge. He has a good chance to make the team, I see the team carrying 3 runners (Smith, Calhoun and Cason) and 3 fullbacks (Felton, Bradley, and Shaun McHugh, who would double up as a TE).

Positional Analysis: When Kevin Jones got cut, I thought it was the end of the world for the Lions running game, but now I can see why they did it. Jones is on PUP currently for Chicago, but the Lions should know what direction they are headed in with their running game. They will carry either 3 RB's and 3 FB's; or 4 RB's and 2 FB's. I think they'll carry 3 and 3 for the reasons I listed above. One thing is for certain, they need to keep Smith and Felton healthy. I think Smith has a chance to be special.

Positional Analysis: QB's

2008-08-01T13:13:00.003-04:00

1. John Kitna : John Kitna will turn 36 years old September 21st, so the Lions need to figure out where they are at with the QB's on hand. Kitna has his good points, and some downfalls, but his biggest issue is his doggedness to make a play when there isn't a play to be made. He turns the ball over too much, but will now supposedly be in a system to match his strengths, and lengthen his career. I do see him having more success as a play-action QB, with boots and plays that play to his strength. In Mike Martz's system, there was not much play action, but there will be now. One thing that is clear from watching the Lions practice is that they will run, or die trying.

2. Dan Orlovsky : Dan Orlovsky is in the last year of his rookie contract, and the Lions need to evaluate him hard. He's been a victim of circumstance, but he'll have a chance to show that he can manage a huddle and move a team. He's got great size (6'5", 230 lbs.), and a really nice arm. His accuracy is a problem sometimes, and he doesn't have great awareness in the pocket yet. He is unquestionably the #2 QB on the Lions right now; whether he's good enough to earn another contract has yet to be determined. Stay tuned.

3. Drew Stanton : Stanton has struggled in camp so far, but he looks the part of an NFL QB, and definitely has the necessary talents to be an NFL starting caliber QB. He actually moves very well in the pocket, and shows off better than average arm strength. Right now, his biggest problem is his accuracy, especially with medium, zone-type routes; balls that will turn into INT's. When he can air it out on deep outs, he's fine, although he doesn't throw a good deep ball yet. He has the tools and the savvy, but if he can't be more accurate, then he's not going to move up the board.

Positional Analysis: QB is a position in flux right now, and the Lions have plenty of options. I like what they're doing right now, giving plenty of practice reps to Orlovsky and Stanton, while letting Kitna get enough to stay sharp. This is a big year to evaluate the position, and there will be opportunities to improve the position next off-season.

Training camp observations...

2008-07-30T03:33:00.001-04:00

I attended this morning's practice with my son, and we had a ball. He got autographs from Jeff Backus, Kevin Smith, Gosder Cherilus, John Kitna, Charlie Sanders, and Alex Lewis. Lewis gave him his glove, which got him really excited.I was taken aback by the pace of practice. I've attended training camps for over 20 years now, and this is by far the most physical, fast paced camp I've witnessed. Two players that had injuries were Langston Moore (shoulder, looks serious) and Manny Ramirez, who limped off the field and had his knee wrapped.I knew I liked him, seeing him on youtube clips only, but watching Kevin Smith was particularly impressive. He's much more athletic than I thought he'd be, and he's a serious hard nosed football player who goes all out in blocking drills and other individual drills. He also flashed during team drills.Other draft choices like Dizon (nice snazzy INT in team drills, which was the play of the day this morning) and Cliff Avril (who looked pretty strong coming off the corner) looked good.Orlovsky was on target more than Stanton, but I was impressed with Stanton, nonetheless. Actually, Orlovsky was better than Kitna this morning. Kitna held onto the ball a little too long, and took some blown whistles (dead plays). Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson were their usual selves, showing off their many talents. Roy is really good with kids, taking a kid from our area to be the waterboy. My son and I had a blast.

Utilizing Talents...

2008-05-09T08:22:00.003-04:00

I'll admit, I haven't been a big fan of Brian Calhoun since he seemingly has flopped as a pro with the Lions. He showed a nice burst at Wisconsin, and I knew he ran track, but there were questions raised when he ran a 4.6 forty at the combine. He seemed to be faster than that in college, but we can all be fooled by Wisconsin's scheme; and wouldn't you know it, they ran a zone blocking scheme. According to reports, his knee is finally sound, so he must be given a fresh start, and given the benefit of the doubt. Also, he hasn't been used much, as he has been rehabbing the past two years, leaving him with some fresh legs. He's going to have to get used to some pounding first.

Another player who's talents have yet to be utilized is Dan Orlovsky. In college, he was at times erratic, but always displayed a strong arm. He has the best arm in my opinion of all the Lions current QB's. He has had some garbage time in games, but hasn't had enough time to be given a decent chance to show his talents.

It looks like things are changing, and the Lions must utilize the talents they have on hand to economize their roster. You get more value from starting younger players than most veterans. Veterans have a place on every roster, but it's time for the Lions to turn over their controls to those who are younger, faster, and cheaper. For instance, Keith Smith has more of a future at corner than Brian Kelly. Smith is the type of player who should be signed to a longer term deal, along with Leigh Bodden, who should solidify the position. Let Kelly play nickle back.

Zone Blocking Principles

2008-05-07T12:07:00.002-04:00

Recently I have been doing research on zone blocking. It is the en vogue offense of the NFL right now, allowing teams to "run like the Broncos do"; which means a simpler approach to the running game, and a certain type of runner is preferred. This article is extremely helpful...

http://www.americanfootballmonthly.com/Subaccess/Magazine/2005/may/northwestern.html

Zone blocking occurs when two offensive linemen are responsible for blocking two defenders in a certain area towards the point of attack. The purpose of using the zone blocking scheme is to stop penetration, create movement on Level I (build a wall) and also seal off the onside linebacker. All zone blocks initially start out as an inside-out double team. As movement begins, either the outside blocker or inside blocker will gain control over the defender on Level I, allowing the other blocker to come off the block to handle the linebacker. In this type of blocking scheme, it is critical to create movement on Level I before coming off for the linebacker.
The Lions ran alot of zone blocking last year, but the key to running it effectively is through practice and repetition. When you run a zone blocking scheme, you have to be dedicated to it.

Rookie camp defensive players round-up...

2008-05-05T13:45:00.003-04:00

In MLive, Tom Kowalski talked to Joe Barry about rookies and Buster Davis...

On Dizon's size:

"I know Shelton Quarles and Barrett Ruud, who I coached in Tampa, were right
around the 230 range. Before I got to Tampa, Hardy Nickerson was there and he
was a bigger man. But this kid is young and when we go to camp I hope he's about
230. He was 229 at the combine. But I don't care about size, I care about
instincts and I care about speed and I care about a guy who is able to make
plays. He can do all of those things.''

On Fluellen and Avril's size:

"I think we're going to try to get Andre up around 300 pounds. I think he was
295 at the combine and he was 292 (on Friday). Our defense is built on speed,
quickness and movement but you've got to be big enough to survive. The three
technique has to be able to hunker down and take on a double team, which Andre
has to. Avril is around that 255 range and that's fine. He is speed. He ran a
4.5 at the combine and that's what we want. We think he's perfect.''

On Caleb Campbell:

"I was impressed with Caleb at the combine athletically. He worked out with
the defensive backs and, at that time, I didn't even picture him as a
linebacker. The further we went on with this process, probably the last month of
the draft, we really viewed him as a linebacker. In three practices, I've really
been impressed. It's a different world now when in your whole career you're
lined up 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. Even when you come down into the
box, which he did a lot of in college, you're still a defensive back. You're at
10 yards and you're coming down into the box and the ball's snapped. Now he's
lined up with his toes at four yards over Gosder Cherilus who weighs 300 pounds.
That's a different world. He's got a lot of understanding of the position to do
but I'm excited about him athletically and mentally. We're not in pads yet but
just watching his college tape, he's a tough kid, he's never going to turn
anything down. I'm fired up to work with him the next couple of months.''

Hondo talks to scouts about Lion's picks...

2008-04-29T14:14:00.002-04:00

Very interesting article on Hondo's Blog. He talked to some unnamed scouts who gave their take on the Lion's picks.

#1 17th Overall Gosder “GOZ” Cherilus OT Boston CollegeScout 1: “This was
a very solid pick of the Lions. When they made the trade with the Chiefs
we called this in our war room. We looked hard at Gosder and we really
liked him. He is a street fighter with a mean streak to match. We
felt he was (behind Jake Long) the best zone blocking OT in this draft. We
also loved his durability and that fact that he loves to practice. It was
no secret that Lions had to address the T situation and when Long went #1 we
felt that the Lions would go with this kid. He fits what they want to do
big time. If I was a Lions employee the only player we could have gotten
better for our needs would have been Jake (Long) and that wasn’t going to happen
without giving away the farm and they had too many needs to do that. When
you (Hondo) told me that they want to keep him at RT that made me laugh.
As soon as he (GOZ) is ready, Backus will move. He is to good to keep on
the right once he gets the NFL game. He certainly will be a major upgrade
from Backus on the right ”

Obviously Backus wasn't a right tackle, but if Cherilus can nail down this position and stay healthy, he's an obvious upgrade over the previous (Foster) tackle. Notice the scout mentions that he's a good fit for the zone blocking scheme, which Otah isn't in my opinion. With the way the tackles went off the board, he wasn't a reach at all. In fact, Branden Alberts was only projected to play tackle, but he's a better guard. He'd be great for the Lions as a left guard, but the Lions won't do as much pulling and trapping, so having top guards isn't necessary. This is one of the many good reasons to run a zone blocking scheme.

My official first round projection of the 2008 NFL Draft...

2008-04-25T12:50:00.000-04:00

1. Dolphins- Jake Long, OL, UM
2. Rams- Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
3. Falcons- Matt Ryan, QB, BC
4. Raiders- Darren McFadden, RB, Ark
5. Chiefs- Chris Long, DE, Va
6. Jets- Vernon Gholston, DE, OSU
7. Patriots- Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
8. Ravens- Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
9. Bengals- Keith Rivers, LB, USC
10. Saints- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
11. Bills- Delvin Thomas, WR, MSU
12. Broncos- Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
13. Panthers- Derrick Harvey, DE, Fla
14. Bears- Chris Williams, OT, Vandy
15. Lions- Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
16. Cards- Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
17. Chiefs- Branden Albert, OL, UVA
18. Texans- Aquib Talib, CB, Kansas
19. Eagles- Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
20. Bucs- Jeff Otah, OL, Pitt
21. Redskins- Gosder Cherilus, OL, BC
22. Cowboys- Felix Jones, RB, Ark
23. Steelers- Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
24. Titans- Branden Flowers, CB, VaTech
25. Seahawks- Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
26. Jaguars- Kentwan Balmer, DT, UNC
27. Chargers- Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina
28. Cowboys- Kenny Phillips, S, Miami
29. 49ers- Desean Jackson, WR, Cal
30. Packers- Chad Henne, QB, UM
31. Giants- Antoine Cason, DB, Arizona

Reading the tea leaves...

2008-04-21T08:27:00.002-04:00

Usually at about this time before the draft comes along, I have a decent guage of what the teams are going to do, but this year it's a little bit different. I'm not buying a bunch of the pre-draft negotiation hype that surrounds the first pick, and therefore, the whole first round is a little weird right now. Here's a few thoughts I have on some of the picks...

1. Dolphins- It would be easy to say they've honed in on Jake Long, but I'm not really buying that. Listening to a radio interview with Chris Long, and the Dolphins really haven't been in touch, so I'm guessing the Dolphins will either draft Vernon Gholston, or Glenn Dorsey. The truth in the matter is that they have a need with all of these players. Just to make a pick, we'll say Jake Long goes here.

2. Rams- I've heard they would love Jake Long here, but I'm not buying that either. They are much more likely to draft an end, so my feeling is they'll pick Gholston here. I love Chris Long, but Gholston is a sexier pick, the better pass rusher. Long is a more well-rounded player, but I feel both will play in Hawaii.

3. Falcons- The only name I've really heard with them is Dorsey, and they'll trip on the way to announce his name as soon as the Rams pick.

4. Raiders- The thing about the Raiders, don't try to figure them out. In this scenario, there are two players available for them, both making a great deal of sense. You'd think that Chris Long is the perfect fit for them, but will they pick McFadden? Only one person knows. If Long is gone, it will be McFadden, but I think family wins out here and the Raiders select Long.

5. Chiefs- Branden Albert. He's really the only name I'm hearing for #5. And he will play LT.

6. Jets- In this scenario, they'll likely select Sedrick Ellis, but I'm not sure how they'll go, either. They could easily draft McFadden, or Ryan. This is also a candidate for a hot trade down with Baltimore, who covets Ryan. Remember, in the draft: Thou shalt not covet, and let the cattle out of the barn.

7. Patriots- I'd be shocked if they didn't select a corner, and it could be Leodis McKelvin, but I wouldn't fault them if they took Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who I'd give them here in this slot.

8. Ravens- They could stay here and get their man, Ryan. Or they could take a corner they could use, and take a better QB in the 2nd round. I'm not high on Ryan, so I don't get it, but they love him.

9. Bengals- With Ellis likely gone here, I've heard Keith Rivers going here, and Ryan Clady. Both would be solid picks. I'll give them Rivers.

10. Saints- Yes, the running backs are sliding, and this is another slot for a corner. McKelvin is a solid bet I would think to go to the Big Easy.

11. Bills- The Bills have shown us one thing with their recent picks- they'll get their guy, no matter where he's suppose to go. This would be a great place for Devin Thomas to go, he's the #1 WR by far in this draft.

12. Broncos- This is a team with many needs, believe it or not. There are plenty of RB's falling, especially McFadden. Clady is the pick here, I know they'd love to pick up their pass rush, but Clady is who I think they're targeting all along.

13. Panthers- This is where McFadden could very well end up at. I hope he hasn't been invited to New York, because he could get a little sqeamish if he doesn't go #4. He could really drop, and I'm not 100% sure the Panthers would take him, but I'm giving him to them.

14. Bears- I know the Bears would love two picks here, but their line is a mess; and Chris Williams is the likely pick.

15. Lions- In this scenario, I think it's very likely the Lions would take Derrick Harvey. I'd love to have Jerod Mayo, but I don't see Harvey going any earlier.

Random draft thoughts...

2008-04-10T11:47:00.002-04:00

As we close into the final two weeks before the draft, a few things are taking shape. Team needs become better defined, and the cream of the draft crop rises to the top. As far as the Lions are concerned, there are some points that need to be kept in mind. They won't be able to repair all divots, but overall should be in fine shape. It looks like they have a healthy perspective on running backs, and won't overdraft that position. This is a deep year for that position, and they can find a legit player in the third round with one of their two picks. The second round seems like a great place for a line backer, and they have a couple to choose from. Jerod Mayo should be long gone by then, although I'd pick him up at 15, showing how high I think of his ability. Number 15 is looking like it will go down to Mayo, Derrick Harvey (who I think will be overdrafted in the top 10) and Chris Williams of Vandy.

Tigers news and notes...

2008-03-29T06:45:00.002-04:00

Jim Leyland has just made it official, Clete Thomas has made the team as an extra outfielder while Curtis Granderson is injured. This is a great move, since I think this will send a message throughout the organization that if you work hard, you can move up despite all the talent at the big league level. This also increases Clete Thomas's value, since he will have experience. Other players that have made the team include Aquilino Lopez and Yorman Bazardo out of the bullpen. Both are similar pitchers, and I imagine Lopez will have a shorter leash than Bazardo, due to the fact that Bazardo is younger and out of options, plus he has better overall stuff. Speaking of short leashes, Dontrelle is going to have to find himself soon. Options with him are limited, with the contract he signed, but he could find himself in the bullpen behind Bazardo if he continues to pitch as poorly as he has in the spring.

My list of the top 100 prospects for the NFL draft, 26-50...

2008-03-19T08:26:00.001-04:00

26. Philip Merling, DE, Clemson- More of a run stuffing left end who can play multiple positions. He just had hernia surgery that may be a problem for a while.
27. Dan Connor, LB, PSU- He's a tough guy to read, and he's also a tough guy. I don't see him as a MLB, but more as a SLB. He'll be a good player, and a safe pick.
28. Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas- He finally gets to break free from McFadden, and show what he can do on his own. He'll be part of a good committee, which is what you need in the NFL. He hasn't shown if he can take a pounding.
29. Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma- He's big and strong, but I think he's bust material. He's not a bad player, but the NFL can be tough for bigger receivers.
30. Sam Baker, OT, USC- He's been relatively quiet this offseason. I think he can be a solid pro, but not a special one. He has a decent frame, and decent footwork.
31. Kentwan Balmer, DT, UNC- I see him as more of a left end in a 3-4, than as a tackle. He'll be useful against the run that way, and can swing inside on third down.
32. Desean Jackson, WR, Cal- Everybody has waited for him to break loose and become a superstar, but he is a very nice player. He needs to be put in a position where he can succeed, such as returning kicks, and slowly becoming acclimated to receiver.
33. Limas Sweed, WR, Texas- He's a very good route runner, and a solid receiver. This is a solid class, and he personifies it.
34. Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware- He's got a huge arm, and an upside to be the best QB from this draft class.
35. Gosder Cherilus, OT, BC- He plays with a mean streak that I like. He is a right tackle, and has room to be a terrific player. He needs more experience.
36. Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers- He's a little firebug, but he'll whack you, too. He's got a lot of energy, and is fun to watch.
37. Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona- He's an exciting player, in more ways than one. Like Talib, he'll take his chances, but he's a tough player. He's also a good returner.
38. Jamaal Charles, RB, Texas- He'd be ranked much higher if he didn't have a problem fumbling. If he corrects that problem, the sky is the limit.
39. Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC- I think he's underrated here, but he's the type who always shows up. It's not hard to find his number when you're watching him.
40. Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana- He should be ranked higher because he can cover, but I knock him down because he's not a tough football player. I need to see him tackle properly, instead redirecting people out of bounds, which is his favorite technique.
41. Trevor Laws, DT, ND- Just a bundle of energy. He shouldn't be ranked this high, but he's made it this high with his non-stop motor. One of my favorites in this draft.
42. Mario Manningham, WR, UM- He should be ranked higher, which is a challenge to him. He was a big play guy at UM, I don't know if it was the QB, or him.
43. Early Doucet, WR, LSU- He's a solid possession type, who can help a lot of teams.
44. Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue- He's not a TE per se, he's not a blocker. He is a matchup problem for defenses. He needs to prove that he's not a workout warrior, but can do a lot more. He does remind me of KWII.
45. Curtis Lofton, LB, OU- He's not a lateral guy, he's one of those straight ahead, snot nosed type of nasty MLB's that will play many years in this league.
46. Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina- Talk about matchup problems? Who do you cover him with? I think what he does best is that he's a great receiver from the backfield.
47. Erin Henderson, LB, Maryland- Reminds me of his brother, and can be a top MLB himself. Safe pick, and good player.
48. Chilo Rachal, OG, USC- In a weak class, he's a versatile type who can play multiple positions. More of a protection guy than a mover, though.
49. Chris Ellis, DE, Va Tech- I think he's underrated, and can surprise. He's a solid end, and we haven't seen his best work yet.
50. Xavier Adibi, LB, Va Tech- He's a little undersized, he needs to hit the weight room. He's more solid than spectacular.

My list of the top 100 prospects for the NFL draft, 1-25

2008-03-19T06:05:00.002-04:00

1. Vernon Gholston, DE, OSU- He is the best pass rusher in this draft, and can beat his man with power. I am convinced he is the best prospect in this draft.

2. Chris Long, DE, Virginia- He's very versatile, and has a great motor. You can't miss with either Gholston or Long, I think Gholston will be more productive.

3. Jake Long, OT, UM- He's a Pro Bowl Right Tackle right now, a very safe pick to be an outstanding player. He can play left, so he is versatile. If healthy, he's a future Hall of Famer.

4. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas- He has some off the field issues that make him a risky pick, but on the field he is dynamite. I have doubts, though, whether he can make the tough runs, where he needs to get the most out of what is there.

5. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State- He's a franchise type corner, who can play in many defenses, and different coverages. He's the best corner I've seen come out since Deion Sanders.

6. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU- He needs to prove he's healthy, but he's sort of a tweener tackle for me. He'd be great as a three technique, though.

7. Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC- He could bounce around, and play different fronts. He was awesome at the Senior Bowl, but inexplicably gained weight and looked heavy at the combine. He needs better consultation.

8. Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State- More of a pure left tackle than Long, but not as good a player overall. He'll likely start from day one, and be a solid starter for years to come.

9. Keith Rivers, LB, USC- He's a pure LB who shouldn't be pigeon holed into weak side lb. He can play any position, and could be a Pro Bowler down the road.

10. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Ill- He's a very tough runner, which is tough to guage from running backs in spread offenses, but not tough to see with him. He's not far behind McFadden in ability, and might be a safer pick.

11. Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy- He's a very tough kid who will whack you when he gets a chance. Great in all facets, but his ball skills aren't up to snuff. He's a good returner, although I would doubt many teams would risk his talent on returns.

12. Derrick Harvey, DE, Fla- He's much better against the run than given credit for, but isn't as good a pass rusher as thought. He's a solid player who will produce, though. He is a right end.

13. Chris Williams, OT, Vandy- I've gone back and forth on him, but he's got great feet, and great hand placement. He's not very physical at the point of attack, and whomever takes him will need to work him up. He's a deluxe left tackle.

14. Mike Jenkins, CB, USF- He's had some off the field troubles, but I've liked him. He has upside, but will need some time before starting. He's a good hitter, and is pretty good in coverage.

15. Brandon Albert, G/T, Va- He's gone under the radar, but is one of the best football players in this draft. He's versatile, but could be a top LG in a year or so. He can also play RT.

16. Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas- He's a smooth player, but a risky one. If you don't mind the mistakes, which are manageable, he's a very good corner. He just needs to learn when to take risks, and when not to.

17. Chad Henne, QB, UM- I realize I have him rated higher than everybody else, but he's the best pure QB in this draft to me. He reminds me of Mark Bulger in that he throws a beautiful ball that is easy to catch.

18. Jonathon Stewart, RB, Oregon- If healthy, he's just behind the other two running backs, but he's also got the best frame to take the pounding at the next level. It's not easy to project spread to the NFL, which makes it tougher for these backs.

19. Matt Ryan, QB, BC- I have a hard time putting him this high, but there are things to like about him. Everybody talks about his intangibles being off the charts, but what about his tangibles? If somebody wants to risk a top 10 pick, it wouldn't be me.

20. Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee- He reminds me of Al Wilson, the way he plays so low; and plays with great leverage. He's a cover 2 MLB.

21. Devin Thomas, WR, MSU- He's got fresh legs, and I believe deeply he's got the best set of tools to be the best WR in this draft by a comfortable margin.

22. Quentin Groves, DE/LB, Auburn- He's versatile, the type who could play OLB in a 3-4, or put his hand down as a 4-3 down lineman. He's had injury issues, but I think he's a tough player.

23. Kenny Phillips, S, Miami-Fla- He's got great size, and can cover. He can play both safety positions.

24. Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt- He scares me. He reminds me of Stockar McDougle, so buyer beware. He's not athletically gifted, but is a taxi ride to get around. He handled Chris Long well, so he's got that on his resume.

25. Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville- His injuries have hurt him, he was ranked higher last year. Them's the breaks, but he's still likely to start in the NFL.

Lions cut Kevin Jones...

2008-03-14T11:26:00.003-04:00

I have to admit, I did not see this coming. He's not a franchise back, but he's definitely a winner; nobody has ever run harder than Kevin Jones. The Lions cite the injuries, and the cap for reasons he was released, but he's well worth the 2.5 million in cap room the Lions had on him. The Lions now have a real need at running back that must be addressed in the draft, and I hope they play it smart. Keeping Jones through the draft wouldn't have exposed the need as much, but it is what it is. Playing it smart in the draft would not be jumping up in the first to beat the Bears to the punch. Take what is there, and take the best player available, especially in the first round. The Lions can use a pass rusher, although I'm not enamored with the middle round pass rushers; they can use a tackle, although there is quite a dip there, too. If the Lions can be patient, and even drop back in the first, they should be rewarded. This is a deep draft.

Free agency coming to a close...

2008-03-11T08:34:00.003-04:00

It's not over yet, but for all practical purposes the Lions are done with free agency for 2008. What impresses me about what they accomplished is that they are using the system correctly. They are almost assured of at least a couple of compensatory picks in next year's draft from their work this year. Getting a top corner in the Shaun Rogers deal helps measurably, as they didn't have to fill that hole in free agency. The Lions could sign Leigh Bodden to a long term deal now that he is their property. He seems to be a good match for the cover 2. According to the GBN Draft Report Scoreboard, I would project the Lions for two picks so far; and those could be as high as fourth and fifth round picks.

Scouting Combine, Day Four (DB's)

2008-02-27T09:13:00.002-05:00

I was looking forward to the Defensive Backs putting on a show, and they did not disappoint. The star of the show was Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who ran sensational times and looked fantastic in drills. Also looking fantastic among the corners were Aqib Talib, Leodis McKelvin, Justin King, and Mike Jenkins. Disappointments included Brandon Flowers and Chevis Jackson, who ran slow forties, and may be consideration to move to safety. As far as Safeties were concerned, Josh Barrett of ASU and Kenny Phillips were the top of the safety class. Barrett, in particular, has talent reminiscent of LaRon Landry from last year's class. In all, the DB's were the class of the combine, and most likely the strongest position well to draft from in April. This is as deep a class of corners I have ever seen.

Scouting Combine, Day Three (DL and LB's)

2008-02-26T06:10:00.002-05:00

Vernon Gholston and Chris Long both put on a spectacular show at the combine, and showed why they are the cream of the crop for this upcoming draft. I was impressed with the pass rushers much more than the tackles and LB's. Hybrid types include Cliff Avril, Quentin Groves, Marcus Howard, and Shawn Crable all were impressive as all showed they are versatile, and can play different roles in different defenses. Larger End types also were impressing such as Jason Jones, Lawrence Jackson, Chris Harrington, and Jeremy Thompson. I was disappointed that Phillip Merling did not work out, as well as some tackles such as Kentwan Balmer and Glenn Dorsey. I wasn't really impressed with the tackle class as a whole, but some such as Dre Moore, DeMario Pressley, and Trevor Laws stuck out. Sedrick Ellis worked out, and disappointed a bit, but he's still an elite football player. He might have gained too much weight after dominating the Senior Bowl practices and game.

As far as OLB's are concerned, the best (Beau Bell, Keith Rivers) did not work out, and it showed. Some did impress with their speed, such as Wesley Woodyard (who had a great Sr Bowl), Gary Guyton, and Stanford Keglar. ILB's that stood out included personal favorite Jerod Mayo, Curtis Lofton, and Phillip Wheeler. Overall, today was dominated by pass rushers, ends, and versatile players.

Scouting Combine, Day Two (RB's, QB's, and WR's)

2008-02-24T15:39:00.002-05:00

A lot will be made out of Darren McFadden's 4.27 today, but in his next run, he ran a 4.33, which was a little better than Rashard Mendenhall's 4.37 on his second run. Both are outstanding RB's, but not in the conversation when comparing to Adrian Peterson from last year. Both ran in spread offenses, which is very hard to grade RB's when moving to the next level. Speaking of spread offenses, what killed UM this year showed itself again today when Dexter Jackson of Appy State ran a 4.27, and looked OK in the drills. I've been high on him, and also on MSU's Devin Thomas, who lit up the combine with a 4.32 forty, and excellent work on the drills. He might be the #1 WR available, or close to it. Other skill position guys besides the obvious top couple of players that impressed me were WR's Andre Caldwell, Eddie Royal, Lavelle Hawkins, Will Franklin, and Jordy Nelson. RB's that impressed included Kevin Smith, Matt Forte, Tashard Choice, Chris Johnson, and Felix Jones. RB and WR both look to have pretty deep classes that will thin out around the fourth round or so.

As far as the QB's are concerned, Josh Johnson ran a 4.44, which goes along with his body of work to create a buzz upward that suggests he'll probably be drafted in the second round. Chad Henne still throws the most accurate passes to me, and is still my #1 QB. The only thing working against Josh Johnson is his level of competition, otherwise he could go even higher. Other QB's that caught my eye included Joe Flacco and Brian Brohm. Flacco is a natural ball thrower with a strong arm, and Brohm has an average arm, but has been a high output guy in college. There is good balance in the top echelon of QB's, but there are only about 10 draftable QB's in this draft.

Scouting Combine, Day One (OL and TE's)

2008-02-23T15:02:00.003-05:00

Today is a day that Dustin Keller rose to the top of the fine TE class. He showed elite speed and explosion, running a 4.53 forty, jumped a 38 inch vertical, and showed off his fine hands. He's not an inline blocker at all, but he's in the conversation with the elite class of athletic pass catching TE's in the league, such as Kellen Winslow. Other TE's I really liked today included Kellen Davis of MSU, Brad Cottam of Tennessee, and Jacob Tamme of Kentucky. As much as Keller impressed, others such as John Carlson of Notre Dame did not. Carlson ran in the 4.9 range, and doesn't look physically gifted as the others. Fred Davis did not run, and looked to impress catching, which he did not do. Jeremichal Finley was impressive, and others did well. Overall, this is an outstanding Tight End class, with solid starters available after day one.

I was also pretty impressed with the overall athleticism of the offensive line group. Jake Long was by far the best OL prospect, and to me, he's a Pro Bowl Right Tackle who can play Left, but I'd play him at Right Tackle. Others that have caught my eye include Chris Williams of Vandy, who's a finesse Left Tackle type. Jeff Otah of Pitt sets up too high for my liking, but he's a brawler who must play the right side only. Other top tackles did not run or participate in drills due to injury including Ryan Clady and Sam Baker. Other tackles that caught my eyes included Gosder Cherilus of BC, Carl Nicks of Nebraska, and Kirk Barton of OSU. All three profile at Right Tackle, and are good prospects to start early at the next level. The guard/center class is a little down this year, but sprinkled with good players including Branden Albert of Virginia, and John Sullivan of Notre Dame.

The Lions are starting to "get it"....

2008-02-20T10:46:00.004-05:00

The Lions are starting to figure the off-season out. You're either chasing after the top free agents, and leaving yourself vulnerable to the draft; or you're allowing your players to test the open market, leaving the possibilities for extra comp picks in the next draft. In Tom Kowalski's column in MLive, coach Rod Marinelli talks about not missing on players:

"The one thing we've been able to do well, or better, is we're not missing on that first day," Marinelli said. "You've got to have a guy starting for you. Those first-round and second-round picks need to be solid. And then, on the second day, we've just got to find guys who will make our team and eventually be starters for us.
"You understand you're going to miss on guys, but you've got to limit your misses."

Coach Marinelli talks about the UFA's in today's Detroit News...

Free-agent focus
The Lions won't try to re-sign any of their 13 players who will become unrestricted free agents before they go on the market, Marinelli said.
"I don't see it happening," Marinelli said. "I think guys want to go out and test the market. They should."
Damien Woody , who played right offensive tackle the last five games, should get the most attention.
"We'll have to see how the market looks at him," Marinelli said. "He had a real nice run there."
Linebacker Boss Bailey is the only full-time starter who will be a free agent. The others are linebacker Teddy Lehman , running backs T.J. Duckett , Aveion Cason and Tatum Bell , tight end John Owens , defensive backs Tony Beckham , Idris Bashir , Smith and Fisher, offensive tackle George Foster and wide receiver Troy Walters .
Four players will be restricted free agents -- quarterback Dan Orlovsky , guard Stephen Peterman , defensive tackle Langston Moore and Wilson.

Two teams that come to mind that have taken advantage of letting their free agents go and using comp picks wisely are the Packers and the Eagles, who consistently garner extra picks each year, and it allows them to stay away from free agency for the most part. Remember, the Lions are only replacing one starter, so this is a chance to start a roll, and keep it going down the road.

Team needs...

2008-02-19T09:52:00.001-05:00

I think Great Blue North covered the Lion's team needs very well...

DETROIT: The Lions did make some strides in 2007, however, there still wasn’t much to celebrate in Detroit after a 1-7 collapse in the second half of the season. And if the Lions are going to continue to improve, they will have to shore up the NFL’s worst defense which allowed 378 yards and 28 points per game. In fact, the Lions need help just about everywhere on defense, but perhaps mostly in the secondary that routinely was picked on last fall. In particular, the Lions need a major upgrade on the corners where they could add 2-3 bodies either through the draft or free agency this winter. The secondary would also get a boost from an improved pass rush and the Lions could look to add another DE with some outside quickness. The Lions will also be looking for a new MLB with incumbent starter Paris Lenon expected to shift outside. The Lions also have to resolve the situation regarding DT Shaun Rogers, who is the team’s best player on defense, but too often has been a nonfactor because of a sometimes questionable motor, while he frequently has to come off the field because of conditioning issues or with an ailing knee. If Rogers is traded then the Lions clearly will need to try and fill the gap along the line, and may do so even if Rogers stays. On the other side of the all, the Lions have had a revolving door at RT, although former OG Damion Woody did a nice job there late in the season and could be the answer if he doesn’t leave as a free agent. The Lions could also make use of a pass-receiving TE, as well as some depth at RB with quickness. Primary needs: CB, OT, MLB, DE, TE, DT, RB

Scouting combine week...

2008-02-19T09:20:00.002-05:00

Finally, the combines are here, and we can put times on the players, resulting in final grades. I love Jimmie Lake's comments on the type of corner he's looking for:

Lake: “I’m looking for body movement first. If they have the raw skills that I see on film – body movement-wise, good hips, good speed, good ball awareness – if they have all those little raw tools that I can work with – then I know I can mold them into a very good top-level player in the NFL. That’s all I’m looking for. If I see a guy that I can see right away that he’s limited athletically, then that’ll definitely be a guy that I mark off my list.”

I'm looking forward to the type of corners he's looking at in the draft. I also like what Marinelli says in the same article about who you draft in each round:

Head Coach Rod Marinelli on the difference between picking 15th and picking 2nd: “Well, you’ve got to look at more guys, obviously, but it’s the same thing. I think the temptation the farther you go down the draft is to reach up for somebody where (you compromise character because he is the best player available). I still think you have to keep a certain standard of what you want.”

Al Wilson visits Lions...

2008-02-12T19:02:00.000-05:00

According to The Denver Post, the Lions are visiting with MLB Al Wilson today. This would be a nice sign, especially since Wilson is considered a "street" free agent. He wouldn't count in the free agent scoreboard for free agent compensation; which is a plus. He's 30 years old and coming off a neck injury in 2006, so he's had a full year to heal. The Lions have shown prior interest in him, so I'd expect it's very possible a deal could be had today. If the Lions signed Wilson, they'd most likely move Paris Lenon to the strong side, and Boss Bailey wouldn't be brought back. Bailey is as much a medical risk as Wilson, but Wilson is a better player.

Santana trade thoughts...

2008-02-03T06:31:00.000-05:00

The incredible thing about the whole Johan Santana mess is that I think the Twins would have gotten more for their money if they had held onto Santana, and let him go as an A free agent. They were guaranteed a first round pick since his only market was New York and Boston. That coupled with a first round sandwich pick would have netted a bigger haul in my mind than what they got. As good as the A.J. Pierzinski trade was for them, this trade will set them back. They could have made some noise in the AL Central race with Santana, but now they're done. Another part of this equation is the contract, and how it will affect others. The Indians have to be worried that they'll have to unload C.C. Sabathia for a similar package.

Jack Ikegwuonu wrecks knee...

2008-01-26T06:40:00.000-05:00

There goes one of my favorite underrated corners in this draft. Jack Ikegwuonu tore his ACL in a training incident, and is likely out for 2008. He might be worth a 7th round flyer, but he might not sign and re-enter the draft next year. Corners are looking really strong, and the Lions should come away with at least one, hopefully two high-tier corners that would strengthen a unit that needs it. This is a quick list of the top cover two corners that would help the Lions....

1. Leodis McKelvin- Despite the small school stature, has showed all week at the SR Bowl practices that he should be a first round pick.
2. Mike Jenkins- I am leary of his off-field indiscretions, and whether he's a willing tackler or not. He gets the high grade, with an asterisk.
3. Charles Godfrey- Perfect 2nd round pick for the Lions. I love his size, his willingness, and cover ability.
4. Patrick Lee- Another candidate for the 2nd round, if their value doesn't increase too much. Great size and athleticism. Good ball skills.
5. Aqib Talib- I need his forty time. I need to know he can run well enough to cover in the NFL.
6. Tracey Porter- As a pure corner, he's pretty good. I don't know if he's tough enough to play the run. He's not a returner.
7. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie- A late riser, who might rise higher if he runs premium times. A physical freak who is rough around the edges. Great size and ball skills.
8. Antoine Cason- Another guy I'd really like a 40 time before assessing a final grade. He's a good returner, and has good ball skills.
9. Justin King- Good size-speed, he's had mental lapses that has hindered his play. He might have been dinged up, but he looks the part. I think he might be underrated.
10. Terrel Thomas- Great size, but isn't a burner. Good fit for cover two.

Senior Bowl Practices, Days 1 and 2....

2008-01-23T06:17:00.000-05:00

After seeing both rosters for the Senior Bowl, I am much more impressed with the North team than I am the South team. After watching Colt Brennan Tuesday, he is completely off my draft board. He can't make NFL throws. He should have tried to sneak under the radar, not let people see him workout, because the practice here exposed him. The position of interest to me here is at corner, where there is an abundance of talent on display. Charles Godfrey has been particularly impressive, he's a big (5'11"; 207) corner who plays a nice physical game. Leodis McKelvin is also impressive, as is Terrell Thomas of USC. I'm also starting to like Terry Porter a little more, but he's not a physical cover two type of corner. Other corners I'm keeping an eye on down there are Patrick Lee of Auburn, Chevis Jackson of LSU, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of Tennessee State. He's a very rough version of his cousin, but he's got his size and athleticism.

Linebackers are also showing well in Mobile, especially on the North side. Keith Rivers is a smooth big man, and Dan Connor is a typical Penn State LB. I like Jordon Dizon of Colorado, although he needs to add weight (6'0"; 220 lbs) since I think he'd play well inside. There are different types of LBer's, a little bit for everyone. Shawn Crable is a 3-4 type, and on the other spectrum, Xavier Adibi at 6'2", 219 is more of a weakside 4-3 LBer. Other top LB's include Ali Highsmith of LSU, Phillip Wheeler of GT, and Ben Moffitt of South Florida.

Junior list is out...

2008-01-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

http://www.gbnreport.com/juniors.htm

PLAYER	POS	H/W	SCHOOL	CL
Darren McFadden	RB	6-1, 215	Arkansas	JR
Ryan Clady	OT	6-5, 320	Boise State	JR
Rashard Mendenhall	RB	6-1, 210	Illinois	JR
Vernon Gholston	DE	6-4, 260	Ohio State	JR
Derrick Harvey	DE	6-5, 250	Florida	JR
Kenny Phillips	FS	6-1, 205	Miami	JR
Felix Jones	RB	6-0, 207	Arkansas	JR
Calais Campbell	DE	6-8, 280	Miami	JR
DeSean Jackson	WR	5-11, 175	California	JR
Malcolm Kelly	WR	6-4, 220	Oklahoma	JR
Mario Manningham	WR	6-0, 180	Michigan	JR
Ray Rice	RB	5-9, 195	Rutgers	JR
Curtis Lofton	LB	6-0, 240	Oklahoma	JR
Steve Slaton	RB	5-9, 200	West Virginia	JR
Aqib Talib	CB	6-1, 205	Kansas	JR
Jonathan Stewart	RB	5-10, 230	Oregon	JR
Pat Sims	DT	6-3, 315	Auburn	JR
Jamaal Charles	RB	6-0, 200	Texas	JR
Kevin Smith	RB	6-1, 212	Central Florida	JR
James Hardy	WR	6-6, 220	Indiana	JR
Reggie Smith	DB	6-0, 205	Oklahoma	JR
Earl Bennett	WR	6-1, 205	Vanderbilt	JR
Devin Thomas	WR	6-1, 215	Michigan State	JR
Jake Ikegwuono	CB	6-0, 200	Wisconsin	JR
Phillip Merling	DE	6-5, 275	Clemson	JR
Justin King	CB	5-11, 185	Penn State	JR
Martellus Bennett	TE	6-7, 255	Texas A&M	JR
Branden Flowers	CB	5-9, 180	Virginia Tech	JR
Jerod Mayo	LB	6-1, 235	Tennessee	JR
Anthony Collins	OT	6-5, 310	Kansas	JR
Adrian Arrington	WR	6-2, 190	Michigan	JR
James Davis	RB	5-10, 210	Clemson	JR
Ryan Grice-Mullins	WR	5-9, 185	Hawaii	JR
Davonne Bess	WR	5-9, 195	Hawaii	JR
Erin Henderson	LB	6-2, 236	Maryland	JR
Geno Hayes	LB	6-2, 220	Florida State	JR
Branden Albert	OG	6-6, 336	Virginia	JR
Mario Urruttia	WR	6-6, 220	Louisville	JR
Jeremichael Finley	TE	6-5, 240	Texas	RSO
Darius Reynaud	WR	5-9, 200	West Virginia	JR*
DaJuan Morgan	FS	6-1, 205	North Carolina State	JR
Lamar Myles	LB	6-0, 220	Louisville	JR
Jonathan Dingle	DE	6-3, 275	West Virginia	JR
Chili Rachal	OG	6-5, 315	Southern California	JR
Joe Scandrick	CB	5-11, 190	Boise State	JR
Letroy Guion	DT	6-4, 295	Florida State	JR
Franklin Dunbar	OT	6-5, 345	Middle Tennessee State	JR
Taj Smith	WR	6-0, 190	Syracuse	JR
James Banks	WR	6-2, 205	Carson-Newman	JR
Bobby Reid	QB	6-3, 215	Oklahoma State	JR
Xavier Lee	QB	6-4, 232	Florida State	JR

Early off-season thoughts...

2008-01-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

The Lions need to get faster, everywhere on defense, special teams and offense. They need to get it throughout the draft. Take the Packers for instance. They pick up Tramon Williams off the street, and he's a special teams freak. Has the makings to be a top corner also. He was an UDFA picked up from the Texans of all people. This is the type of pickup the Lions need to make, and they can't miss any more. They had a run of missing on first round picks three years in a row that killed them. Other picks haven't made up for them. They had the right idea last year, when through hook or by crook they wrestled 3 picks away in the 2nd round, but they didn't do anything with the players they selected. The Lions can't afford to miss on 2nd round picks, even in a bad draft such as last year. There are very few pass rushers in this draft, and the upper tier corners are a bit iffy. No burners, but some solid guys, so the Lions can afford to go for a top pass rusher like Vernon Gholston (if he comes out, he's the only one I'd consider), or a tackle such as Ryan Clady or Michael Oher. The Lions can get just as good a corner in the 2nd (Aqib Talib, Charles Godfrey and Brandon Flowers) as they would the first round. Other positions of importance are RB, LB, kick returner, etc. If the Lions get a few extra picks via trade of their current roster, they would have to replace that player first.

Ray Rice joining the fray...

2008-01-09T09:20:00.001-05:00

RB wasn't a very strong position in this years draft with the Senior class, but now it's very deep now that Ray Rice has announced his intention to forego his Senior year to enter as a Junior. This is a nice class of Running Backs, with a nice mix of speed and size. I would expect more Juniors to enter the draft by the deadline next Tuesday.

My top pick for the Lions at 15...

2008-01-05T09:12:00.000-05:00

My top 30 Tigers Prospects...

2008-01-04T23:19:00.000-05:00

1. Rick Porcello, RHP, West Michigan
2. Jeff Larish, 1B, Toledo
3. Scott Sizemore, 2B, Erie
4. Danny Worth, SS, Erie
5. Yorman Bazardo, RHP, Detroit
6. Charlie Furbush, LHP, Lakeland
7. James Skelton, C, Lakeland
8. Michael Hollimon, 2B, Toledo
9. Francisco Cruceta, RHP, Detroit
10. Cale Iorg, SS, Lakeland
11. Brandon Hamilton, RHP, West Michigan
12. Deik Scram, CF, Lakeland
13. Matthew Joyce, RF, Toledo
14. Casey Crosby, LHP, Rehab
15. Kody Kaiser, RF, West Michigan
16. Luis Marte, RHP, Lakeland
17. Jeremy Laster, LF, Lakeland
18. Noah Krol, RHP, Erie
19. Jonah Nickerson, RHP, Lakeland
20. Brennan Boesch, RF, Erie
21. Jefferey Gerbe, RHP, Erie
22. Ryan Strieby, 1B, Lakeland
23. Jon Kibler, RHP, West Michigan
24. Justin Henry, 2B, West Michigan
25. Brett Jensen, RHP, Erie
26. Clete Thomas, CF, Erie
27. Casey Fien, RHP, Lakeland
28. Duane Below, LHP, Lakeland
29. Virgil Vazquez, RHP, Toledo
30. Jordan Tata, RHP, Toledo

I included positions and 2008 destinations where I would put them.

Derrick Harvey declares for NFL draft...

2008-01-03T18:19:00.000-05:00

Still waiting for Vernon Gholston, whom I feel will be the best pass rusher to come out. Harvey was man-handled by Jake Long in U-M's victory over Florida, and he's too lanky to be an every down DE. Harvey is more likely to fit a 3-4 scheme as an OLB.

Mike Martz has been fired...

2008-01-02T12:38:00.000-05:00

According to ESPN.com, Mike Martz has been fired, with Jim Colletto being named the Offensive Coordinator, basically taking care of the running game, with Kippy Brown being promoted to Assistant Head Coach while both Brown and Colletto keep their positional duties. Obviously Martz's downfall will also take Wilbert Montgomery and son Tim Martz with him. Martz has been linked to the OC job in SF, and I don't expect him to be a HC candidate any time soon. The Lions are expected to simplify their schemes on offense, but there is a long way to go still. The Lions have work to do on the offensive line, backup running back, Tight End, let alone take care of all their defensive shortcomings. I don't expect they'll be able to fix everything this off-season, nor should they try to. Just get as many good players as possible.

Bowl report on offensive prospects...

2008-01-01T20:53:00.000-05:00

Chad Henne was as good as I've ever seen him, he's got to have opened some eyes when it comes to where the QB's rank right now. If his shoulder is sound, I'd rank him #1, but he won't be ranked that high by others. Regardless, he's a first round high quality QB right now. A couple of others who impressed today and over the weekend include such RB's as Jonathon Stewart of Oregon, Ray Rice of Rutgers, and Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois. Two that disappointed were Mike Hart of U-M, and especially Darren McFadden of Arkansas. Hart lacked burst, and even fumbled twice, which is his main selling point. Arkansas had a terrible game altogether, as they were completely mismatched by underrated Missouri. A few other other offensive players caught my eye, such as TE Fred Davis of USC, Tony Temple of Missouri, and Graham Harrell of Texas Tech. I was disappointed with Erik Ainge, who didn't look very accurate, and missed some easy throws.

Lions set to fire Martz, hire Kippy Brown as OC?

2007-12-30T07:16:00.000-05:00

In this article on ESPN.com, obviously there's more to the firing of Mike Martz than just rumor. How this gets out before the last game I'll never know, but it must have come from Martz's (agent) end. Kippy Brown has been an offensive coordinator before, for the Miami Dolphins in 1998 and 1999 seasons under Jimmie Johnson. This sort of information should not get out until the day after the last game, as it benefits nobody.

Jamaal Charles...

2007-12-28T12:12:00.000-05:00

Sure looked like a top back who is NFL ready in Texas's win over Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl. ASU looked horrible, and Texas looked good, especially when running the ball. Charles should come out now, and he should be a first round pick.

Tiger thoughts...

2007-12-26T11:02:00.000-05:00

Looking at Yorman Bazardo short term, he makes sense as a seventh inning replacement for Joel Zumaya, although long term, he'd fit into the rotation pretty well. With all of the trades the Tigers have made this off-season, Bazardo is one of the few rotation choices they have. I'd also hope he would get spot starts should the situation arrive this year. This is great value for trading Jeff Frazier a year ago.

Updated selection order...

2007-12-25T12:08:00.000-05:00

If the draft was held today, the Lions would pick 17th. If they beat the Packers in week 17, they could pick as high as 19th; and if they lose they could pick as high as 13th.

There are also rumors that Mike Martz is on his way out of Detroit. If this is true, Rod Marinelli needs to look around the league for someone experienced enough to handle the offense, yet talented enough to make a difference. Hue Jackson of the Atlanta Falcons is sure to be a top candidate, since he and Rod Marinelli have a long history together. If the Lions have a young star in the making, ala Josh McDaniel/Jason Garrett type, I'd suggest current QB coach Adam Gase.

Kevin Jones injury front...

2007-12-24T17:53:00.000-05:00

Well, it happened again. Kevin Jones got injured at the end of the first half, a torn ACL. My first reaction was that it looked like it would be a broken leg, which might have been a better case scenario. He's looking at 8-10 months of recovery time, which would face him squarely in the same position as he was this year. He'll probably be on PUP during training camp, so the Lions need to be looking at free agent running backs, and running backs in the draft. As luck would have it, it's a decent year for running backs, and the Lions need to look at that position long term, instead of just a short-term fix. I'd love to have Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart in the 2nd round; he's the type of back who would do well in the Lions system. The first round is not a consideration for RB. The Lions need a corner or a pass rusher.

My thoughts on Lions putting Roy on IR...

2007-12-22T10:05:00.000-05:00

I have no problems with the Lions putting Roy on IR, and signing rookie LB Buster Davis from the practice squad, but I don't know if this will accomplish much, either. I only see Davis as a possible help on special teams, which has been horrible, so no risk there. The Lions also get to use Calvin Johnson more, but he needs to stay on his feet, and improve his overall awareness. His rookie year has been disappointing, but he's still a very good pick. WR's that big and fast don't come around often, and most rookie receivers struggle.

Draft...

2007-12-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

As of today (December 21st, 2007), the Lions have the 14th pick in the draft. The best they can do is pick 9th, since the Raiders are at #8 at 4-10, and mathematically the Lions won't draft ahead of them. This is a good thing this year. There is some nice depth at corner, but we'll have to wait on times from the combine on that. Not a good year for pass rushers, which is a huge need for the Lions. According to the Football Outsiders DVOA (Defense-Adjusted Value over Average) in rankings of Defense vs. Types of receivers, the Lions rank 26th in the league vs. #1 receivers and #2 receivers; and #32 vs Running Backs. The Lions must improve in their defense vs. the opposing QB's first read is what it boils down to. The Lions run defense was exposed with their porous effort vs. San Diego, who is lacking any WR threats. That game was very similar to the Minnesota and Philadelphia losses which were blowouts. All three games were on the road, yet stick out as why the Lions are a bad team.

New blog...

2007-12-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

I'm ready for a new blog. No restrictions, but I'll keep it to mostly Lions/Tigers issues. The Tigers just signed Dontrelle Willis to a three year deal for 29 million. Great contract that gives the Tigers flexibility. Dontrelle had a bad year last year, and his K/BB numbers prior to that were less than ideal, but he still has upside at only 25. I'm also excited that he'll make an impact in the community, as seen yesterday when he came to Detroit to sign his deal. Terry Foster had a great story about the kind of impact D-Train can have in this city, and that is important. On the Lions side, their season is over, except for two meaningless games against the Chiefs and Packers. They have plenty of work to do. Draft preparation is well under way, but I'll try and get a good look at as many Bowl games as possible. Also, they are well under the cap next year, and can shave much more money than is already showing when Foster/Bell void out of their deals.
-DH