Five to draft for the Lions’ defense

By Os Davis  |   Thursday, April 24, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Detroit Lions
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Warning! A review of the Detroit Lions’ recent record on NFL draft weekend fills the following paragraph: Detroit fans look away, please. It ain’t pretty. In fact, the Lions’ performance during drafts in the 21st century has been beyond ugly in the Matt Millen Era. Surely everyone in Western Civilization is aware of this, but applying a few specifics makes things look – if possible – even worse.

In the past eight years, the Lions have had nine first-round draft picks. Of these, just one – Ernie Sims in 2006 – plays on the defensive side. The last occasion on which Millen and company saw fit to draft an offensive lineman with their top pick, they grabbed OT Jeff Backus; Backus is a Pro Bowler still listed on the team's roster. Five other first-rounders have washed themselves right out of the team, from the likes of useless WR Mike Williams, dissed and dismissed QB Joey Harrington and the recently incomprehensibly cut Kevin Jones.

Just seven of the 22 starters currently listed on the depth chart are products of Detroit draft activity: Backus, Sims, Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Corey Redding, Alex Lewis, and Stanley Wilson. Of these, Lewis will certainly be replaced by opening day to bring the number down to six.

This year, though, coach Rod Marinelli promises things will be different; of course, along with that declared intent, Marinelli divulged a great number of the prospects the Lions deem draft-worthy. Among the pressing needs to be filled are LB, DE, OL and running back.

Though the rumormongers are more and more frequently insisting that the Lions will go for a halfback in Round 1 – Lombardi only knows why ... to tee off super-sensitive Tatum Bell again? – RealFootball365.com is going to assume that sanity will reign for Detroit on draft Saturday. (Yes, we’re aware there’s no precedent for this in the Millen Era.)

A look, then, at a quintet of defenders in whom the Lions are most interested.

Derrick Harvey, University of Florida. Were this any other team, the lead here would be something to the effect of, “If this guy’s still around at No. 15, this selection’s a no-brainer.” Recent draft results in Detroit show that no such thing as “no-brainer” exists for the Motor City Kitties. Or maybe everything’s a no-brainer. In any event, Harvey dominated the Southeastern Conference as a smothering, QB-crushing (20.5 sacks in just 18 starts) defensive end. Just take him, Millen: Harvey can start for you tomorrow and make a sweet good cop-bad cop combination against the pass with Sims.

Bryan Smith, McNeese State. If not the first All-American, how about the second? Being hot for speed to run in the Tampa 2 defense, Smith makes for a nice choice here: He recorded a 4.65 in the 40 at the combine, a swell number for a guy who also cleared 315 in the power lift. Smith was Southland Conference player of the year for 2007 and Southland defensive player of the year in 2006. Though originally forecast as perhaps a seventh-rounder, Smith is moving up the boards. The Lions have reportedly met with the man at least twice, so interest is high here.

Jordon Dizon, University of Colorado. Even though the Lions have often opted for the good ol’ “best available player,” rarely has Millen gone with a multifaceted talent. Dizon could break that trend. As a Buffalo, Dizon was a four-year starter who never missed a game while running up more tackles in his term than any active player except Thomas Keith of Michigan. Additionally, the slightly small (6 feet, 228 pounds) but ultra-quick (timed at 4.59 in the 40 at Colorado) Dizon began his career at safety for UC. Sounds like a Cover 2 guy, doesn’t he?

Curtis Lofton, University of Oklahoma. In terms of tackling, Lofton is similar to Dizon, as a lighter (235 pounds) MLB. The former Sooner showed excellent instincts for getting to the ball carrier with a ridiculous 157 tackles notched in his junior season last year. Unfortunately for the Lions, Lofton is noted as weak against the pass and is generally thought to be better suited for a 4-3 scheme. At his size, though, Lofton would appear to be special-teams material for at least the short-term future.

Jerod Mayo, University of Tennessee. Mayo has been the recipient of lots of positive buzz and, because Washington is also known to be interested, Detroit could end up springing for the Volunteer in Round 2. Yet another slim-but-fleet (6-1, 237 pounds) type, Mayo’s presence on Marinelli’s list indicates the Lions are still looking for speed off the D-line.

Will one of these five – or even (gasp) two – be donning the Honolulu blue-and-silver come 2008 kickoff? This being Millen’s Detroit, it’s so hard to tell. But just a trace of sanity could ease a lot of Motor City anxiety and better yet, actually produce a viable starter. Chins up, Lions: Next year begins this weekend!

Feeling a draft throughout the year at RealFootball365.com

Feeling a draft throughout the year at RealFootball365.com.
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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