Detroit On The Clock: Draft Day in the D
Kristian Wiles
April 15, 2009
Posted under Detroit Lions
Full disclosure; I am not Mel Kiper. Not only do I lack the helmet-like head of slicked back hair and hyper-aggressive demeanor but also the tremendous knowledge needed to predict the entire first round of draft picks with unbelievable accuracy. So for pick-by-pick draft predictions I am going to do the same thing you are; go to ESPN.com and read what Mel and his crew are saying. In the meantime there is a draft topic that I think needs some special attention.
What the hell is Detroit doing?
This question, if you have been watching the team over the last decade, is relevant beyond the 2009 NFL Draft. Setting a record as the least productive team in NFL history last season is the culmination of a bad decade in the D. That said, Detroit had been shopping around the first overall pick in the draft with no takers. The Cutler option was probably the best one available but with no QB to return to Denver it wasn’t likely to come together. So here we are. The Lions will likely have to fork out the money a number one pick demands so they should make sure it counts.
Most analysts predict that Detroit will take Matthew Stafford, QB from Georgia, as their first pick. He has shown that he is tough, has a strong arm, and has said that he wants to help Detroit rebuild. That’s admirable. It shows confidence and a touch of crazy. Both will be needed to start under center with a team that was 0-16 last season.
Looking at the defensive acquisitions the Lions have made this off-season including LB Julian Peterson, CB’s Anthony Henry and Philip Buchanon, and DT Grady Jackson, it seems to make sense to go with a Stafford. He could start right away or might sit at the start of the season behind Daunte Culpepper who reportedly has lost weight and looks stronger and faster. Even so, I have two problems with Stafford as the number one pick.
First, the Lions have not had a quality offensive line for some time and with several top rated prospects at o-line the team must consider both Jason Smith from Baylor and Eugene Monroe from Virginia. Even if Stafford is capable of being a franchise guy, he won’t be able to do so while lying on the ground of his own backfield. I can name teams that have won a Super Bowl without an amazing QB (see Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson) but I challenge you to name a team that won a championship without a quality offensive line.
The second issue I have with Stafford as Detroit’s pick is the fact that they cannot afford to take a risk. QB’s don’t pan out as often as other positions because the learning curve is so high. Therefore, here’s a word of advice. For those Lions staff members that see themselves as risk takers do not forget the fate of your former leader. Matt Millen was pushed out last year because of a portfolio of bad decisions including poor draft choices. If I were one of the staff still around from the Millen regime I would be looking to make a solid and safe choice rather than going “all in” with a bigger chance of a bust.
But sadly none of this will make much of an immediate impact. No matter which player they end up picking, my “bold” prediction is that the Lions will not make the playoffs.
You heard it here first.
First off, thanks for following me on Twitter. Second of all, I could not agree more. Furthermore, the consensus is that Stafford is not yet NFL-ready, and will likely need a season or two (!!!) on the bench before he’s ready to produce. He’s going to earn far too much money to need that kind of learning time, especially when they can bolster the offensive line now and grab a Bradford or McCoy next year and plug him in instantly.
I agree that the Lions O-Line stinks. I don’t think anybody will argue with that. What I will argue with is that the Lions should not pass on Stafford. This is a guy that people are saying has a stronger arm than Elway (one of the best QB’s of all the times)! He can make any throw on the field accurately. I understand that QB’s are hit and miss, but this guy is a solid pick. Offensive Lineman come along every single year. Remember, they can take a O-Lineman with a top five pick next year. Whether they pick Stafford, Smith, or Monroe they will be one of the worst teams in the league, again.