Detroit Lions Draft Review

1st Round, Pick #13: Nick Fairley (DT Auburn)

Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley on the same team, Wow! Detroit is really serious about this whole Best Player Available strategy, and did not flinch when Fairley, who was in consideration to be the #1 overall pick a month ago, fell to them at 13. Detroit now has the best defensive line in the league, and will be terrorizing opponents backfields for the foreseeable future. I don't give this pick a top grade, because, I love Robert Quinn and I think that he will wind up being one leagues elite pass rushers very soon. Especially with the Lions already having Suh, Corey Williams, and Sammy Hill, which already was a great core of defensive tackles. Fairley at 13 is no doubt a steal though

Grade- B+

2nd Round, Pick #44: Titus Young (WR Boise State)

Detroit's 3 biggest needs coming into the draft were definitely Linebacker, Cornerback, and Safety. Detroit had a pick in each of the first 4 rounds, and didn't come away with a player from any of those positions. Don't get me wrong, I love the best available player strategy, but at some point you have to get players who can play at important positions. When you have only 1 starter at linebacker, 1 starter at safety, and no depth at corner, taking a #3 receiver doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I do really like Titus Young as a player, and I think he will do really well in Detroit, but I don't think he makes them that much better. I would have loved to seen them take my #19 player CB Brandon Harris here.

Grade- C

2nd Round, Pick #57: Mikel Leshoure (RB Illinois)

Although coming into the draft Running Back was not viewed as a pressing need, and they once again passed on positions of need, I like this pick because running the ball is of vital importance, and Detroit now should be able to do that. I personally believe the difference between Mark Ingram and Leshoure for the #1 RB is very slim, and I debated throughout the process of putting Leshoure as my #1 back. He has the power and size that you love, but he also moves very well for a guy his size, and can break off long runs. He is explosive, breaks tackles, and gives the Lions the complementary back they needed to go along with Jahvid Best.

Grade- A-

5th Round, Pick #157: Doug Hogue (OLB Syracuse)

Finally the Lions addressed their huge need at linebacker. ILB Deandre Levy is the only functioning linebacker the Lions have, and he has been constantly injured in his career, so to say the Lions don't have depth at linebacker is being kind. I like Doug Hogue a lot, he was an extremely productive player at Syracuse, and every time I watched a Syracuse game, Hogue was always around the football and making tackles. The big knock against Hogue is his size, at only 6-2 225, he is very undersized, and I have doubts whether he will be able to get off blocks at the next level. I don't mind the pick, but 2 guys I really like who were available where Greg Jones and Quan Sturdivant, who I feel are both much better players.

Grade- C+

7th Round, Pick #209: Johnny Culbreath (OT South Carolina State)

I don't mind this pick at all for Detroit, as Culbreath is a high upside player who comes with no risk in the late stages of the draft. Culbreath was name the MEAC Offensive Lineman of the year, even beating out 2nd round pick Ben Ijalana from Villanova for the award. Culbreath was being looked at by a lot of D-1 Schools coming out of college, but didn't have the academics to qualify, so he went to South Carolina State where he dominated. At 6-6 310, he has the size to play anywhere on the line, and is an above average athlete. He is obviously a work in progress though, but this is a low risk, high reward pick.

Grade- A-