Please excuse the following sports-related rant, but my frustration withthe “new look” Lions has reached the point where I need to get this off my chest. The Lions’ draft choices over the last several years have been woeful, as anyone who’s had even a passing interest in the team knows. With a new front office supposedly espousing a new, better informed strategy for evaluating and acquiring talent, I was actually looking forward to the 2009 draft with high hopes that management would actually address some of the many positional deficiencies the team currently has. Wow, was I ever wrong. I swear Matt Millen must have been in the Lions’ War Room, because every one of their picks reeks of head-in-ass incompetency. Allow me to break it down for you:
Round 1 (1st Overall): Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia- The first overall pick. What a position to be in. With so many holes to fill, it’s clear that the Lions were faced with an almost overwhelming decision to make. Most experts and fans alike agree that Detroit’s defense is where the team really needs to begin rebuilding, and this year’s crop of available defensive players was bountiful. However, the Matt Millen bromance with quarterbacks lingers in the front office and the Clueless Crew sank their hooks into Mr. Stafford. Arguably the best QB available in the draft (which isn’t saying a whole lot), what good will he bring to the Lions? He needs receivers to catch the ball. The Lions have one ace receiver in Calvin Johnson, but even he can’t catch the ball when the QB is scrambling for his life or laying on the ground with his helmet planted in the turf. The offensive line, my friends, is what allows a quarterback to be all that he can be. How many decently rated QBs have come to Detroit over the years only to be sacked 13 times a game? Ultimately, the Lions’ front office has set a salary record ($42-million in guaranteed money) for a player who cannot thrive without a supporting cast, making little to no impact until that cast can be put into place. My grade: D
Round 1 (20th Overall): Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State- With the pressure of the Number 1 pick out of the way, it was time to get down to business. Surprised as I was to see Stafford as the Lions’ first choice, I thought the following picks would be overwhelming comprised of defensive or offensive line players since many top-rated guys were still on the board. But no. Millen’s spectre instead chose a tight end. Granted, a good blocking TE is an o-line asset and Pettigrew has proven himself to be a guy who can hold his own, but drafting him this high – and missing out on some other key contributors – is highly questionable. My grade: B-
Round 2 (33rd Overall): Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan- Ok, a defensive player. Good, the thought process in the war room seems to be changing. That being said, a safety from a small school as your 3rd pick in the draft? He does possess some speed and good instincts, but with players like Jame Laurinaitis (ILB), Rey Maualuga (ILB), and Eben Britton (OT) still on the board, what were the Lions thinking? The team is relatively deep at the safety position, so once again I am scratching my head as to why the front office would draft depth with such a high pick. My grade: D
Round 3 (76th Overall): DeAndre Levy, OLB, Wisconsin – One glaring hole in the Lions’ defense is the middle linebacker position. Levy may actually be a decent pick, provided the Lions stick to their plan of converting him from the outside to the middle. He’s a good against the run, but not so good in coverage, so he’ll bring a sorely needed stuffing element to the middle of the field. One major problem, however – he’s small. My grade: B
Round 3 (82nd Overall): Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State- Once again, a head-scratcher. At first I thought the triple-headed monster (Mayhew, Schwartz, Lewand) had run out of ideas and was reverting back to Millen’s penchant for drafting wide receiver busts. Looking a little closer, however, I find that Williams is a speedy guy with a bit of an explosive factor. He has the potential to be a helluva return guy, and apparently that’s where the Lions plan to use him. This is a good example of drafting to fill a specific need. My grade: B+
Round 4 (115th Overall): Sammie Lee Hill, DT, Stillman – FINALLY! The Lions are turning attention to their numerous defensive line needs. Unfortunately, they’re looking to a Division II player to bring the size, talent, and skill the team sorely lacks. Schwartz himself has called Hill a developmental player and not likely to make the team this year. A handful of immediate-impact prospects remained at this point in the draft, so it surprises me that the Lions went with futures here. My grade: D
Round 6 (192nd Overall): Aaron Brown, RB, TCU – Apparently the Lions were addressing their special teams issues again by drafting Brown. He’s small, supposedly versatile, but has had a lot of off-field issues. There’s a chance he could make the roster as a backup return specialist, but he brings along a lot of baggage. My grade: F
Round 7 (228th Overall): Lydon Murtha, OT, Nebraska- Tackle is a key position that the Lions really need to fill, but they waited till the final round of the draft to make a go of it. Murtha is an undersized and pretty much one-dimensional player. He’s a run-blocking specialist, but has issues dropping back into coverage. If he makes the squad he’ll likely be a 2-down contributor. My grade: C
Round 7 (235th Overall): Zach Follett, OLB, California- With having passed on so many talented linebackers earlier in the draft, I am once again left to wonder at this pick. Follett struggles with both run and pass coverage, both of which are crucial to be successful at this position. He’s something of a pass rushing specialist, but likely won’t make the team this year. My grade: F
Round 7 (255th Overall): Dan Gronkowski, TE, Maryland – With the next-to-last pick of the 2009 draft, the Lions selected a solid blocking tight end. He’s not as aggressive as he could be, but he has a potentially strong upside. I predict he’ll make more of an impact as a blocker than Pettigrew. My grade: B+
Overall, I give the Lions a D+ for their drafting prowess this year. Of course the true test comes on the field, and over time, but I don’t expect there to be much in the way of redemption. After the draft and some minor dabbling in free agency, the Lions come away with nearly as many holes as they had before getting started. Oh well. Go Bengals!
