Lions OFFICIAL 2015 NFL draft thread.

[Gulf of Brazil]

I think the one thing that is missing in here towards that trade down with Denver is you're forgetting the value of Manny Ramirez. Sims cost a 5th round pick to acquire him. The trade down wasn't simply for Denver's 5th rd this year and next. Ramirez had to account for a 4th or 5th round in trade value or some such thing

 

[lionstop1]

If you believe what multiple sites and experts say about Tomlinson he is a mauler and road grader. Not as athletic as guards in the zone blocking schemes. He has trouble getting to the second line of defenders.

Sounds like a guy that play well against the 4-3 and have troubles against the 3-4. Will not be helpful in pulling but will provide space at line of scrimmage. Sounds like a guy the Lions would want to help push the pile and dominate between the tackles.

If that is the case the Lions will be looking for a between the tackles type runner. That is unless they look for that change of pace guy. That between the tackles runner may already be on the team in Bell.

LT will help in pass pro but it looks like his strength is ground and pound.

Keep in mind all these guys will need some developing. None of them come in as perfect prospects. From the sounds of it, this guy is highly clickable and shouldn't have any issues refining his game.

The Lions had issues with the interior line with both pass protection and running it. Theyre trying to correct both aspects. Give Staff a clean pocket and create some running lanes for the RBs. Its simple

 

[Old Lion]

If you believe what multiple sites and experts say about Tomlinson he is a mauler and road grader. Not as athletic as guards in the zone blocking schemes. He has trouble getting to the second line of defenders.

Sounds like a guy that play well against the 4-3 and have troubles against the 3-4. Will not be helpful in pulling but will provide space at line of scrimmage. Sounds like a guy the Lions would want to help push the pile and dominate between the tackles.

If that is the case the Lions will be looking for a between the tackles type runner. That is unless they look for that change of pace guy. That between the tackles runner may already be on the team in Bell.

LT will help in pass pro but it looks like his strength is ground and pound.

Exactly what I was getting at. Thanks for the explaining the iner points. Saved me a lot of typing.

 

[Old Lion]

Five spots in the first cost Denver a fifth this year and next year. You think 15 spots in the second would be that much more expensive? If it would, I like Zenner more than I did yesterday.

Just going by the chart. I would offer a 5th and next years 3rd to swap 2nds with Titans or Bucs. Maybe even throw in a 7th to sweeten it.

 

[jayfan]

What? Who's got a copy of the Lion's board?

Lol, you can use that response for every pick ever made in the history of the draft. Why even discuss BPA, then?

 

[gandydancer]

Big Blue I got to give you credit for calling the trade back as you been talking to me about it for two months now you never had Denver in a scenario but you sure as hell had 16 other ones so I surely got to give you credit for calling that good job Gil Brandt Junior

 

[Mebert]

I don't mind the trade back, and I love the future for the oline now. I would rather have a pick than Ramirez, but I will admit I MIGHT have a slight bias against him.

My brother is a Broncos fan, going into the superbowl 2 years ago we got into a rather heated argument about Ramirez, after that first snap I might have been a little bit.........aggressively assholish? It has been a long day of Ramirez texts and they will continue, I deserve it but I don't have to like it!

 

[lionstop1]

On NFL Network, they're saying teams better draft their RBs because there is a considerable drop off after the next five.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

there are quite a few teams in that top 20 of 2nd round that may have a need for a RB if one fits their scheme. I won't be surprised to see a OT drafted by us in the 2nd round should he be a top Mayhew's own Big Board. Maybe the OT is more of a priority as the drop-off for a capable starter could be higher with that position than drafting what might appear to be more complimentary RB. I'm not getting into the debate of what Bell is or isn't considered as a RB,. I've been down that road.

I do agree with you, Lionstop1, that the drop-off in the next few RB's is significant.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

What if we traded the 2nd to the Jets for Wilkerson and Milliner?

I haven't looked at their contracts though so I don't know what we might be inheriting there.

 

[lionstop1]

What if we traded the 2nd to the Jets for Wilkerson and Milliner?

I haven't looked at their contracts though so I don't know what we might be inheriting there.

What if we traded the 2nd to the Jets for Wilkerson and Milliner?

I haven't looked at their contracts though so I don't know what we might be inheriting there.

I would like that. Wilkerson wants a new deal though.

 

[Stomp]

Here's a nice right up on a few of the running backs that aren't getting talked about as much maybe some good late round targets

"

1. Mike Davis

Anyone who talked to me about the draft before the season knew this was my guy. I was absolutely in love with Mike Davis. He was actually my most desired back until about November. There is a certain ... flavor to Davis' game. Unforunately, his 2014 season didn't nearly live up to what I wanted from him, but that was almost certainly due to a rib injury he suffered incredibly early. At the combine, though, he looked like the Mike Davis I remembered from 2013.

For those of you who haven't heard me preach about the glory that is Mike Davis, let me fill you in. The SCAR back stands at a whopping 5'9", 217. He's essentially the exact same size and build as Doug Martin, but let's not get confused here. Davis is exactly what Martin was supposed to be. He's a pinball on the field, bouncing off of hits every which way. Back in 2013, he was an incredibly brutal back that punished defenses all over the field, lining up as a back, receiver, etc. He was an absolute stud that teams just could not bring down.

Davis has that same signature burst that some of the better known backs in this draft are known for (notably Melvin Gordon, Trey Williams, Jay Ajayi). Because of his burst and extremely low center of gravity, he dips under and around penetration, and runs with enough wiggle that it's hard to get your hands on his upper body. Basically, if you haven't heard the term before, think of a boxer and how their bodies can move laterally while still moving forward making them incredibly difficult to hit.

Because of his size, Davis is much more prepared to level a defender than Duke or Abdullah. He bulls into defenders and his legs never stop churning at top speed. He bounces off defenders who don't take him down cleanly and muscles for more, always earning his yards, even if they weren't there in the first place.

By taking Davis, you're getting an incredibly nimble bruiser with good ball security and a penchant for the pass game. He also has a willingness as a pass-blocker. He needs to refine that skill, but at least it's there.

Consensus Value: 4th Round

Darkforce's Value: 2nd-3rd Round

1. Malcolm Brown

Hello, Mr. Underrated. Brown is a former 5 star high school recruit that wound up on an incredibly poor Texas team. Brown is a big, bruiser style back at 5'11", 224. Despite that, he still generates enough acceleration to jump-cut behind the line of scrimmage and still have burst enough to come screaming out of the hole. His cuts are incredibly sharp and throw defenders off, which is perfect since he's a cut-and-go type of back. Once he gets going, he'd rather just plow through. And you don't have to worry about him losing the ball. His fumble rate is a ridiculous 1 in every 619 carries. Using is ball control and ability to get small, he was able to create an absurd amount of positive plays for having no offensive line in front of him at Texas.

At the line of scrimmage, he's a great decision maker, either hitting the hole full force or bouncing outside. One of his most underrated abilities is how quickly he gets up to speed out of cuts and breaks. When he changes direction, it's just another unpredictable burst of speed. On top of that, he understands how to deceive defenses by having a slow approach to the hole and letting blocks develop, allowing more of a crease for him to explode from.

His best attribute has to be his balance. He takes hits from linemen like an absolute champion. He keeps a good pad level through the hits and just keeps driving his legs until he creates space for a second effort, never giving up on a play. Not only that, though, but his balance comes in handy in his pass blocking where he is one of the few running backs able to actually punch block.

My bet is that he's going to thrive in a zone scheme like ours. It would be a shame if he didn't make the league like some are predicting.

Consensus Value: 7th-UDFA

Darkforce's Value: 3rd Round

1. David Johnson

Well, Johnson's not actually that much of a sleeper these days. Having an explosive combine and Senior Bowl like he did tends to make that happen.

Johnson is arguably the most explosive back in the class, doing pretty much everything the 5'9" backs can do. Except that he's 6'1", 224. His physical skill set is drool-worthy. That said, Johnson is incredibly raw. At this point in his career, he's a far better receiver than he is a runner. This is where that physicality thing that I mentioned comes in. See, Johnson is absolutely terrified of contact. You see him go out of his way to avoid it, often losing potential yards in the process. It's like he just flat out doesn't realize how big he is.

That said, Johnson does show definite ability. He's started to develop moves such as his spin, jump-cut and pressing against the line.

Basically, everything is there for Johnson to be a phenom. He just has to learn how to use it all. He needs to learn how to bounce off of hits, use his strength to muscle past defenders and open holes. Stop second-guessing his speed.

If he can develop his instincts and feel for the position as well as his size, he'll be a Pro Bowl runner at the next level. At the very least, he would be a better Theo Riddick for us.

Consensus Value: 3rd Round

Darkforce's Value: 3rd Round

1. Josh Robinson

Robinson is one of those backs that's decent at a lot of things, great at none. Yet for some reason, all he's ever done is be good. No matter how much he's limited, he's always figured out a way to work around that. Robinson is a 5'8", 218 back with average speed and average power.

What sets him apart, though, is that I will guarantee you that he will be the most dedicated player on that field.

As for his skill set, his center of gravity is amazingly low that he can just shrug off hits like they're nothing. He drops his hips to avoid linebackers and has the wherewithall to duck under or spin out of defenders that try to wrap him up. Often times it takes multiple defenders to stop him.

At the end of the day, I see a back like CJ Anderson. All heart, and he turns that into playing potential. Definitely worth a late round flyer.

Consensus Value: 6th Round

Darkforce's Value: 5th Round

1. Corey Grant

I love me some Corey Grant. He's an absolute speed demon at 5'11", 201. Through his whole career, he was just a back-up at Auburn, but he's going to be a late round guy because of his 4.27 forty. He's absolutely explosive in the open field and is a good returner on top of that. Because he played so little, his legs are incredibly fresh, although he hasn't had a real chance to develop his vision yet. Because of his speed, when he lowers his shoulder into corners, it hits like a sledgehammer. A special teamer with speed-back upside.

Consensus Value: 7th Round "

Darkforce's Value: 7th Round

 

[lionstop1]

I would perfer Milliner in that situation though.

 

[Microwahevo]

What if we traded the 2nd to the Jets for Wilkerson and Milliner?

I haven't looked at their contracts though so I don't know what we might be inheriting there.

I heard earlier today that Wilkerson wants to be paid like a top 5 D-lineman..close to Suh/Watt money. Fuck that noise.

 

[Stomp]

I heard earlier today that Wilkerson wants to be paid like a top 5 D-lineman..close to Suh/Watt money. Fuck that noise.

Him and Marcel Dareus should be hitting the market this next year maybe that willl drive his price down a little

 

[Old Lion]

Jets want multiple number 1s for Wilkerson. Good luck with that. Between that and the contract, I wont waste any more time even talking about it.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I don't want see any trade up in the upcoming 2nd rd tonight regarding any of the remaining picks that are left this year. but that's just me. I do want Coleman in a bad way but I hope Mayhew will wait to see who falls into #54.

but that's just me

 

[Old Lion]

I don't want see any trade up in the upcoming 2nd rd tonight regarding any of the remaining picks that are left this year. but that's just me. I do want Coleman in a bad way but I hope Mayhew will wait to see who falls into #54.

but that's just me

Me too. Not sure Coleman is that much better than the rest.

At the very least wait a handful of picks or so until the value is low enough to only cost us our 3rd rounder. Maybe with CHI at 39. Even that may be too steep.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Didn't know anything on the contract situation when I made the post. What's the cost for just Milliner? I'd give serious thought to both the five's we got fron Denver. They could have MR as well.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

At the very least wait a handful of picks or so until the value is low enough to only cost us our 3rd rounder

this team has other needs to fill outside of RB... another DT maybe, a possible replacement at DE for J. Jones maybe or a falling CB that Austin could coach while he's still in Detroit and possibly that RT nearly everyone has mentioned. I wouldn't be giving up that Lions 3rd round #88 pick any single player.