The Official 2014 Lions Draft Thread

[jayfan]

24h[/ame]



[URL="[MEDIA=twitter]437691098366869505[/MEDIA]"]22h[/ame]

 

[K.J.Ester]

Look how these positions stack up when compared with depth, potential and overall talent.

Wide Recievers
Calvin Johnson
Kris Durham
Broyles
Ross (ufa)

Linebacker
DeAndre Levy
Stephen Tolluch
Palmer
Tahir Whitehead

Cornerback
Chris Houston
Darrius Slay
Bentley
Greenwood
Jonte Geen

I look at this and feel sick at how weak we are at CB. Sure we have no depth at WR, but we have Calvin and he is the best WR in the NFL. At Cb we not only have crap for depth, but our two starters are a guy who was horrible last year and Slay who may need another year to be ready. All of the others are young players who have yet to show they are worth being on the field.

We can get a very good #2 WR in the 2nd round or later, but the odds of getting a CB who can start this year are near impossible. The only chances are Dennard and Gilbert and even they may need a year to get ready. But if we keep taking Cbs in mid to late rounds we will never have more than Slay as a starter in the future either.

Plus, as long as we have Calvin, we have an offense. Right now we still need CBs to have a defense. Sign a veteran CB for a year or two while Slay and Dennard/Gilbert develop and take a good WR in the 2nd or the first next year and the team will be winning sooner.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

21 isn't that bad when you had freakishly long arms. They posted the combine stats for guys with comparable arm length and what they did in the bench. Guys like Julius Peppers, JJ Watt and Robert Quinn -- one did 24, I think that was Watt, Peppers did 21 and Quinn did 19.

I believe I read he had the longest arms of anyone in the draft or maybe at the DL position? Can't remember exactly what it said.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

As silly as this may sound, I am not very impressed. lol Am I impressed with a guy that size running that fast? Sure, but those speeds would not get me hyped to want a D-Lineman much more.

Think about in a 40 yard race, how little distance there would be between a player who runs 4.5 and 4.8. There really would be very little distance between them. Then you consider how rare it is they will run 40 yards down field. The only time it would make any real difference would be chasing down a QB and a half a second really wouldnt be much when chasing a scrambling player. On most sacks, this difference would be minimal.

I think power and quickness and agility is far more important for D-linemen.

What if I told you that his 10 yard split of 1.56 was better than every QB and better than over half of the running backs and WRs. Aaron Donald's isn't far behind with a 1.59 in the 10 yard split.

The 10 yard split shows off your explosiveness off the ball.

I can say -- if you aren't impressed with those numbers. I'm not sure what is going to impress you.

 

[Mebert]

I like Cody Hoffman in the 7th round. His combine was awful, but he did nothing but put up numbers with horrible QB's throwing his way. I think he is the ideal possession receiver.

 

[lionstop1]

Whew, no offense, but some if you make absolutely no sense at all. People say anything to support their claim.

First of all, most of you keep stating that you would love to add Clowney to a Dline that has the best DT duo in the TNleague, with a very talented DE in Ansah, and then reject the idea of adding a top-tier WR to play with CJ. What kind of logic is that? Obviously, everyone that wants that to happen, its clearly because you want to "add" a dominating player to create a great defensive line. Same concept with a WR. I understsnd that there are options available in the 2nd, but how can anyone figure that it will be a guy that is the BPA or even a guy the Lions like? My line of thinking is that if you have a great need and you have the chance to take the top guys, you do it. I bet SF or Carolina would love to have Mack. They wouldn't bypass him because they already have great LBs.

Secondly, some of you keep talking about how the Lions already have a great offense, stating all the numbers and such. Does anybody not see beyond those numbers and actually understand how the Lions have been able to acheive that? Calvin and the RBs have been the main sources, as the Lions have thrown the ball a milllion times, litterally forcing the issue with CJ because he is the offense. Thats a problem. Its also kind of wierd that some of you are just fine having CJ as the one-man-show. I'm sorry, but using the excuse that we already have CJ, therefore we dont need another impact WR is rediculous. But again, i understand the logic behind taking one in round 2.

 

[lionstop1]

Also, its kind of funny how people would rather have a #1 & a #2 WR versus two potential #1's.

 

[tpaulus_2]

The other thing to consider is that drafting Clowney means we're already cutting bait on Ansah. There's no way we can afford both guys once their rookie deals are up.

 

[RobBase]

The other thing to consider is that drafting Clowney means we're already cutting bait on Ansah.

No it doesn't. They would be book ends.

There's no way we can afford both guys once their rookie deals are up.

Sure there is. With the way rookie deals are in place now, it would easy. Now if BOTH become Suh-level and morph into the best of the best of the best, then maybe you're right. But if that happens that means something really good happened to the Lions in the next 4 years. I'll take it!

 

[jdwills126]

My prediction of at least 1 lineman running faster than Mike Evans has come true.

Then a whole bunch are going to be running faster than Dennard.

 

[jdwills126]

I think Bortles could easily slip to the Vikings at #9. Houston may very well take Clowney with the first pick.

The talk from Houston is O'Brien wants a drop back pro style QB. The only QB that fits that mold thats top 10 is Bortles. We can argue about who is the better QB but it's O'Brien and fit. For my money I take Manziel, guy just is exciting and makes things happen. But I am not betting a teams future.

And for the record…….

Ziggy Ansah will be a better DE than Clowney! Guy has played football less time than Clowney and when he hits his stride he is going to be a beast! Last year was just a taste and he has no flags like Clowney!

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Justin Gilbert

I haven't really put a lot of thought into taking a CB in the 1st round unless the Lions traded back with someone.

I was watching the NFL combine today though and they were talking about Justin Gilbert. They are saying he has an outside shot to beat Dri Archer's 4.26 in the 40.

At 6'0" and 200 lbs -- if he runs a 40 time like that, to go along with his quickness in and out of breaks and ball skills -- I really wouldn't be too upset if we drafted him. Dennard is much better against the run, but one thing you can't teach is speed.

 

[tpaulus_2]

If Gilbert puts together the combine that he's expected to I think he vaults himself into pretty serious top-ten consideration...

 

[Clayton]

His arms has over 3 inches longer than Dennard, he is 1 inch taller than Dennard and he had 5 more reps on the bench.

I figured Gilbert's problem transitioning to the NFL would be physicality. 20 reps on the bench? He certainly can be physical if he wants to be.

Gilbert is definitely winning the combine from a DB perspective so far. He is a top 13 pick unless he bombs the 40 or has some off the field issue

 

[Rollingthndr]

He also had 20(T-4th) reps on the bench (which shows good work ethic) and 33 1/8 arms (2nd longest).

 

[lionstop1]

Van Noy, Smith: Interesting OLB prospects

We've discussed Kyle Van Noy a little bit around here and I still think he might be in play for the second round for the Lions. He has great size, ran a decent 4.6 forty yard dash and is said to have some pass-rush ability. Thats what the Lions need.

On the other hand, Telvin Smith from FSU brings a interesting "tweener" type between OLB and S. He is somewhere around 6'1 235 lbs and ran a great 4.41 in his forty. He could be a nice fit to help cover some of those athetic TEs . Not sure how he would hold up in the run game but he did rush the passer at FSU and had a good season.

 

[lionstop1]

He's my top defensive choice.

 

[tpaulus_2]

He's my top defensive choice.

I still like Mack the best, especially for what we need, but Gilbert would be a great choice, too, imo.

My list is up to 5 guys now that I'd really be happy with: Watkins, Mack, Evans, Gilbert, and Barr, in that order. I think one of those guys has to still be available at #10...

 

[Thruthefog]

.

 

[lionstop1]

Swap Evans with Mack in and I'm wih ya all the way TP.