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Let the exercises in futiliy begin: Kiper's v1.0 mock draft
Written by Al Beaton   
Wednesday, 20 January 2010 19:26

It's a dead time of year for fans of the Detroit Lions. I'm sure many of you, like myself, were left more than a little burned out by another ugly season ending in crushing disappointment.

But the NFL stops for no fan. Especially for fans of the downtrodden Lions.

The playoffs are long underway, and as always, the Lions are missing out on the fun. Regardless, by next Sunday night we'll know who will be in Super Bowl XVXXIXVIIWXYZ (Hell, I've lost count, and as the Lions have never made a Super Bowl, I don't really care).

But there is one thing keeping the hope the Lions will accomplish something in this century alive. Mock drafts!

Personally, I find them an exercise in futility, and especially futile a month before the NFL combine, 6 weeks before free agency opens and 3 long months before the draft. Those little facts have never stopped the draftniks, though. I'm glad it doesn't keep them from mock, mock, mocking away, as it gives me something to write about.

Which leads me to the Hair known as Mel Kiper.

Kiper's baaaack

I'm baaaaaack!

Kiper, the king of the NFL mock draft (not because he is the best, but he was the first to popularize mocks...of which I'm not sure is a good thing...or bad. ) has posted his first mock at the 4 Letter. It's an Insider article, and I'm not crazy enough to give those bastards in Bristol any more cash than I have to, so no Insider for me. (Ignoring the fact it's a for paid subscribers article, the Detroit News has posted the entirety of Kiper's 1st round)

ESPN was courteous enough make the first 5 selections available to the unwashed masses at the dot com. Thus, we get to see which poor soul Kiper believes is destined to become Lionized.

As expected, Ndamukong Suh is tabbed to go to the Rams 1st overall.

According the Hair, the Lions' selection at number 2 will be...

Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Getting McCoy both fills a big need for the Lions and is an extraordinarily good consolation prize for any team unable to get Suh. McCoy makes his living in opponents' backfields and is such a talent he could have landed in this position last year had he declared as a redshirt sophomore.

A combination of the athletic McCoy, and the wide-bodied run plugger Sammie Hill, anchoring the middle of the Lions' defense line for the better part of the next decade is fine and dandy by me.

The question is, will the Lions actually go in this direction? S Eric Berry (3rd in Kiper's mock) may be the best pure football player available, and OT Russell Okung (number 5, according to the Hair) would anchor the offensive line for a decade.

Lions' GM Martin Mayhew has shown he doesn't care what position someone plays, he will pick the best player available...period. On a team lacking talent, that is not a bad philosophy to follow. Thing is, with a few positions now in capable hands (QB, S, uh...I'm sure there's 1 or 2 more), will Mayhew run his draft with a little more thought for actual need?

Till the time Roger Goodell walks up to the podium in New York on April 22nd, we won't know which way the wind is blowing at the Lions' Allen Park HQ.

//sarcasm on// Luckily for us, //sarcasm off// there will only be a few hundred thousand mock drafts to sort through in the meantime...



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Comments (6)Add Comment
D in the second round?
written by John B, January 21, 2010
I'm all for keeping Stafford upright, but the Lions' D is historically bad.. again. Kiper has Brandon Graham going at #32. If he were to slip two more spots, Detroit gets two defensive studs in the early parts of the draft.

Then again, Mel Kiper's is about as good as predicting the draft in april as weathermen are at predicting the weather in April.
...
written by Big Al Beaton, January 21, 2010
I would LOVE Brandon Graham in the Honolulu Blue and silver. His draft position is going to come down to his combine performance.

I would not be surprised one bit if Graham's draft stock rises, as Michigan's bad season seems to be keeping him as a low 1st, high 2nd pick. If Michigan was, well, Michigan, I'd bet Graham would be mentioned with the Suh's and McCoy's of the world.

I agree with you regarding Stafford, but the defense was so porous, so awful, so lacking in talent, Mayhew is almost required to go defense with his early picks. This draft has a TON of defensive talent, and a much needed big LT will be available next season.

It's going to be a looong rebuilding process, and I wholly expect the Lions to have a top 10 pick next year.
Suh
written by Uncle Omar, January 22, 2010
I wasn't able to see the Texas-Nebraska game when Suh blew up the entire Texas offensive line, but I did see significant parts of the Huskers' bowl game against Arizona--Wildcats, not Cardinals--and came away unimpressed. The 'Zona right guard essentially took him out of the game. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but the Leos should be glad they aren't going to be forced into taking him with the #1 overall pick. If some little guy, relatively speaking, from the University of Arizona can handle him, whether because he sucks or didn't really care about this game, then the Lions don't need him. I'd hate to see him turn out to be Tony Mandarich or Ted Gregory (one of Dan Reeves' infamous first round picks, chosen because Dan believed the height and weight in Street and Smith rather than what the scouts saw at the combine) which I fear would be his fate with the Lions.
Suh, McCoy or Berry
written by lionwing, January 23, 2010
If Suh is there you take him, of course this goes without saying despite the vocal minority screaming that Suh is gonna be a bust...he will not, he has Reggie White type talent potential.

McCoy is a significant step down from Suh and McCoy is widely considered the 2nd best player in the draft. I would be happy with McCoy, but I think that the safety eric Berry might actually be a better pick; His talent is unreal and our pass defense would be instantly legit with him hawking around.

Truth be told...any of these 3 top studs would be fine, but I do think I would go Suh, McCoy and then Berry or I would be fine with taking Berry over McCoy especially if the lions end up getting B.Graham.
The big IF
written by Timmah, January 25, 2010
IF the Lions can trade down with a San Fran or even back a few spots and steal a 2nd rounder, I'd be more excited than I am now. Trading down to 4 or 5 (ignoring needs of other teams obviously) if they could get Okung and another second rounder, I would be stoked. Pull the best run stopping DT and DE available in the early second round... or even a Javid Best and a DT would be OK with me.

With so many needs I pray the opportunity to trade down presents itself. Probably not happening though...
i know what id do
written by Dman, January 27, 2010
i say trade the pick and erni sims to any one in the top 15 for there 1-2-3 still gives us a top 15 2pics in 2nd and 2 in third unless we can talk pretty pete out of his 2 first round pics we need alot of help folks that can be solved bt multi pics

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