NFL Draft: Who do you want for the Lions?

Submitted by uncle leo on

Surprisingly enough, the NFL draft is here and its been more quiet than I am used to. Normally there is a good month of non-stop talk, but I do not think that is the case this year.

For me, I want to see Derrius Guice. Enough of the tip-toeing around the running back situation. The Lions have not had a 100 yard rusher in a millenium. The offensive line has been pretty well addressed with Lang, Wagner, and hopefully a healthy Decker. They cannot keep trotting out guys like Abdullah, Riddick, etc... 

I think a case can be made for most of the positions on this team; however, I want to see the Lions get a guy they can plug in the backfield and provide a much-needed spark.

DrMantisToboggan

April 26th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^

Patricia isn't solely a 4-3 guy, and Mo doesn't have a position in a 3-4. It'd be using a first round pick on a guy that would not be an every down player for them, which seems dumb to me. If I were GM I'd be taking a guy that can play in both a 3-4 or 4-3 (Payne, Vea) or an every down back (Guice).

DrMantisToboggan

April 26th, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^

We ran a 3-3-5 and Mo played the Nose! LOL he would get aboslutely eaten alive as a Nose in a 3-4 in the NFL. It worked here because it's college ball and he was quicker than everyone else and we slanted him pretty much every play. If Mo played the 4i in a 3-4 in the NFL teams would just run at him for 5ypc all game. 

 

Yes, Patricia drafts front seven players who can play in both 3-4 and 4-3 defenses because he will run both (see: Chandler Jones playing OLB/DE, Trey Flowers playing DE/DE, etc.). Mo is not one of those people - he's strictly a 4-3 3T. Payne is a guy that can play both the DE in a 3-4 and the 3T (or probably even the DE spot) in a 4-3. The Lions should go for Payne, and if he's not there, take Guice.

DrMantisToboggan

April 26th, 2018 at 11:00 AM ^

Well if he got to the end of the first round I'd like the Pats to take him at 31 :) But it would make more sense to me to take a situational player in the second or third round than first. I don't understand wasting a first round pick on a guy who isn't going to stay on the field, is all.

DrMantisToboggan

April 26th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^

Well it would if I weren't a Pats and Michigan fan and simply want as many Michigan players on the Pats as possible, epsecially when it's a kid whose dad played for the Pats haha.

 

No, but I could justify it more if it were the second pick of the first round. Pats should absolutely go OT or LB with the first pick, but if they get someone super high on their board at 23 I would be okay with Mo at 31. Plus, I think they would adapt to play more 4-3 with a talent like Mo (and with the addition of Shelton that could form a solid interior and they have some DEs now, so that might make sense anyways). And, in fairness, the Lions could draft Mo with the intention of being in a 4-3 80% of the time and then it would make sense, I just don't know that to be true at this point.

LSAClassOf2000

April 26th, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^

I don't know that it would be outright "dumb", but it wouldn't be my favorite at #20 certainly. While we need help up front on defense, I kind of want another DE if we're going to address that first in the draft, someone to compliment Ansah. I could be talked into an LB there too, but I would rather the first pick address defense. Just me though. 

WMUgoblue

April 26th, 2018 at 10:32 AM ^

Will Hernandez, Harold Landry, Da'Ron Payne, or trade down. The idea of 5 QB's being taken before the Lions pick though is quite enticing as a top 10 talent could easily fall to them.

Justibro

April 26th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^

If somoene unexpected doesn't fall then trade down. A solid chance we could still get juice in the early second round. Juice is my hope for the first pick but think its a reach if they take him at the spot they are now. 

uncle leo

April 26th, 2018 at 10:37 AM ^

Trade down thing is thrown around all the time, but you have to really look at each draft. After the top 10, there are a ton of good guys, but I do not think teams are going to be clamoring to move back up and will be happy with their spot.

This year, the value for trading down is going to be a lot less than it normally is.

Justibro

April 26th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^

Ohh of course, if they can't get a good return then by all means use the pick. But if they could say trade with Cleveland for their 33rd and 64th pick I would gladly take that trade.  But yes, there is a lot of mid level talent in this draft so there very well could be no one clamering to get back up into the draft. 

Bo Schemheckler

April 26th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^

That's the problem. We have to hope one of the QBs falls and someone is looking yo jump up to get him or a LT like Mcglinchey falls and a needy teams wants to jump up a few spots to get him. Oyherwose there will be almosy no value moving down

cadmus2166

April 26th, 2018 at 10:37 AM ^

In no particular order, I'd like to see them take a RB, DL, and OL in the first 3 rounds. I'd be fine with Guice at pick 20, but I do feel that this is a particularly deep RB class, so I wouldn't mind if they wait until the 2nd or 3rd for an RB and target someone like Ronald Jones, Rashad Penny, Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, or Kalen Ballage.

WGoNerd

April 26th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^

Maybe I'm just gun-shy but the only RB I'd want my team to draft this year is Barkley.  In today's NFL 1st round RB picks should be saved for generational talents, otherwise no earlier than the 2nd rd. (Fully prepared for this to get "Cold Takes Exposed")

I'd take Mo if he's there, or Da'ron Payne.

sarto1g

April 26th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^

In round 1, I would really love to see them draft a D-lineman.  Ziggy is on the franchise tag this year, Ngata is gone and the Lions pass rush has been awful since 2014.  A running back seems like a stretch for a first round pick but it wouldn't be devastating.  Fine with about any other position besides OL

uncle leo

April 26th, 2018 at 10:47 AM ^

The Ebron pick was a complete luxury, and it was a top 10 pick.

The RB situation in Detroit has been probably the single worst in the NFL for the better part of a decade. 

One of these things is not like the other.

reddogrjw

April 26th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^

1 - DL are worth more than RB's - especially DE's

2 - lots of RB depth in this draft, not so much at DL, very thin at DE

3 - NE and Philly just played a SB with both teams using RBBC - that is the way you succeed in the NFL

 

draft a RB in round 3 or 4 - tons available in this draft

 

exception - if Barkley falls to 20 I would be ok with that, but he isn't

uncle leo

April 26th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^

I am talking about 5th round pick Jay Ajayi. 

You think every RB situation works out the same? 

Would you like me to discuss 1st round pick Leonard Fournette? 2nd round pick Le'veon Bell? Before he blew his knee, 2nd round Dalvin Cook? 1st round pick Todd Gurley? 1st round pick Mark Ingram? 1st round pick Melvin Gordon? 1st round pick Zeke Elliott? Should I keep going?

The Lions have had probably the worst running back situation in the entire NFL in a decade. They are picking 20th, not 2nd. Enough trying to piece meal this situation. Take the best guy at 20 at the RB spot. 

rc15

April 26th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^

All RBs are given too much credit, good or bad, in the NFL. 90% of your production is dependent on your OL. Fix the issue, don't put a piece of duct tape on it.

Remember when DeMarco Murray was one the best best RBs in the league? Went elsewhere and did nothing. Then a rookie steps into the role at Dallas and "wow he's amazing too!"

Ajayi might be good, but he sucked at Miami last year because he couldn't even get to the line of scrimmage before being hit. That's on the OL not him.

The Lions' RBs aren't all bad, their OL is bad. They ruined 1st rd pick Jahvid Best's career, they don't need to do that to another RB. Fix the problem, the OL.

rc15

April 26th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^

If they have 5 good OL, then they should be looking for the best durable 6th OL that can fill in at any position of injury (Mason Cole? Not first round but might be a great choice later). Or be looking for a different position coach that can scheme better for their weaknesses. Or a strength coach that can prevent/limit injuries better.

If the OL was still bad last season after investing a ton fixing it, they invested it in fixing the wrong part. It doesn't mean they should try to band-aid it now, it means they should fix it properly.

The Lions could trade up and get Barkley, have the same problem where they don't get the running production they want, and in two years people will be wanting them to waste another 1st round pick.

Raymond_RedWings

April 26th, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^

Alex Collins and Mike Davis, who were both productive RB’s this year, were free agent RB’s cut from their previous teams. The skill gap today for RB’s is smaller than any other position in the NFL.

In reply to by Raymond_RedWings

uncle leo

April 26th, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^

Is that based on? I don't understand what that means. 

Look at some of the best RBs like Fournette, Elliott, Bell, and tell me the gap between those guys and some random FAs is small.

DrMantisToboggan

April 26th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^

I agree with 1 and 2, but I think saying that RB by committee is the (as in singular) way to succeed in the NFL just because last year's SB teams did it is a bit silly. Jacksonville made it the conference championship with one main back. The top five rushers in the league last year were on the Chiefs, Rams, Steelers, Bills, and Saints - all playoff teams. The rest of the top rushers on their own team in the playoffs ranked 8th, 14th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 24th, and 26th in league rushing. 

 

I would say roughly half of the playoffs last year used one clear, workhorse back and then roughly half had committee (I say roughly and roughly because that '14th' is Dion Lewis and he was pretty clearly the main back for us last year but there were many other backs who contributed). I think you can do it both ways.

jbrandimore

April 26th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^

Of the Chiefs, Rams, Bills, Steelers and Saints, only the Rams running attack was led by a guy they drafted in the first round.

The Saints drafted Ingram in the first round and had to use a later pick on Kamara to actually have a top level rushing attack.

No RB in the first round unless Bo Jackson can ride a time machine.

DrMantisToboggan

April 26th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^

Jacksonville made it to the conference championship game riding the 4th overall pick. Four of the top ten rushers in the NFL this year were first rounders. 

 

I also don't know what you mean by "led" if you're not counting Ingram - he had 1100 yards last year and 110 more carries than Kamara.

 

I don't disagree that you don't need a first round runningback - I think drafting RBs is a lot like recruiting RBs from high school in that there are actually a ton of capable backs and rushing success will mostly depend on OL - but only two of the top five rushers last year being first rounders does not prove that a RB shouldn't be high on the board for the Lions in the first round.

 

 

sarto1g

April 26th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^

Maybe an unpopular opinion: I think the Lions RB depth is just fine.  Coaching and OL play hamstring how good any running back can be on this team.  I'm hoping a non-Caldwell head coach and the addition of quality OL the past few offseasons can solve the issue of the Lions run game

uncle leo

April 26th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^

Are any form of a threat in the backfield. Riddick is a slot WR that lines up in the backfield. Abdullah has proven nothing in his career. 

They need a legit threat. The O-line received PLENTY of attention in the last couple years, you have to get a playmaker in the backfield.