OT: Thoughts on Lions/NFL Draft

Submitted by Chicken22 on

Overall I'm happy with the draft, but would have liked to see another linebacker and a corner. Maybe Scooby Wright III in the 7th instead of the RB.

Also would've liked to see Burbridge instead of the LS, when we already have a Pro-bowl LS who signed an extension over the offseason.

In this draft, Quinn focused on needs more than best player available.

Also open to thoughts on the entire NFL Draft

jermrs

April 30th, 2016 at 6:27 PM ^

From what I understand, Malbach makes a ton of money for a longsnapper and he is approaching retirement I believe. It's a cap move if anything and heir apparent when Malback leaves.

LSAClassOf2000

April 30th, 2016 at 7:15 PM ^

Cleveland's draft was interesting, to say the least, especially - what was it - four receivers and a tight end, with most of that occurring in the fifth round. Working from memory there, so I could be wrong, but that's what I recall. 

Although, I suppose reputation has its disadvantages - Corey Coleman looked as if he was being sentenced to Cleveland. Perhaps he already knew by showtime, but he seemed introspective about the prospect. 

TheReal_GR3

April 30th, 2016 at 6:48 PM ^

I thought the Lions had a strong draft. Pretty clear that Dan Quinn wanted to improve the lines on both sides of the ball by spending 5 picks there.

1-16 Taylor Decker OT 

2-15 A'Shawn Robinson DT

3-32 Graham Glasgox C/OG

5-12 Joe Dahl OG

6-27 Anthony Zettel 

I have a HUGE issue with the long snapper. I agree that this team needed secondary help and Jalen Mills would have been a big help as a cover safety/nickel. At 6 foot just under 200 he would have been a big help and is expected to start at nickle day 1 for Philly. 

I'm a little split on Rudock. I am very very happy for him and it does make a lot of sense. Still I think the Lions lack flate out speed and Kolby Listenbee when the next pick. He is a burner out of TCU. He ran 4.35 at the combine while needing double sports hernia. 

Still I am happy. Look forward to the season. 

bacon

April 30th, 2016 at 7:04 PM ^

I want to say Anthony Zettel is a great cautionary tale for anyone choosing PSU over Michigan, but then I look at the 2011 recruiting class and a single tear runs down my face. Frank Clark was drafted in the 3rd, but for obvious reasons that's not a Michigan success story. That said, I think Zettel would be a much higher pick had he chosen maize and blue over PSU.

Avon Barksdale

April 30th, 2016 at 6:53 PM ^

I just do not get that pick. I don't really understand the whole draft a punter from Sam Houston State type moves. I want guys in the draft who are going to play more than five snaps per game. Get them as UDFA's, not 6th and 7th round picks.

Reader71

April 30th, 2016 at 8:55 PM ^

The rookie will make a lot less than the veteran, and will probably do just as well. This can let them release Mulbach and save some money, giving them a chance to sign a few undrafted guys, who are just as much a crapshoot as 6th/7th rounders. 6th rounders probably make the team at about a 15% clip.

Avon Barksdale

May 1st, 2016 at 9:29 AM ^

It is not logical when you just gave (as the Lions describe him) "The Nolan Ryan of Longsnappers" $160k of guaranteed bonuses. So you want to draft a guy, give him $100k bonus, $390k of salary + pay $160 worth of bonuses to a veteran you want to release after you just re-signed him two months ago? Sorry, not buying.

Pick up a longsnapper in the UDFA market to compete with your veteran and use the 6th round selection on a guy like Jalen Mills, Aaron Burbridge, or Devin Fuller.

Reader71

May 1st, 2016 at 7:20 PM ^

There is a high probability that none of the players you mention make a team. That's why arguing about 6th round picks is stupid, and amounts to you wanting your team to draft guys you have heard of. Suppose you wanted Burbridge. There were 5 WR drafted in the 6th round of the 2015 draft. - First was cut in camp, signed to another practice squad, and then signed to another team. He played in 7 games. No catches. 500 return yards, including a TD. - Second made his team. Appeared in 10 games. 2 catches for 22 yards. - Third was cut in camp and ended up on another teams practice squad. - Fourth was cut in camp, never signed anywhere else, and is now a Saskatchewan Rough Rider. - Fifth made the team but was placed on IR. Zero catches, zero yards. Two out of the five made active rosters. One has ever made a catch. One is a special teams regular. Two more are practice squad players. The other a total washout. This is what the 6th round is. A crap shoot. And if the LS makes the team, he is at least as valuable as that return man and probably more so.

Avon Barksdale

May 2nd, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^

It is a waste of money to draft a LS in the draft because you have to give him a signing bonus. Regardless if Landes makes the team or not, he is getting a (projected) $100,000 bonus to attend a Detroit Lions camp (per www.spotrac.com/nfl/draft).

I would rather draft a guy like Burbridge who might actually contribute, give him $100k, and sign an UDFA longsnapper who we can give $5,000 to come try out. But hey, if you prefer $100,000 of your ticket money going to a LS rather than a depth position player, more power to you I suppose.

Reader71

May 2nd, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^

I'm not misunderstanding. If the LS wins the job, he will be more valuable than most 6th rounders. Most 6th rounders take that bonus and then get cut. In all likelihood, this guy will, too. So, you're just arguing for them to take a player you knew in college. Then you'd put him on your "sleepers" list. And he would likely get cut. As for the ticket argument, that's really weak. I would prefer they win games, but they don't. I would prefer they create their roster exactly by my specifications, but they don't. I'd prefer they hire the coaches I want, but they don't. There is also no real connection between my ticket money and the player's salaries. I buy a ticket and get an experience in return. I don't get to determine what they then do with that money. I also bought a Windows phone. For that money, I get the phone. I do not get to dictate what Microsoft does with that money. It's now in their operating revenue. I do not get to decide what materials they use to build the phone. I do not get to decide what players populate the Lions roster.

SalvatoreQuattro

April 30th, 2016 at 7:44 PM ^

Rudock is a heartwarming story and at that point it's a good pick. Rudock is basically Kellen Moore. A career backup which is just what the Lions needed. My hope is that he palys 5 years, gets his NFL pension, and becomes a surgeon. I see great things for him and Jehu.

The LS pick was bizarre. I like the Zettel pick. I see him as another Jared Devries. The safety in the fourth seems like a solid pick. The Lions actually did well the past two drafts selecting DB's on day three.(Lawson, Diggs) Let's see if Quinn continues that legacy.

I didn't like the Glasgow pick because I think the Lions desperately need talent at DE. They literally have one passrusher on the roster. Taylor has showed flashes, but they'll need a loy more out of him in 2016.That's nowhere near being enough in a division with Aaron Rodgers. They also need another LB. Lions failed to find help at DE and OLB two huge needs. Instead they fixated on the offensive line.

I give it a B  because they did fill needs and did not reach until they took the LS. Robinson will be the star of this draft methinks.

victors2000

May 1st, 2016 at 9:08 AM ^

Was it that big of a need that other areas of the team were not addressed? I'm not saying it was bad strategy but it seems likely there was good talent available for other areas of need, a 'best talent available' thought, the Lions passed up on to get three OL in the first five rounds. If the lineman on last years team are not expected to improve from last year (which they may not!) or they really saw something special in Glasgow and Dahl that they couldn't afford to pass up on it makes sense. I am not a draft-nick by any stretch of the imagination but aren't there good O-lineman available in the 6th and 7th rounds?

I like the Lions draft. They had a strategy that they stuck to and aside from the LS pick appears to have had a successful draft; maybe the current LS is getting too much money and that pick was a cost cutting measure. If I tweaked the draft I would have made my third O-line pick further in the draft and picked up a player for another postition of need. I'd need to know more about what Quinn and company were thinking before I nixed the LS selection.

drjaws

April 30th, 2016 at 7:01 PM ^

I was surprised how well the Lions actually did in this draft. I was expecting the first 3 rounds to be WR, RB and TE.

Meh on LS and Rudock.

Instead of Rudock, Zettel and Landes, I would have rather seen them go Zettel, Canady and then Feeny, but oh well.



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