Marinelli likes Mayo, and I’m not talking about condiments

24 Apr

Being T minus 2 days and counting till the NFL draft, it appears more and more that Jerod Mayo is the player the Lions are targeting with the 15th overall pick.

Jerod Mayo: Soon to be the Lions’ next ~~condiment~~ middle linebacker?

Mayo is not number one on the Lions’ draft board though, as that status belongs to Derick Harvey. Though he’s Marinelli’s dream player, much like anyone’s dream, odds are Harvey is unobtainable.

Simply put, Harvey is the dream pick, the best case scenario. Mayo is the likely pick, the player whom the Lions will settle for, and make the best of it. Kind of like life, eh? (OK, enough of the metaphysical musings)

The local beat writers are pretty much confirming the Harvey/Mayo scenario. In SI.com’s beat writer mock, the Detroit News’ Mike O’Hara took Mayo, while claiming Harvey is the Lions true want.

You could hear hearts crack in the Lions’ draft compound when the Panthers took Harvey. That’s whom the Lions’ targeted at No. 15. They want to look to defense, but consider other options. They’ve had nine first-round draft picks since 2000 and eight have been used on offense — one quarterback, one running back, two tackles and four wide receivers. The exception was 2006, when Rod Marinelli took linebacker Ernie Sims in his first year as head coach. Sims is the only first-round pick starting on the Lions’ defense. Marinelli wants fresh legs and more talent on defense. With Harvey off the board, the choices are a running back, trading down or staying put and going for defense. The Lions like Mayo. He can play inside or outside.

Mlive’s Killer Kowalski confirms what O’Hara said, that it’s Harvey, then Mayo.

Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey is at the top of the Detroit Lions’ wish list for their 15th overall pick. If he’s gone — and he probably will be — the No. 2 man is Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo.

In fact, the Killer says it’s set in stone…

So, as of now — and barring any unforeseen circumstances — I’m taking Jerod Mayo as the Lions’ first-round pick. Guaranteed.

As I said yesterday, Marinelli is calling the draft shots, and he wants a defensive starter with the 1st pick. I’m still not sure how i feel about this. From all accounts, and I mean ALL ACCOUNTS, Mayo is a reach at 15.

But Marinelli knows who he wants, whom he likes, and he’s determined he wants Mayo. Matt Millen has signed off on this, if you go by the Lions acquisitions during this off season. Whomever Marinelli wants, Marinelli gets.

On Saturday, Marinelli wants him some Mayo, and not just on his sandwiches.