Should Lane Johnson be a draft target of the Detroit Lions? Maybe not. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest shift in public sentiment regarding the 2013 NFL Draft over the past week has been the rise of offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Lane Johnson.

Fisher had been considered one of the top targets for the Lions with the fifth overall pick but the latest reports (carrying the smokescreen caveat) indicate he may be drafted before the Lions get on the clock. That has led to an increase in Lane Johnson’s name being attached to the Lions pick in some recent mock drafts. But is it warranted? From what NFL.com’s Albert Breer is hearing, the answer might be no:

I’ve talked to a number of teams that are baffled by the rise of Lane Johnson. One college director termed him “not ready for primetime”.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 23, 2013

While I have been a proponent of the Lions selecting Fisher, I do not like the idea of the Lions getting tunnel vision in regards to taking an offensive tackle. My basis is that Riley Reiff remains an option at left tackle and unless the Lions can draft a player who represents a sure improvement over Reiff, they should look elsewhere, preferably at a defensive end.

Reiff’s versatility means the Lions have the luxury of selecting an elite left tackle if one is available but don’t have to feel pressured to take one. If the Lions feel Johnson is an instant upgrade over Reiff, make the pick. If there are doubts whether he is an upgrade, make another pick.

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Michael Williams (89) makes a touchdown catch against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half of the 2013 BCS Championship game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Williams, TE, Alabama
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 278 lbs.
40 Yard Dash: 5.19 sec
Vertical Jump: 25.5″
Broad Jump: 8’0″
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.90 sec
3-Cone Drill: 8.15 sec

At first glance, you might mistake Williams for an offensive tackle. His huge frame comes at the expense of the type of speed that allows many tight ends in today’s NFL to become down-field threats in the passing game. Still, Williams is a reliable receiver when given the opportunity and would give Matthew Stafford another big target in the red zone.

In addition to a solid set of hands, Williams can contribute in the running game as well as his biggest strength is his run blocking. He got plenty of practice at Alabama helping to clear the way for the likes of Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. Williams would allow the Lions to run a lot of the same packages they ran last year with Riley Reiff as a jumbo tight end.

The Detroit Lions appear set at tight end for at least the upcoming year with Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler playing major roles. But the Lions have also found ways to use Will Heller as an H-back role as their third tight end. With Williams, the Lions have an opportunity to get younger, more skilled and save some cap space over Will Heller who is one of the many Lions players that became free agents at the start of the new league year. Williams played a bit of an H-back role at Alabama and also played special teams so he is used to doing the kind of things the Lions would be looking for if they were to draft him later this month. The Lions connection goes beyond last week’s visit. The coaching staff got a chance to work with Williams during Senior Bowl week.

Even with a veteran’s discount, Heller counted $605,000 against the Lions 2012 salary cap. For the sake of comparison James Hanna – a tight end the Cowboys drafted in the sixth round last year – carried a cap hit of less than $420,000. It might not sound like a lot of savings, but every dollar counts for a team like the Lions looking to maximize their impact with what little salary cap space they have left.

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What you see is what you get with Williams and there may not be much more of a ceiling in terms of his development. That isn’t necessarily a problem considering it is easy to see right away how he could step in and contribute doing a lot of the things the Lions have done over the last couple years. A realistic projection for where Williams might be drafted is the sixth round according to various opinions around the web.

What do you think about Michael Williams as a late round option for the Lions in the 2012 NFL Draft?

November 24, 2012; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Onterio McCalebb (23) carries the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Ranzell Watkins (21) during the first quarter at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Onterrio McCalebb, RB, Auburn
Height: 5’10″
Weight: 168 lbs.
Arm Length: 31″
Hands: 8″
40-yd Dash: 4.34 sec
Vertical Jump: 34″
Broad Jump: 121″
NFL Combine Video

McCalebb is an interesting prospect in that he has a trait that NFL teams will love (his speed) and a trait NFL teams will hate (his light build). Fortunately for McCalebb, speed is a trait that is in high demand and can be used in a lot of different ways. It sounds like some NFL teams are already getting creative in their evaluation of McCalebb ahead of the draft:

Auburn RB Onterrio McCalebb visited the Lions today. One of the fastest guys at the combine. Said some teams have talked to about playing DB

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) March 25, 2013

McCalebb said the Lions haven’t mentioned DB to him. Would be a Dexter McCluster type in Detroit

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) March 25, 2013

The fact the Lions are looking at McCalebb as purely an offensive player isn’t surprising considering the way they value offensive skill positions and their preference for more physical play from their corners. As a running back, what you see is what you get. Consider these weaknesses from McCalebb’s NFL.com combine profile:

Extremely frail build, especially in the legs. Doesn’t display any kind of power in between the tackles, looks to bounce the ball outside. Fails to break many tackles. Not overly sudden with open-field moves, mainly relies on speed. Not asked to block much, but struggles when he stays in to block.

What in there is surprising for a 168 pound running back? Nothing. The team that drafts him will know full-well his limitations and won’t use him to run between the tackles or as a blocker.

With the signing of Reggie Bush it would seem McCalebb wouldn’t have much of a role on offense early in his career if drafted by the Lions. However, he has four years of kick return experience while at Auburn, including a return for a touchdown in each of the last two seasons, and could be used as a replacement for Stefan Logan. On the downside, he did not return a punt during his Auburn career.

The comparison to Dexter McCluster is a good one, although McCluster was drafted with the 36th overall pick in 2010. McCalebb is much more likely to be a day three selection, if he is drafted at all.

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