Nov 3, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Justin Hunter (11) celebrates with teammate Cordarrelle Patterson (84) after a touchdown against the Troy Trojans during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

1. Tavon Austin, West Virginia – Likely a top 15 pick Austin has the most dynamic skill set out of all the receivers in the class, and would be the perfect compliment to Reggie Bush, Calvin Johnson, and Matthew Stafford. Whether Austin is used for kickoff and/or punt returns, screen passes, or a vertical threat down the field opposite of Calvin Johnson.

Of all the receivers that could be drafted by the Lions, Austin is the least likely because of his high draft stock. But there have been bigger draft day surprises, maybe the Lions find a way to acquire an additional first round pick? I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lions made a push to acquire him.

2. Justin Hunter, Tennessee – 6’4, 4.36 forty yard dash, Hunter has all the measurables you could look for in an NFL wide receiver. He’s a good route runner, has great hands, and was extremely productive at Tennessee, 1083 yards and 9 touchdowns, despite playing alongside first round prospect Cordarrelle Patterson. Only knock on Hunter is his small frame, 196 lbs. He’s going to need to add a good 20 lbs if he wants to keep himself on the field for a full 16 game season.

Hunter could finally be the answer the Lions were looking for when they drafted Titus Young in the 2011 draft, although I see much more potential and much less headache.

3. Aaron Dobson, Marshall – My favorite receiver not named Tavon Austin in the draft, Dobson has elite size, 6’3, 210 lbs, paired with excellent hands. He answered any questions about his speed at his pro day where he ran a 4.43 forty. Dobson is projected as a 3-4 round pick and could be a real steal, especially for a team like the Lions who have Calvin Johnson drawing all the attention.

I see a lot of big play potential in Dobson and a long NFL career if he’s in the right system and has the right nucleus. The Lions may be the perfect fit for him.

4. Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee – Patterson is a great athlete. He ran the forty in 4.33 seconds, he’s got a great vertical jump, 37 inches, great footwork, he uses his upper body strength well when battling a jump ball, and he is extremely versatile. With that said, he’s not a great route runner, and I wonder how much upside he has compared to guys like Tavon Austin, who has even more versatility, and Justin Hunter, who’s taller and just as good of an athlete, but could be even better with some time in the weight room.

Many scouts compare Patterson to Dwayne Bowe, which is a pretty good comparison. However, when I look at this wide receiver class and evaluate how players would fit into the Lions’ offensive scheme I see better fits than Patterson and better value as well as Patterson is likely a first round selection, too rich for the Lions’ blood.

5. Robert Woods, USC – Woods best trait may be that he’s NFL ready. He’s got a solid frame 6’1, 201 lbs, solid hands, and is probably the best route runner in the receiving class. The problem I have with woods is that I don’t see him getting much better. That’s not a knock on Woods by any means, he’s got nice speed running the forty in 4.42 which can be very dangerous with his excellent route running, but this list is predicated off of the top five receivers for the Lions on draft day.

I just think Woods’ skill-set is too similar to Ryan Broyles and Nate Burleson for the Lions to take a shot at him, especially if Dobson or Hunter are on the board and I don’t see the size or the exceptional speed needed for him to be a serious threat down field.

In case you missed it, check out Aaron Dobson’s ridiculous catch last season.

Kind of reminds you of someone else (see video below) in college doesn’t it?

Dec 24, 2011; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson (13) during player introductions prior to the game against the San Diego Chargers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

In Nate Burleson’s perfect world he would finish out the three years remaining on his current contract and then retire. It’s a nice thought in theory but the Detroit Lions will have some difficult decision to make before they allow it to play out that way.

Burleson remains productive, his 71 receptions last season were a career high, and his impact on the locker room in general and wide receiver group in specific can’t be understated. He is regarded as nothing short of a pro’s pro just the kind of veteran presence that the Lions can use as some of their younger members learn how to adjust to life in the NFL.

But that doesn’t mean the Lions can afford to let the intangibles overshadow any shortcomings that arise as time moves on and the end of Burleson’s deal approaches.

The cap number associated with Nate Burleson’s contract is set to balloon in 2013 – partly due to built-in salary escalations and partly due to money spread over the length of the contract as a result of restructuring. According to Spotrac.com, Burleson’s deal was responsible for a $2.875 against the salary cap in 2011 and is set for a $2.281 million hit in 2012. The cap hit jumps to $5.9 million in 2013 and $6.9 million in 2014.

Also working against Burleson being able to finish out his contract with the Lions s that his potential replacement is already in-house in rookie Ryan Broyles.

There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before we’ll know if Burleson is able to follow through on his plan but from the current view, there are several impediments in his way.

Note: Since I’ll be discussing the wide receivers and tight ends here, you may want to begin by reading the quarterback edition of Then and Now if you haven’t read it already. Check it out here.

The 2008 season began with realistic hopes for the Lions passing game. Jon Kitna was a capable, albeit it weak in crunch-time, quarterback with a trio of receivers at his disposal. Calvin Johnson was entering his second season as a professional, Roy Williams should have been entering the prime of his career, Mike Furrey was just two seasons removed from leading the NFC in receptions and Shaun McDonald was coming off the best season of his career. Like everything in the 2008 season, the passing game didn’t go according to plan.

Calvin Johnson blossomed into a superstar but Roy Williams was shipped off to Dallas (Thanks Jerry!), Mike Furrey was unceremoniously shut down due to a concussion and Shaun McDonald couldn’t duplicate his production from a year prior before landing on IR with an ankle injury. On the bright side, one-for-four doesn’t seem so bad for a team that went zero-for-sixteen.

The final receiving statistics for the 2008 season show just how much the passing game was Calvin Johnson and nobody else:

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