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Detroit Lions Draft Needs, Final Quarter

By Kent Platte

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Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Need 1B, Running Back

Still firmly entrenched as my 1B Detroit Lions draft need, the team is in need of a real offensive weapon in the backfield.  Reggie Bush is likely gone in 2015, having outlived his usefulness to the franchise.  Joique Bell is coming off his most complete game of the season against Minnesota.

Even then, Bell has been ineffective for much of the season and indeed, much of the Bucs game, with his YPC bolstered by one huge (Legitimately great) run.  He has had his moments, but it’s pretty evident at this point that Bell is best used as a complimentary back and not a featured one.  That’s fine because 2015 has one of the best RB classes that I can remember.

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    • Headlining the unit is Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin.  The record setting back is likely to be gone by the time the Lions pick late in the first, but he’d be a very welcome compliment if he somehow falls that far.  Todd Gurley was the consensus #1 back prior to his injury, but that injury dropped him pretty far as it wasn’t his first.  He’s still probably in the 1st to 2nd round range, and I wouldn’t complain if the Lions rolled the dice on him.

    Outside of those big two, this class is headlined by featured backs like Ameer Abdullah and Duke Johnson, complimented by a very good set of backs in Jay Ajayi, Tevin Coleman, and Mike Davis.

    Personally, I’d like to see Duke Johnson in Detroit.  The Miami product is as good a runner as I can remember in at least the past four drafts (He would have been easily my #1 back in all of these drafts), but seems somewhat overshadowed by bigger names this season.  I’m a sucker for overly athletic running backs, and nabbing a player from the 2014 Freaks List would be a coup for the team.

    Barring Johnson, pretty much any of the players I mentioned could take up #1 duties in Detroit immediately and upgrade the position with Bell pulling #2 duties and Bush gone.

    Next: Biggest Defensive Need

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