Detroit Lions: Re-Drafting the Martin Mayhew Era

There’s no secret here in Detroit Lions land that General Manager Martin Mayhew has botched a draft or two during his run with the Lions. Most notably are the 2011 and 2012 drafts. Of the 13 selections made in both drafts, only three players remain with the Lions to this day. Of the other 10, only one is on an NFL Roster as of October 2015.

How could any GM miss on so many picks? Sure the draft process at times can be like fools gold and you never really know what you’re going to get until the player is seen on the field. But nine players who are currently sitting at home right now is just unacceptable. Especially when revisionist history kicks in and you see all the talent the Lions have missed out on over the years.

Feb 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew speaks during a press conference during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Today I would like to take a trip into unicorn land and partially re-draft the Mayhew era. Here’s the low down on how I will do this. Each year I will show the player chosen and the player the Lions should have taken instead, or the player they should have stuck with. I’ll only be doing the first three selections of each draft. But I will be sure to make a little list at the bottom of each slide to feed your inner rage monster.

Revisionist history is just for fun Lions fans. Please put down your pitch forks and fire Mayhew signs. After this season it’s likely you won’t need them anyways. Let’s jump into it with good old 2009.

Next: 2009