One Year Benchmarks: Grading the 2015 Detroit Lions Draft Class

By Eric Ranes | Jan 13, 2016

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Laken Tomlinson (Duke) is selected as the number twenty-eight overall pick to the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

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Round 3 – Pick No. 16 (80 ovr) – CB Alex Carter (Stanford) INC

Nov 28, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Devin Lucien (15) is tackled by Stanford Cardinal cornerback Alex Carter (25) during the second half of the game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

I was tempted to give this pick an F as, to me, this selection was an overdraft and he couldn’t see the field in the 2nd half of the year due to not being ready. However, the 2nd half was a crucial time of the year for this coaching staff, and being that Carter hardly had any practice time and likely wouldn’t have contributed on special teams, the roster spot was too valuable to give up.

My concern is that, at the time his short-term IR stint was over, the team had only two solid boundary CBs and Carter’s talent alone wasn’t enough to garner him a roster spot on the active roster.

Somewhat begrudgingly, I’ll grade Alex as an Incomplete.

Successful draft options in next 10 picks: Lorenzo Mauldin (OLB), Jordan Hicks (LB), David Johnson (RB), Danielle Hunter (DE/OLB)

Next: Trading Up is Trading Down

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