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One Year Benchmarks: Grading the 2015 Detroit Lions Draft Class

By Eric Ranes

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
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 6 – Pick No. 24 (200 ovr) – CB Quandre Diggs (Texas) A

Nov 22, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Quandre Diggs (28) intercepts a pass intended for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) at Ford Field. The Lions won 18-13. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Quandre Diggs (28) intercepts a pass intended for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) at Ford Field. The Lions won 18-13. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The lone A grade I am handing out this year, I loved the Quandre Diggs pick. He showed why as he worked himself up to NFL game speed.

It’s important to admit what Quandre Diggs is not. He is not a boundary CB that’s going to be keeping up with outside plus size and plus speed type receivers. He was burned quite a bit this year when he was forced into that scenario. He does not possess the height or speed necessary to be what is considered in today’s game a number 1 or 2 CB, one that can line up against the opposing team’s best wide receiver.

Okay, so Quandre has some shortcomings. But what he can do is be a heady player that can uses his press ability and short area stickiness to track the passing game underneath, and the early returns on that front are sublime. I think Diggs is good already and can potentially be a great multi-year starter at nickel for the Lions, and that’s worth an A grade this late. What Bob Quinn needs to ensure is that the team has depth in place behind Slay so that Diggs isn’t forced to play the outside spot.

Pick Grade: A

Successful draft options in next 10 picks: N/A

Next: Big Man, Little Impact

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