SideLion Report
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Ranking the Detroit Lions’ first round picks since 2010

By Jeremy Friedrichs

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 25: Ezekiel Ansah of the BYU Cougars stands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders (R) as they hold up a jersey on stage after Ansah was picked #5 overall by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 25, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 25: Ezekiel Ansah of the BYU Cougars stands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders (R) as they hold up a jersey on stage after Ansah was picked #5 overall by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 25, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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Decker drafted
(Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

Number Three – 2016

Selection/Position: Taylor Decker / Offensive Tackle
Draft position/School: 16th overall / Ohio State
Tenure with Lions: 2016 – Present
Lions statistics: 40 games played, 40 starts

For his first draft selection as Lions’ general manager, Bob Quinn went with the proverbial “safe” pick. Coming off a disappointing seven-win season in 2015, the Lions had needs up and down the roster. Left tackle has long been a premier position in the NFL, and Quinn wasted little time in nabbing a bookend to help improve the embattled offensive line, a theme throughout this list and throughout Quinn’s tenure.

2015 proved to be iconic Lions receiver Calvin Johnson’s final season prior to retirement, so Lions fans were likely pining for a replacement. While there were some gifted pass catchers available at the 16th spot, (Michael Thomas and Tyreek Hill, for example), the Lions placed their highest value on protecting Matthew Stafford.

Decker was a rock as a rookie, playing in and starting all 16 games and helping clinch the Lions’ most recent playoff berth. He hit a major snag as a sophomore, missing eight games due to an offseason shoulder injury. He rebounded well last year, not missing a start, and is in good position to have his fifth-year contract option picked up.

At present, Decker is a good, not great left tackle, which while not ideal for NFL success, isn’t a death knell either. The New England Patriots just won another Super Bowl with a converted right tackle in his first year at the position in Trent Brown. If Decker is able to progress into the upper third of offensive tackles in the NFL in year four, this pick will be a winner in retrospect.

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