The Detroit Lions best draft picks by round since 2009

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 23: Darius Slay #23 of the Detroit Lions reacts while playing the New England Patriots at Ford Field on September 23, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 23: Darius Slay #23 of the Detroit Lions reacts while playing the New England Patriots at Ford Field on September 23, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
Stafford hasn't missed a start in eight years
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images /

First Round – Matthew Stafford, QB

What can we say, here? Matthew Stafford is by far the most productive first rounder but Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle, Reilly Reiff, offensive tackle, Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, Taylor Decker, offensive tackle, Jarrad Davis, linebacker, and Frank Ragnow, offensive guard, have all been successful to varying degrees. Of course, several other players were not successful from round one.

Although many of these players have done some things, many have simply moved on through free agency instead of getting a new contract to stay. Matthew Stafford has his new contract but he was temporarily paid the highest salary per season. Russell Wilson is currently the highest paid player in the NFL on a per game average at $35 million per year to Stafford’s $27.5 million dollar salary.

Stafford has the kind of big arm that is rare and he has the gunslinger mentality, in both the good ways and the bad at times. He also has 38,526 yards passing, 237 touchdowns, 129 interceptions, and a 62.4 percent career completion percentage. He’s achieved these milestones at younger ages than any Super Bowl winner and often without much help from his defense or run game.

Next. Ranking every Lions team from the last 25 years. dark

That’s it. Those are the superlatives from each round. We have one week until we add new players to each as the draft starts next Thursday at eight p.m. It should be fun to see whose name Bob Quinn sends up to the podium this year!

Follow Kick In the Crotch Weekly, CoachKirk @mkirk2 for Detroit and Michigan sports, plus other random content.