One last Detroit Lions mock draft before some NFL virtual reality
By Robert Jones
A steal for the backfield?
The fourth round of the draft is one of only two rounds that the Lions don’t have two selections. The other of course, having been the first round. My target at the top of the fourth round was a running back.
Zack Moss of Utah, a popular target for some Lions fans, went off the board one pick before Detroit’s. While I like Moss he has a history of injuries and I would rather find a back that has a relatively healthy background anyway. The reason, of course, is that Kerryon Johnson, while extremely talented, has not been able to play a full season yet in the NFL and did bring a history of injury with him from college.
Thus I simply wanted the best back available with a fairly clean history if the value was right.
Josh Kelley was a surprise. This may not happen in the real draft, but considering that running backs don’t get the attention they used to in the NFL, it’s not an impossibility either.
Kelley is the perfect back to add. He is elusive enough to make plays while still having a dogged power running style. He has also demonstrated good hands out of the backfield in the few situations he has been utilized in the passing game.
The great thing about running backs is that while there is definitely a learning curve as they enter the NFL, they are one of the few positions that can contribute immediately since running the ball is based on instinct.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty for Kelley to learn before he can become a more proficient contributor in all facets of the offense, but if he initially knows where the hole is supposed to be on a given play, then once Matthew Stafford hands him the ball his ability should help him get through it.