This is probably the craziest draft I can remember in all of my years of being a draftnik. Almost every single year that I can remember, the draft order for the top ten was pretty much common knowledge by the week before the draft. Not this year; players are moving up and down mock drafts like a video game. The experts are changing their minds every day with the latest rumors. This is setting up to be one of the most exciting drafts ever.
The reason for the helter-skelter style draft this year is that it’s what considered a ‘middle-heavy’ draft. Meaning: the players in the middle of the first round are likely to contribute just as much as the top five picks. There aren’t any sure-fire Barry Sanders-like players lurking around this year. Plus, you add the fact that there are no quarterbacks worthy of being picked in the top fifteen picks, heck, there might not even be a quarterback to go in the first round. By the way, the real excitement of this year’s draft is going to be at the start of the 2nd round on Friday. With all of those quarterbacks likely going in the top of that round, there is going to be more trading than a good day on Wall Street.
We all know how important this draft is for the Detroit Lions coming off a disappointing 4-12 season. The crazy thing is that as high as they’re picking, 5th pick, this year you would think there is some regional consensus as to whom the Lions should select. But no, this is such an unpredictable draft that the Lions fans can’t even agree on what should be a slam dunk universal, make everyone happy at the same time kind of pick.
Everybody has their opinion on who the Lions should draft. The following is the list I hope to see in this Sunday’s sports section under Detroit Lions draft selections.
1. Eric Fisher, Tackle, Central Michigan. I would take any of the big three tackles in the 5th spot. I’m not sold that Riley Reiff is a top notch left tackle. I don’t expect the Lions to draft this high again for awhile, and this is the rarified air, top five pick, where you find franchise left tackles. They should get one while they have the opportunity to do so.
Dec 29, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive end Alex Okafor (80) sacks Oregon State Beavers quarterback Cody Vaz (14) during the second half of the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Texas beat Oregon State 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
2. Alex Okafor, Defensive End, Texas. Actually there are a few names that would work for me in this slot as long as they play defensive end. Besides Okafor, I like Margus Hunt of SMU, Damontre Moore of Texas A&M and Tank Carridine of Florida State. The point is that one of the reasons you take a Fisher in the first round and not a DE is because there’s a boat-load of them available in the second round.
3. Travis Frederick, Center, Wisconsin. I know most of you probably just clicked me off your computer when you saw another offensive lineman taken by the Lions in the third round. My reasoning is: lets finish off the building of the offensive line right here and now. With Fisher and Frederick joining Reiff, Rob Sims and whoever wins the right tackle position, the Lions would be set up front in the trenches for a very long time. We will be able to run the football from now on.
4. William Gholston, Defensive End, Michigan State. I’m loading up on defensive ends. He shows promise and could be there in the fourth round. Has a bit of a temper, but isn’t that part of the job description?
5. Josh Evans, Safety, Florida. He’s a tall body that likes to mix it up. From a big time program and we need some depth here.
6. Corey Fuller, Wide Receiver, Virginia Tech. I’m only including a receiver because I know Mayhew is going to take one somewhere, so let’s hope it’s a low pick. Fuller is a tall, fast, unpolished talent. That’s what 6th round picks are.
7. Close your eyes and throw darts. If anyone can predict the seventh round of these drafts then they have way too much time on their hands.
That’s my wish list. What’s yours?