2013 NFL Draft Thread

**MC24** · 11-11-2012, 04:14 PM

Well, I don't see us making the Playoffs so might as well start talking Draft...in November like usual.

My top 3 looks like this right now:

1. OT Luke Joeckel - Stud LT that man handled LSU's and Bama's defensive ends all day.
2. CB Johnthan Banks - Big physical corner that can play in any defense. Can play press man, off man, zone. Also plays the run well.
3. OC/OG/OT Barrett Jones - He can play all over the line and is a mauler type. Raiola, Peterman, Cherilus need to be replaced.

Who are you guys liking?

**NYLion** · 11-12-2012, 10:14 AM

1. WR Justin Hunter
2. WR Keenan Allen

Need moar receivers. Mattin Milhew wouldn't have it any other way.

Seriously, you would think that they would address the O-Line or back 7 on defense.

1) CB
2) Safety (Any safety, strong or free would be welcome)
2) O-Line (Specifically a Raiola replacement)
3) OLB

Those are the 3 biggest needs. If i was Mayhew, i wouldn't look at any other position regardless of the nonsensical BPA approach, it's time to start filling needs. This team isn't so bad that BPA must be the general rule.

**cruzer1** · 11-12-2012, 11:46 AM

Defensive end will probably be a huge need going into next year, it's kind of early right now. Need to wait and see what happens, but they could gain picks if they let Avril and Jackson walk, and they need to get past the KVB era.

**Nastradamus** · 11-12-2012, 12:37 PM

I don't think OT or OLB are much of a need at all. You don't play 3 LBs enough to invest big in a 3rd LB. I think Levy has played really well this year.

DE is a big issue. Who do we keep, who do we let walk? I think Avril may have to lower his price tag a big, but I think we probably still want him. Hopefully we can sign him to a deal about half way between Charles Johnson and Ray Edwards. I'd like to keep at least one of Young and Jackson. Start there and add a rookie, possibly Lewis, an Everette Brown type or whatever else you can muster up. I think we'll be able to spend some cash here as Avril's cap number will be lower and Williams and KVB should be off the books. There's tons of DE talent in this draft.

Gotta get DBs obviously. S is the biggest issue to me. I'm ok with the types of CBs we have gone with, for the most part. You can't have studs everywhere and I'd rather have them at S than CB in today's NFL. Especially in our D.

Mayhew doesn't deserve to be compared to Millen, ever, even if you think he should be fired. That's borderline criminal. Fwiw, we needed every WR he drafted.

**Euphdude** · 11-12-2012, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by cruzer1

Defensive end will probably be a huge need going into next year, it's kind of early right now. Need to wait and see what happens, but they could gain picks if they let Avril and Jackson walk, and they need to get past the KVB era.

It's hard to tell with Mayhew will pick since he likes to go with BPA regardless of position (minus QB). They need help terribly in the secondary, and they will need defensive ends as you said. Whether or not Mayhew drafts what the Lions need or drafts what he perceives to be the BPA (a position the Lions aren't good enough to take IMO) remains to be seen.

**Nastradamus** · 11-12-2012, 12:55 PM

THough I do want DBs, I don't have much issue with a bpa approach to this draft. No QB or DT though. Probalby no WR, but I'm not sure if we can depend on Young and I don't want Burleson back(repetitive with Broyles, pricy,old, coming off injury), so we need another WR who can get deep if Young isn't around.

**NYLion** · 11-12-2012, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

I don't think OT or OLB are much of a need at all. You don't play 3 LBs enough to invest big in a 3rd LB. I think Levy has played really well this year.

DE is a big issue. Who do we keep, who do we let walk? I think Avril may have to lower his price tag a big, but I think we probably still want him. Hopefully we can sign him to a deal about half way between Charles Johnson and Ray Edwards. I'd like to keep at least one of Young and Jackson. Start there and add a rookie, possibly Lewis, an Everette Brown type or whatever else you can muster up. I think we'll be able to spend some cash here as Avril's cap number will be lower and Williams and KVB should be off the books. There's tons of DE talent in this draft.

Gotta get DBs obviously. S is the biggest issue to me. I'm ok with the types of CBs we have gone with, for the most part. You can't have studs everywhere and I'd rather have them at S than CB in today's NFL. Especially in our D.

Mayhew doesn't deserve to be compared to Millen, ever, even if you think he should be fired. That's borderline criminal. Fwiw, we needed every WR he drafted.

DE is an issue, i would agree with that. However, i have to disagree that OLB isn't a major concern and even depth at the MIKE. Levy has played well in stretches but he's still very inconsistent and is yet another Lion who can't seem to stay healthy, Durant is likely gone after this season so that leaves us with Tulloch as the only dependable LB and even he is pretty average.

The secondary goes without saying.... Despite some pointing to the fairly meaningless 7th in the league against the pass stat, the secondary is awful and can't be counted on.
Houston is the only dependable guy back there, that's it. Everybody else is either too injury prone or just not good enough.

I understand that Avril is likely gone after this season and KVB is on his last legs but i think that there is ok depth there with Young hopefully emerging with more PT and LoJack possibly being re-signed. Perhaps it will be better to evaluate the DE depth during the offseason when some questions will be answered because there will be a lot of shuffling around done there.

The fact remains that the Lions have needs everywhere expect at QB, WR, TE (despite Pettigrew's inconsistencies) and perhaps RB although they could use a change of pace guy like a healthy Best (obviously not Best himself since he's likely done) but the Back 7 HAS TO be addressed at some point and the center position has to be addressed at some point and there's no better spot than the draft.

**Nastradamus** · 11-12-2012, 01:13 PM

I will be curious to see what they think of the LBs they drafted this past year. They were pretty high on Whitehead and T.Lewis. Its a bit of a failure if we have to draft another one just for depth. I"d be ok with taking someone to replace or complement Levy, but only if its a legit stud, along the lines of someone like Weatherspoon or something.

S is our biggest need, no disagreement there.

**cruzer1** · 11-12-2012, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Euphdude

It's hard to tell with Mayhew will pick since he likes to go with BPA regardless of position (minus QB). They need help terribly in the secondary, and they will need defensive ends as you said. Whether or not Mayhew drafts what the Lions need or drafts what he perceives to be the BPA (a position the Lions aren't good enough to take IMO) remains to be seen.

They just drafted 3 corners, and I don't think a team should ever not consider the best player available.

**alwaysthrowheat** · 11-12-2012, 02:33 PM

Dee Milliner-CB
Alec Ogletree-ILB

**MC24** · 11-12-2012, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

I don't think OT or OLB are much of a need at all. You don't play 3 LBs enough to invest big in a 3rd LB. I think Levy has played really well this year.

DE is a big issue. Who do we keep, who do we let walk? I think Avril may have to lower his price tag a big, but I think we probably still want him. Hopefully we can sign him to a deal about half way between Charles Johnson and Ray Edwards. I'd like to keep at least one of Young and Jackson. Start there and add a rookie, possibly Lewis, an Everette Brown type or whatever else you can muster up. I think we'll be able to spend some cash here as Avril's cap number will be lower and Williams and KVB should be off the books. There's tons of DE talent in this draft.

Gotta get DBs obviously. S is the biggest issue to me. I'm ok with the types of CBs we have gone with, for the most part. You can't have studs everywhere and I'd rather have them at S than CB in today's NFL. Especially in our D.

Mayhew doesn't deserve to be compared to Millen, ever, even if you think he should be fired. That's borderline criminal. Fwiw, we needed every WR he drafted.

Come on dude. Both Backus and Cherilus are pretty bad. Adding someone like Joeckel would help this offense a ton.

I really don't see a safety worth a 1st round pick. There's some good ones in the 2nd round though like Tony Jefferson and Matt Elam.

Originally Posted by alwaysthrowheat

Dee Milliner-CB
Alec Ogletree-ILB

Ogletree is a good player but where do you play him? Switch to a 3-4?

**alwaysthrowheat** · 11-12-2012, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by MC24

Ogletree is a good player but where do you play him? Switch to a 3-4?

Wouldn't switch because of one player, but any time I watch Georgia, he seems to make plays.

**MC24** · 11-22-2012, 09:43 PM

Bump. Still liking Joeckel as my #1 but changes to my #2 and #3.

#2 - DE Damontre Moore [Our rush ends have been bad all season, all of them not just one. Avril will be a FA and will want a boatload even though he doesn't deserve it. KVB is done. Can't effectively get after the passer anymore and is foolishly bad vs the run. Guys like Young and Jackson are nothing more than depth. A stud DE next to our big boys in the middle would make this defense a lot better.]

Hmm, come to think about it, I don't a clear favorite as my #3 guy. Sam Montgomery [DE] and Dee Milliner [CB] are a few I like.

**Hart** · 11-22-2012, 11:01 PM

I would love Te'o because he is flat out a playmaker and a high character guy but we probably won't be drafting high enough for him. I do think the Lions could take a linebacker because I believe Durant and Levy are both free agents and Tulloch has not been that good this year.

**Scottish caveman** · 11-22-2012, 11:10 PM

1. Eric Reid S LSU
2. DE
3. OG
4. Traded to Minn.
5., 6. , 7. ...DE , TE , P

**KleShreen** · 11-22-2012, 11:49 PM

I swear to god. I will set that entire stadium on fire if the Lions fail to draft a first round DB...AGAIN. It's been about eight years now that the Lions have needed DB help and have just entirely disregarded it for some reason. I don't care what you do to fix it, but something has to be done where the team drafts a first round CB or S. There are NO other options. Reach if you have to, I don't care.

**Nastradamus** · 11-23-2012, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by MC24

Come on dude. Both Backus and Cherilus are pretty bad. Adding someone like Joeckel would help this offense a ton.

I really don't see a safety worth a 1st round pick. There's some good ones in the 2nd round though like Tony Jefferson and Matt Elam.

Ogletree is a good player but where do you play him? Switch to a 3-4?

I admit I probably get into the metrics and stuff too much, but I think people go overboard on ripping our OL. PFF has Gosdar as the 10th best OT in the NFL right now. Backus is 52nd though and clearly is reaching the end(he does rate as a plus pass blocker still though, just god awful as a run blocker). Sims is the 7th best rated OG in the game, Peterman is 33rd after taking a big drop due to the beating Watt put on him. Keep in mind this is out of 64 spots. Peterman consistently ranks quite good against the run, poor against the pass, opposite of Gosdar. He's not very good, but he's a middle of the pack starter in this league. I'm definitely down to upgrade. Raiola is the #10 C

Now, to repeat, metrics like this aren't perfect. Football outsiders may have different numbers and in the end they are subjective. However, so are the eyeballs of your average fan, much more so for that matter. So while our OL has some frustrating moments(and personally, watching the games, they've been the least of my concern), I don't think they are near as bad as people make it sound like. We pick out the one play that annoys us and it becomes our long term impression of the player.

If an OT is BPA, I'll live, but we just went OT in the first last year and there are a lot of other spots I'd rather upgrade. Only Avril has made any sort of impact at DE this year and he may be too expensive, the OLBs are FAs, which I forgot about, and we obviously need DBs. I'd rather go interior line when if we do address OL in this draft anyways. I'd love to snag Warmack from Bama.

**Hart** · 11-23-2012, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

I admit I probably get into the metrics and stuff too much, but I think people go overboard on ripping our OL. PFF has Gosdar as the 10th best OT in the NFL right now. Backus is 52nd though and clearly is reaching the end(he does rate as a plus pass blocker still though, just god awful as a run blocker). Sims is the 7th best rated OG in the game, Peterman is 33rd after taking a big drop due to the beating Watt put on him. Keep in mind this is out of 64 spots. Peterman consistently ranks quite good against the run, poor against the pass, opposite of Gosdar. He's not very good, but he's a middle of the pack starter in this league. I'm definitely down to upgrade. Raiola is the #10 C

Now, to repeat, metrics like this aren't perfect. Football outsiders may have different numbers and in the end they are subjective. However, so are the eyeballs of your average fan, much more so for that matter. So while our OL has some frustrating moments(and personally, watching the games, they've been the least of my concern), I don't think they are near as bad as people make it sound like. We pick out the one play that annoys us and it becomes our long term impression of the player.

If an OT is BPA, I'll live, but we just went OT in the first last year and there are a lot of other spots I'd rather upgrade. Only Avril has made any sort of impact at DE this year and he may be too expensive, the OLBs are FAs, which I forgot about, and we obviously need DBs. I'd rather go interior line when if we do address OL in this draft anyways. I'd love to snag Warmack from Bama.

I think our offensive line is pretty much average...half the teams are worse and half the teams are better. They seem to be better pass blocking than run blocking. Stafford is running for his life a lot but part of this is teams don't really even respect the run and just pin their ears back and rush. And considering how teams are always playing two deep safeties on us, I don't understand why we can't run it better. If that kid from 'Bama can move the line scrimmage, I would be all for that pick.

**MC24** · 11-23-2012, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by KleShreen

I swear to god. I will set that entire stadium on fire if the Lions fail to draft a first round DB...AGAIN. It's been about eight years now that the Lions have needed DB help and have just entirely disregarded it for some reason. I don't care what you do to fix it, but something has to be done where the team drafts a first round CB or S. There are NO other options. Reach if you have to, I don't care.

Have you watched our defensive ends this year? I think they are clearly the problem on defense with safety second and IMO, there isn't a safety worth a 1st round pick. Value just isn't there. Plenty of good prospects but no studs.

**MC24** · 11-23-2012, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

I admit I probably get into the metrics and stuff too much, but I think people go overboard on ripping our OL. PFF has Gosdar as the 10th best OT in the NFL right now. Backus is 52nd though and clearly is reaching the end(he does rate as a plus pass blocker still though, just god awful as a run blocker). Sims is the 7th best rated OG in the game, Peterman is 33rd after taking a big drop due to the beating Watt put on him. Keep in mind this is out of 64 spots. Peterman consistently ranks quite good against the run, poor against the pass, opposite of Gosdar. He's not very good, but he's a middle of the pack starter in this league. I'm definitely down to upgrade. Raiola is the #10 C

Now, to repeat, metrics like this aren't perfect. Football outsiders may have different numbers and in the end they are subjective. However, so are the eyeballs of your average fan, much more so for that matter. So while our OL has some frustrating moments(and personally, watching the games, they've been the least of my concern), I don't think they are near as bad as people make it sound like. We pick out the one play that annoys us and it becomes our long term impression of the player.

If an OT is BPA, I'll live, but we just went OT in the first last year and there are a lot of other spots I'd rather upgrade. Only Avril has made any sort of impact at DE this year and he may be too expensive, the OLBs are FAs, which I forgot about, and we obviously need DBs. I'd rather go interior line when if we do address OL in this draft anyways. I'd love to snag Warmack from Bama.

I don't think I can take these numbers seriously if they honestly think Cherilus is playing like a top 10 tackle.

**Mr.TaterSalad** · 11-25-2012, 10:33 AM

It's too early to map out a full mock draft but if I were Mayhew it would look something like this...

1st: CB and/or FS
2nd: DE
3rd: G
4th: C
5th: CB
6th: LB
7th: T

**Nastradamus** · 11-25-2012, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Hart

I think our offensive line is pretty much average...half the teams are worse and half the teams are better. They seem to be better pass blocking than run blocking. Stafford is running for his life a lot but part of this is teams don't really even respect the run and just pin their ears back and rush. And considering how teams are always playing two deep safeties on us, I don't understand why we can't run it better. If that kid from 'Bama can move the line scrimmage, I would be all for that pick.

Yah, both our OTs rate pretty bad in run blocking and Raiola is obviously undersized. Our OGs are good at it, but that's not enough. I think a big part of teams not respecting our run game is that nobody is a threat to bust one for a big play. Leshoure can get positive yards, but he's not going to hit you for more than 5-6 most of the time. The passing game is our big threat and teams sell out to stop it. We miss Best and need a similar player back there.

**Nastradamus** · 11-25-2012, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by MC24

I don't think I can take these numbers seriously if they honestly think Cherilus is playing like a top 10 tackle.

Like I said, they aren't perfect by any means, but the people doing them are probably better at grading his play than the average message board poster too. There aren't a ton of RTs I'd take over Cherilus. There are probably 5 really good ones and the rest are right around where he is, or worse.

**kgeorge78** · 11-25-2012, 11:03 AM

I would love them to Draft a New Owner / GM / Coach and Players.

I would like the lions to draft new fans as well so I can get this god damnn cursed team off my mind 24/7.

**froggyvk** · 11-25-2012, 12:19 PM

What the Lions should do is just draft the fastest players in the draft and they'll be guaranteed to have a good team.

**froggyvk** · 11-25-2012, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by KleShreen

I swear to god. I will set that entire stadium on fire if the Lions fail to draft a first round DB...AGAIN. It's been about eight years now that the Lions have needed DB help and have just entirely disregarded it for some reason. I don't care what you do to fix it, but something has to be done where the team drafts a first round CB or S. There are NO other options. Reach if you have to, I don't care.

My hunch is they ignore first round defensive back because Mayhew is a former CB and his grading scale is more difficult for DBs. I'm guessing he can't find that CB that he loves so much to justify taking in the first round. He looks at the mid-round guys as players with tools that need to be developed but believes they can be. I don't know that for certain, but it'd make sense that he'd want a "special" CB prospect if he's going to pull the trigger in the first round (such as the rumored trade offer for Patrick Peterson).

**cruzer1** · 11-25-2012, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by froggyvk

My hunch is they ignore first round defensive back because Mayhew is a former CB and his grading scale is more difficult for DBs. I'm guessing he can't find that CB that he loves so much to justify taking in the first round. He looks at the mid-round guys as players with tools that need to be developed but believes they can be. I don't know that for certain, but it'd make sense that he'd want a "special" CB prospect if he's going to pull the trigger in the first round (such as the rumored trade offer for Patrick Peterson).

This.

**Scottish caveman** · 11-25-2012, 12:45 PM

So much will depend on who they sign as UFA and who they lose .

**Nastradamus** · 11-25-2012, 01:51 PM

We need S much more than CB

**Hart** · 11-25-2012, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

We need S much more than CB

I looked at the 2013 free agent list and one of the names on the list is safety Jairus Byrd from Buffalo. I would make him a high priority. If we could sign Delmas to a one year deal and then combine him with Byrd, we would have two playmaking free safeties who can both defend the pass fairly well.

**KleShreen** · 11-25-2012, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Hart

I looked at the 2013 free agent list and one of the names on the list is safety Jairus Byrd from Buffalo. I would make him a high priority. If we could sign Delmas to a one year deal and then combine him with Byrd, we would have two playmaking free safeties who can both defend the pass fairly well.

I'm over Delmas. He's good when he plays, but he's beyond an injury-risk. I'd be perfectly fine with replacing him with a competent player who is at least on the field.

**Hart** · 11-25-2012, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by KleShreen

I'm over Delmas. He's good when he plays, but he's beyond an injury-risk. I'd be perfectly fine with replacing him with a competent player who is at least on the field.

That would be mean we would have to find two competent safeties. It is more realistic to find one and then take a chance with Delmas. If we can find two though, I would would be fine with letting Delmas go.

**KleShreen** · 11-29-2012, 02:22 PM

With the news coming out today...I would be very happy if the Lions decided to reach by about a round and take Tyrann Mathieu in the second. I know he's undersized and doesn't have a lot of man-to-man experience, but Kiper/McShay both think he'll be a third round guy "if he nails the NFL Draft process" with a good combine performance. I'd take a chance on him in the second or maybe hope for the third if CB's aren't going fast. He has stayed out of trouble since getting kicked off of LSU and if that continues through the NFL Draft, he seems like a good value.

**MC24** · 11-29-2012, 02:35 PM

Aren't you one of the people that complain about off the field guys?

Mathieu in Round 2 is borderline insane. Could probably get him in 5th or later.

**Nastradamus** · 11-29-2012, 02:54 PM

Yah, what you said MC. Mathieu before the 4th or 5th is insane. He was a late 2nd/early 3rd guy before as it is. Also he has not stayed out of trouble since being kicked out of LSU, he just got busted for weed with Jordan Jefferson.

**drownwithyou** · 11-29-2012, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by KleShreen

With the news coming out today...I would be very happy if the Lions decided to reach by about a round and take Tyrann Mathieu in the second. I know he's undersized and doesn't have a lot of man-to-man experience, but Kiper/McShay both think he'll be a third round guy "if he nails the NFL Draft process" with a good combine performance. I'd take a chance on him in the second or maybe hope for the third if CB's aren't going fast. He has stayed out of trouble since getting kicked off of LSU and if that continues through the NFL Draft, he seems like a good value.

I was going to joke that they should take Mathieu after your CB in the first round post because you complain about Suh all the time for getting speeding tickets, but apparently I didn't have to. Awesome.

**KleShreen** · 11-29-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by drownwithyou

I was going to joke that they should take Mathieu after your CB in the first round post because you complain about Suh all the time for getting speeding tickets, but apparently I didn't have to. Awesome.

Well, here is where I get pissed off because people here apparently like to take what others post and turn it in to what they want. I have not complained about the fact that Suh gets in to off-field trouble by itself. I have complained that I believe his off-field troubles and on-field troubles are connected and play a part in each other. If Suh were to get speeding tickets every day, but be a level-headed football player who isn't drawing negative attention to his team at every turn, I wouldn't care. Last time I checked, Mathieu isn't borderline ripping player's helmets off, overhand punching people, or in general committing illegal acts on the field of play on a seemingly regular basis in addition to getting in off-field trouble. So maybe some of you idiots around here should learn to comprehend what others post rather than reading what you want and stopping. It's like trying to communicate with a bunch of vapid neanderthals.

**drownwithyou** · 11-29-2012, 03:20 PM

Your words are so hurtful.

**KleShreen** · 11-29-2012, 03:36 PM

By the way, at least Mathieu is still going through out-patient rehab and making an attempt to straighten things out. Can't say the same for others.

**Nastradamus** · 11-29-2012, 03:44 PM

and Suh has never needed rehab. But ok, he's regularly causing problems on the field with zero personal fouls this year. Sounds great. That's really negatively affecting us on the field.