San Francisco Linebacker Patrick Willis Wins Rookie of the Year Award -- Of Course He Does

Sometimes, when it comes to the NFL Draft, I'll be the first to admit, I get it wrong. In 2005, for example, I was yelling as loud as anyone into my television that the Detroit Lions needed to draft USC wide receiver Mike Williams. Even though the Lions had drafted wide receivers the previous two seasons, Charles Rogers was looking like a bust and Williams, had he been eligible for the 2004 draft, likely would have been the #1 pick because of his incredible amount of pure talent. With three cornerbacks (another position of need) taken in the first 8-picks ahead of the Lions I was ecstatic when the Lions passed on Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson and selected Williams. Oops. We all saw how that turned out, as Williams never was willing to work to develop his immense base-talent and Johnson, on the other hand, has turned into a good and solid (if unspectacular) linebacker for Kansas City.

Last year though, I pleaded with the Lions to pass on the top wide receiver in the draft, Calvin Johnson, and this time take the linebacker, Ole Miss's Patrick Willis. (I even titled the post "2007 NFL Draft Preview aka Why the Detroit Lions Shouldn't Draft Calvin Johnson")

Despite Johnson's immense talent, and incredible potential, I think it would be a huge mistake to draft him if, as expected, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are fighting over themselves to draft Johnson, and the Lions are offered numerous second round draft picks to move down. And this feeling has nothing to do with the fact that the Lions have taken three wide receivers in the past four years in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft, with two of those picks, Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, being huge disasters. The Lions can't look back. They should only look forward. The draft picks they made in the past are a sunk cost. They can't go back. If the team needs a wide receiver (and their pursuit of Kevin Curtis this off-season shows that the team believes that they do) and Johnson is as good as everyone says (and there's little doubt that he's going to be a star) then the Lions should not let the fact that they have constantly drafted wide receivers in the first round stop them.

With all of that said, Johnson would not be the worst decision the Lions could make tomorrow (cough, Leon Hall, cough), and I'm not sold on Gaines Adams, the defensive end the Lions seem to be focused on if they don't draft Johnson. There are a lot of questions about Adams work ethic and football IQ, and Mississippi's Patrick Willis and LSU's LaRon Landry have no such question marks and both could step in and start at key positions which are hard to fill (middle linebacker and safety). So between Johnson and Adams, I would like to see the Lions take Johnson, even if technically, defensive end is a bigger "need" for the Lions. But, with the potential for a trade down, and Willis or Landry sitting on the board at #8, or even Adams on the board at #4 with additional second round picks in the wings, the Lions have to take that trade, no matter how much of a star they think Johnson may become.

So, while I may have been wrong in 2004, I can say I was right in 2007 as Willis, who is going to the Pro Bowl in his first season, was named Rookie of the Year today. And while I was impressed with Calvin Johnson this year (despite his late season drops and lack of concentration) and think he will be a special player, Willis already is a special player. Imagine him in the defensive backfield with Ernie Sims, crushing opposing offenses. And not only that, but the Lions would have earned a number of additional draft picks with their selection of Willis because it would have involved a trade-down.

Just another missed opportunity to add to the list of the Millen-regime.

NFL Draft 2007 Liveblog -- Day Two (Rounds 4-7)

6:10: And it's over. By my count, 255 picks and just over 17 hours of actual draft time later, the 2007 NFL Draft is over. With the final pick in the draft, Mr. Irrelevant as he is called, the Detroit Lions drafted cornerback Ramzee Robinson (and I'm not making that name up). Overall, I'll give the Lions draft a B- grade, as even though I loved the Stanton pick, and I have full confidence Calvin Johnson is going to be a stud, the Lions inability to fill needs at defensive end, middle linebacker, and in the secondary. They may have picked some good "football character" guys in the later rounds, but none seem to be "impact" players right away, despite having four picks in the first two rounds. Funny, I wanted the Lions to trade down originally so they could end up with four picks in the first two rounds, and they ended up getting them anyway, and they got one starter for next year (Calvin Johnson) at a position which wasn't a big need. So, maybe trading down wasn't the best decision they could have made because they ended up with early picks. They just used them as projects instead of starters. As Tom Kowalski said in the MLive.com Detroit Lions chat yesterday, the Lions drafted would have been perfect for a 13-3 team, but not so much for a 3-13 team which needs immediate help. So, B-, which, hopefully, is not the grade on my law school Criminal Procedure exam which is tomorrow, which, after 17 hours of draft coverage, it's time to concentrate on.

2:45: ESPN just interviewed Matt Millen about the draft, and, as expected, he raved about Calvin Johnson and Drew Stanton, and seemed in pretty good humor, despite the tradition of losing which has described his tenure with the Lions. The ESPN crew, in stark contrast to most Lions fans (who, at least over at MLive.com) who seem upset with the Lions draft, were quite bullish on the Lions picked, and Mel Kiper singled out Hawaii DE Ikaika Alama-Francis as a potential standout defensive end. For those that missed it, here's Suzy Kolber's interview with Millen.

2:00: The Lions have made their 5th round selection, taking outside linebacker Johnny Baldwin from Alabama A&M. Not sure about that one, some of the major draft scouting homes, like NFL.com and ESPN/Scouts Inc. don't even have a profile of this guy. Plus, middle linebacker seems like more of a need right now than outside linebacker. But, its round five, so what do I know?

12:10: The Detroit Lions continued to use their excess draft picks to trade up, moving up to pick #117 in the fourth round to select offensive guard Manuel Ramirez. Ramirez benched pressed 550 pounds, which is just amazing. A great bio from NFL.com:

Ramirez is one of the strongest offensive linemen in the collegiate ranks, boasting a school-record bench press of 550 pounds. The four-year starter at right offensive guard is very proficient at protecting the quarterback, having operated in the team's explosive spread offense that averaged 493.98 yards per game and 59 touchdowns per season during his four years manning the right guard position.

Not only is Ramirez the strongest player in the collegiate ranks, he is also known for his field vision and intelligence. He has called all the blocking schemes the last two years and served as the line's mentor for the younger players, as he led a blocking unit that reduced the team's total of sacks allowed from 36 in 2005 to 19 in 2006.

To get Rameriez, we traded two of our three fifth round picks, leaving the Lions with two draft picks left in the draft, 1 in round five and 1 in round seven, the final pick of the draft. I still think the Lions need to address their linebacker but this sounds like a pretty solid pick.

11:30 The Detroit Lions made their fourth round selection, AJ Davis, cornerback out of NC State. Cornerback makes sense for the Lions, but I'm not sure on the pick of Davis. NFL.com seems high on him, but other than that, most people had him going later in the draft, and there were other, more established cornerbacks on the board, like Auburn's David Irons and Tanard Jackson. Here's what NFL.com had to say about Davis:

One of the quickest cornerbacks in the country, Davis is regarded as the Atlantic Coast Conference's top man coverage defender. He has drawn comparisons to former Clemson standout Tye Hill, according to opposing ACC coaches, for his ability to instantly change direction and close on the ball with suddenness. He has not only used his impressive quickness and leaping ability to excel on the football field, but was also a productive performer on the Wolfpack's track team.

11:10: Good morning and time for Day Two of the NFL Draft. Rounds 4-7 are today and the Detroit Lions, baring trades, have 4 picks today, 1 in round four, 3 in round five, and 1 in round seven, pick #255, the last pick of the entire draft, known as "Mr. Irrelevant."

After sleeping on yesterday's Day One, I still like (for the most part) what the Lions have done. Yes, I wanted a trade down, and still think that may have been the best move for the franchise, but it is hard to complain about Calvin Johnson, the overall top talent in the draft. And I love the Drew Stanton pick, because of his leadership and athletic ability, and the fact that he'll be able to sit for a full year, learn under Mike Martz, with no pressure. I am disappointed we didn't look at our defense more, and the two defensive picks we made seemed like good football players, with the right "football character" but they were players who likely would have been around later in the draft. I'll give the day a solid B. Time to see what today brings.

NFL Draft 2007 Liveblog -- Round Two

9:20: The Lions made another trade, getting wild now. They moved up into the second round, trading their second third round pick and one of their two fourth round selections for Boise State Safety Gerald Alexander. Alexander has played both cornerback and safety, and plays pretty quick, but a lot of the draft "experts" didn't have him being drafted until the second day of the draft, so this may be a reach for Matt Millen (wouldn't be the first time he's reached on a player). It does sound, though, that Alexander brings a lot of intangibles and if he can play safety and the nickel cornerback position, he can be a very valuable contributor pretty quickly for the Lions. I like what I read about him on NFL.com.

One of the team's best conditioned athletes, Alexander was the recipient of the 2006 Strength "Iron Bronco" Award for his performance in the training room. On the field, he has been perfectly capable of filling any task the coaching staff asks from him. Having started his Broncos career as a left cornerback, he moved to the right side as a sophomore, back to the left side as a junior and then took over secondary assignment calls as the team's strong safety as a senior.

So, those not familiar with Hawaii and Boise State (c'mon, you aren't watching the WAC?) here are some videos. First up, ESPN's analysis of Hawaii's Ikaika Alama-Francis.

And Mel Kiper talking about Gerald Alexander.

And a hellacious hit from Alexander:

So, this leaves the Lions with 0 picks in the third round, which, now as of 9:30, hasn't started yet somehow. 1 pick in Round 4, 3 in Round 5, and the last pick in the draft, #255. Needs for tomorrow (or I guess tonight if they trade up again) are middle linebacker, cornerback, and maybe another defensive end.

9:00: The Detroit Lions made their third trade of the second round just a few moments ago, trading up to grab Hawaii defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis. I'll be honest, as much as a "draft geek" as I am, I don't know too much about Alma-Francis. He appears to be a big defensive end with a high intensity "motor", and is a hard worker with the "football character" the Lions are looking for. He also has only been playing football for a few years now, so he's raw, with a lot of untapped potential, and if anyone can get the most out of defensive lineman, it is the Lions coaching staff. And we needed help on defense, with defensive end being a significant need for us. So, overall, I'll take this pick on faith, and hope that the Lions are able to get the most out of a player who looks to have a lot of potential. To trade up to #58, the Lions traded a fourth round pick (one of two, the earlier one, #66) and one of their four fifth round picks (#145). Leaving them with three fifth round picks.

8:30: The Detroit Lions, as expected, have traded both Mike Williams and Josh McCown. Neither had a role with the team after the picks of Calvin Johnson and Drew Stanton, and both wanted to be traded and were not happy in Detroit. In exchange, Oakland sent Detroit a the fifth pick in the 4th round, #105. This gives Detroit two 4th round picks and 4 5th round picks tomorrow (and the last pick in the draft, "Mr. Irrelevant".) I don't mind the trade, but to me, the Lions took a huge cap-hit when they traded Williams, a hit they could have avoided if they would have simply cut Williams a "June 1st" cut, and just having him as a throw in to the McCown-to-Oakland deal, not sure that makes a lot of sense. And, for Oakland, I actually think Williams will be a nice pickup for them. He'll be back in California, in familiar surroundings, with Lane Kiffen, who coached him at USC, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him turn his career around there.

7:45: So, the Lions have glaring holes on defense and have not worked on either of those yet, choosing instead to draft on offense. And even though I would have liked to have seen David Harris or Georgia's Charles Johnson in a Lions uniform, I really think Stanton is going to be a great NFL player. As Tom Kowalski writes over at MLive, Stanton just has "it", he's a leader, and quarterbacks need to be leaders. Here is the ESPN video of Stanton being drafted by the Lions and the analysis from the ESPN crew.

And for those looking for a "pre-draft" scouting take on Stanton, here's another YouTube video I dug up:

As for analysis of the pick, the national media likes it for the most part, at least from what I've seen. CNNSI liked it.

Matt Millen gets his young quarterback with this pick. With Jon Kitna getting older, Stanton becomes the heir apparent to what could be an explosive offense. And Kitna was a great mentor to Carson Palmer in Cincy, so he should help Stanton as much as possible.

7:27: Man, this draft is taking forever. 6 hours plus for Round One, and we are at 7:27 and only a dozen or so picks into round two. Now, I love the draft but this is crazy. At least the Lions made a selection, and they went offense again, drafting Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton. Even though the defense obviously needs a lot of work, and Stanton won't help them this season, I love the pick. Stanton is a football player, was the gunner on the punt team for Michigan State, as a quarterback (that's just insane) and he's a phenomenal athlete. He can throw a fastball 90 MPH+, can move around in the pocket, and is a born leader. Maybe I'm biased because I watched him in high school, at Harrison High (right up the road), but I've thought since then that he was going to be a star in the NFL, and I think the Lions may have finally found their "quarterback of the future." Highlights soon.

6:38: The Lions traded their second round pick (#34) to Buffalo for their second round pick (#43) and their third round pick (#74). So we dropped 10 spots, and picked up an early third round pick. To me, that's a good trade. With most of the top defensive ends and safetys gone, and perhaps with the Lions not as sold on David Harris as I am, they felt like they could trade back, and still get the guy they want. They can now get potentially two defensive starters with their second and two third round picks and get a QB for the future. Should be interesting as we go forward.

6:30: And the Detroit Lions have not selected in the second round. They have traded down with Buffalo instead. We should have the details of the trade shortly.

NFL Draft 2007 Liveblog -- Round One

5:45: Not an NFL Draft update, per se, but Pavel Datsuyk just scored for the Detroit Red Wings, capping a great third period comeback, which evened up their series with the San Jose Sharks one game apiece. It was a game the Wings had to have, and when they fell behind 2-0 early on, it didn't look good, but with a beautiful goal by Datsuyk, the Wings have momentum again, and now they can try to steal a game in San Jose. Lions second round pick is coming up soon, and I'll start a new post for that "live blog."

4:20: Brady Quinn has finally been drafted, #22 to Cleveland, which just traded with Dallas. I've said a bunch of times that I am not a Quinn guy, but #22 is good value for him, and for the Browns to walk away with both Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn, that's a good day. 11 picks to go before the Lions select again and DE Anthony Spencer and ILB David Harris are both still on the board, but I can't see either sliding to the Lions at #34 sadly. If both are gone, the Lions are going to have to consider taking a QB even though it means their needs on defense won't be addressed until Round 3.

3:00: Okay, it's almost 3:00, and we are 14 picks in. A few stunners (Ted Ginn going #9 to Miami makes no sense, the guy is a glorified kick returner who while incredibly fast I don't think translates as anything more than Donte Hall at the NFL level) and Brady Quinn is still on the board, but other than that, not a lot of surprises. After everyone talked about there being so much volatility at the start of the draft, there ended up being no trades at all so far. And I can't say I'm surprised with Quinn's fall. He struggled mightily everytime he played a good team last season. And now, he has been moved away from the media, away from the ESPN cameras to avoid being shown everytime a team takes another player.

They were serious and suddenly the playful fun of awaiting his fate on national television started to look a little more uncomfortable for Quinn. When it became clear that Quinn would have a long wait, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell invited him and his family into a private suite at Radio City Music Hall, away from the cameras.

I'm starting to feel bad for Brady Quinn, but then again, I really don't. He just wasn't that good of a quarterback when it comes down to it. I thought going in he was overrated, but apparently, he wasn't, as teams are staying away, at least for now.

No Michigan players drafted yet, but Leon Hall and Alan Branch. The pick of Adam Carriker at #13 to St. Louis isn't great news for the Lions. If they were hoping that Carriker or Purdue defenive end Anthony Spencer would slide to round two, it doesn't look like that is going to happen.

1:15: The Detroit Lions are keeping Calvin Johnson, so says GM Matt Millen, who was ecstatic to the point of defiance almost in how much he loved Calvin Johnson's talent. As I said before, just because we have taken wide receivers three of the last four years should not have played any factor in taking Calvin Johnson. If we got a great trade offer, that was different, but as it is, he is a much safer pick then Gaines Adams or Leon Hall, and even Patrick Willis, who I really like. And looking at this interview that he had with ESPN this afternoon after he was selected, you can tell how genuinely looking forward to playing in the NFL and for the Detroit Lions.

As for the national analysis, it continues to be positive. CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco gives the Lions draft of Johnson an "A".

They could steal deal this pick to the Bucs, but give the Lions credit if they keep the pick. They got the best player in the draft. Admitting your mistakes is key in the NFL, and they did that by taking another receiver.

Pro Football Weekly also raved about Johnson.

Johnson is the safest pick in the draft, and I expect the Raiders will regret passing on him in the very near future. Give Lions GM Matt Millen a lot of credit. He drafted three receivers in the last four years, including two (Charles Rogers and Mike Williams) that have proven to be very bad decisions, but he was firm enough in his conviction not to fold against public sentiment or fear what fans might think. He made the right decision. Johnson could pair with Roy Williams to give the Lions the best receiving corps in the league in no time. Mike Martz has a plan for the Johnson if they keep him, and his combination of size, speed, hands and body control could create big-time mismatches against opponents.

12:45: It looks, at this point, that the Detroit Lions are keeping Calvin Johnson. And while I desperately wanted a trade down, how can you be upset with keeping Calvin Johnson, who has been called the best wide receiver prospect since Jerry Rice? And for those that missed it, here is the moment of truth, the Detroit Lions selection of Calvin Johnson:

And they could still make a trade. I think, one second round pick and a player, isn't enough. But if they turned down two second round picks, that would be a mistake. As it stands, NFL "experts", love the pick. Check out the analysis from NFL.com:

The Lions' checkered history with first-round wide receivers notwithstanding, they had no other choice but to select Calvin Johnson. They had to stay true to their board -- not to mention the boards of every team in the league -- and go with the player widely viewed as the most talented in the draft. Johnson could very well have been the top overall pick, but once the Raiders selected Russell, Johnson was automatic in the No. 2 spot. It's possible the Lions could end up making a trade that would send Johnson elsewhere in exchange for defensive end Gaines Adams, who will likely be picked later in the top five, but if they simply end up keeping Johnson, that would not be a disaster ... despite the Lions' recent history with receiver picks.

12:33 The Detroit Lions have selected WR Calvin Johnson. The question now is, do we keep him?
AP Photo

12:21: The Oakland Raiders have taken QB JaMarcus Russell , the Detroit Lions now on the clock. It's either Calvin Johnson, or let's hope and hope and hope a trade-down.

11:50: Tom Kowalski, my colleague over @ Michigan Live, is reporting the phones are "ringing off the hook" in Allen Park with teams wanting to trade for the #2 overall pick.

A source close to the situation just told me that the phones are already ringing off the hook in Detroit's war room and the offers for Calvin Johnson are flooding in. The Lions weren't expecting the action to heat up until they were on the clock but teams apparently believe the reports that JaMarcus Russell is going to the Raiders and now the Lions have the option on Johnson.

Since a trade-down is my best-case scenario, I'm getting pretty excited at this point.
11:33: ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that a Detroit Lions trade down with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the #4 overall pick in the draft, is "close."

A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions are close to a deal that would send the No. 2 overall pick in the draft -- presumably, receiver Calvin Johnson -- to the Bucs.

On Friday, the Lions decided to take Johnson absent a deal that they like. We've heard that they want the No. 4 pick, both of the Bucs' second-round selections, and cornerback Brian Kelly.

If that is the package from Tampa Bay, Detroit can't turn it down. The trade would give them a starter at cornerback (Kelly), presumably the defensive end they crave in Gaines Adams at #4, and then three picks in the second round which they can either use on a linebacker and a quarterback and an offensive lineman, or which they can package together to move back up into the bottom of Round One. I don't care how good Calvin Johnson is, Kelly and three draft picks is worth it.

11:06: Welcome to my "live blogging" of the 2007 NFL Draft. With the Detroit Lions having the #2 pick, and the draft under an hour away, this should be a pretty exciting day. Still no word on whom Oakland plans on selecting #1 overall, and the Lions pick all hinges on that. I still think the Lions should, if at all possible, trade down and draft either Gaines Adams, LaRon Landry or Patrick Willis, adding a linebacker, quarterback, and cornerback in round two if they were able to acquire two additional second round picks in a trade down. I'm warming a bit to Leon Hall, but I'm still not convinced he's a better choice than Patrick Willis. We'll see.

2007 NFL Draft Preview aka Why the Detroit Lions Shouldn't Draft Calvin Johnson

The 2007 NFL Draft is roughly 12 hours away and for the first time in a few years, absolutely nothing is settled at the start of the draft. The Oakland Raiders draft #1 overall, and they haven't decided whom they are going to take, much less reach a contract agreement with that player like Houston did with Mario Williams last season. And everything for the Detroit Lions hinges on Oakland's selection. If the Raiders choose a quarterback, either Brady Quinn or JaMarcus Russell, as expected, the Detroit Lions have a very interesting decision on their hands. Calvin Johnson, who has been described as a once in a generation wide receiver, and one of only two "sure things" in the draft (with LSU safety LaRon Landry the other), will be on the board. The Detroit Lions could take him or they could trade down, gather additional picks, and help themselves in a variety of other areas.

Despite Johnson's immense talent, and incredible potential, I think it would be a huge mistake to draft him if, as expected, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are fighting over themselves to draft Johnson, and the Lions are offered numerous second round draft picks to move down. And this feeling has nothing to do with the fact that the Lions have taken three wide receivers in the past four years in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft, with two of those picks, Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, being huge disasters. The Lions can't look back. They should only look forward. The draft picks they made in the past are a sunk cost. They can't go back. If the team needs a wide receiver (and their pursuit of Kevin Curtis this off-season shows that the team believes that they do) and Johnson is as good as everyone says (and there's little doubt that he's going to be a star) then the Lions should not let the fact that they have constantly drafted wide receivers in the first round stop them.

What should stop them, though, is the potential of additional draft picks and players in trades from both Atlanta and Tampa Bay, as both teams are desperate for CJ. While Johnson could be a force across the field from Roy Williams for years to come, giving Mike Martz his Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt in Detroit, the Lions have much, much bigger holes to fill than wide receiver. They need a pass rusher, an inside linebacker, a backup quarterback, and a cornerback. Should the Lions trade down with Tampa Bay, in the first two rounds of the draft, they could solve three of those problems. One earlier trade rumor had Tampa Bay sending their first round pick #4, a second round pick, and either a second, second round pick or cornerback Brian Kelly. With those picks, the Lions could take defensive end Gaines Adams, quarterback prospect Drew Stanton (or Trent Edwards from Stanford) and get either Brian Kelly or use the additional second round pick on a linebacker like Michigan's David Harris. In either case, they get their defensive end, their quarterback, and either a solid veteran cornerback or a young rookie linebacker who can step in and play right away. Plus, they have their own second round pick. That's four picks in the first two rounds, leading to four potential starters. Should the Lions draft and hold onto Johnson, they don't get additional draft picks, and it would likely prevent the Lions from taking a quarterback in the second round of the draft, which I would really like to see happen, because I think Drew Stanton is going to be a star in the NFL.

With all of that said, Johnson would not be the worst decision the Lions could make tomorrow (cough, Leon Hall, cough), and I'm not sold on Gaines Adams, the defensive end the Lions seem to be focused on if they don't draft Johnson. There are a lot of questions about Adams work ethic and football IQ, and Mississippi's Patrick Willis and LSU's LaRon Landry have no such question marks and both could step in and start at key positions which are hard to fill (middle linebacker and safety). So between Johnson and Adams, I would like to see the Lions take Johnson, even if technically, defensive end is a bigger "need" for the Lions. But, with the potential for a trade down, and Willis or Landry sitting on the board at #8, or even Adams on the board at #4 with additional second round picks in the wings, the Lions have to take that trade, no matter how much of a star they think Johnson may become.

So, if I were the Lions, in order of preference, here is what I hope happens:

1. Detroit Lions trade down to #8, draft Patrick Willis (or LaRon Landry), acquire two additional second round selections (and perhaps a later additional pick), and draft QB Drew Stanton, DE Anthony Spencer, and a cornerback (Or ILB David Harris if Landry is selected at #8)

2. Detroit Lions trade down to #4, draft Gaines Adams, acquire two additional second round selections, draft QB Drew Stanton, ILB David Harris, and a cornerback.

3. Draft Calvin Johnson, draft either Harris, Stanton, or Spencer in round two.

4. No other option would really make me very happy. Staying at #2 to draft Adams would be a worst case scenario, because it means Oakland took Calvin Johnson #1 overall and we can't trade down. Trading down to take Leon Hall would similarly not make me happy because I don't see Hall being a very productive NFL player.

In twelve hours, we'll all know for sure what happened. And I'll be live-blogging it right here. And while if we do end up with Calvin Johnson tomorrow, I won't be tremendously upset, because he is such a incredible talent, I just can't help but feel like giving up the chance to acquire two additional second round picks, giving the Lions four picks in the first two rounds, where the team could acquire four potential starters (or three starters on defense and a future starting quarterback) is just too much to pass up if its offered. Just too much.

Detroit Lions Potential Draft Pick(s) Videos

With the NFL Draft less than 48 hours away, the Detroit Lions, at the #2 overall pick, have a lot of options to consider. Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams, Mississippi inside linebacker Patrick Willis, and LSU safety LaRon Landry are all possibilities. I think the Lions should trade down from the #2 spot and grab Willis myself, but I'll have more on that in a draft preview post late Friday night. In the meantime, here's some scouting and highlight videos I found on YouTube of the most likely Lions draft selections, Adams Willis, and Landry.

Update: And, by special request from the MLive.com Detroit Lions Forum, I've added video of the Lions other possible target, Georgia Tech Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson.

Update 4/27: With the added possibility that if the Lions trade down they could draft Michigan cornerback Leon Hall (and man, what a disaster that would be. After watching Hall for the past four years at Michigan I can tell you he's not going to be a very good NFL cornerback. I will not be happy if the Lions pass on LaRon Landry or Patrick Willis to take Hall), I've added a Hall scouting video from YouTube below. Enjoy.

Update 4/28: I've moved the Calvin Johnson video up to the top, seeing as how the Lions, you know, selected him. Figured that was best.

Calvin Johnson:

Gaines Adams:

Patrick Willis:


LaRon Landry:

Leon Hall:

NFL Draft: Patrick Willis or Joe Thomas -- What Should the Lions Do?

I'm so conflicted. Two weeks ago, when I started this blog, one of my first posts was about how after the Detroit Lions traded for right tackle George Foster from the Denver Broncos (in the Dre Bly trade which also netted the Lions Tatum Bell) they still shouldn't give up on drafting Wisconsin Right Tackle Joe Thomas. Today, though, I'm not so sure that's the right move anymore.

The good folks over at Pro Football Talk had a lot of interesting tidbits tonight involving the Detroit Lions #2 overall pick. First off, they talk about the potential the Lions could trade down twice in the first round, a possibility first brought up by MLive.com's Tom Kowalski last week.

First, there's a belief that the Lions eventually will trade the pick to the Browns, flip-flopping with Cleveland the No. 2 and No. 3 selections. The Browns would use the No. 2 pick to snare Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.

Second, the Lions would hold an auction at No. 3 for the rights to receiver Calvin Johnson. Potential candidates include the Bucs at No. 4, the Redskins at No. 6, the Vikings at No. 7, and the Falcons at No. 8.

In theory, the Lions could use interest from a team like the Falcons to leverage an even better deal out of the Bucs, and then the Lions could draft left tackle Joe Thomas from the No. 4 spot.

If Matt Millen could pull this off, trade down once or even twice in the first round, pick up some extra picks, and still get a shot at Thomas, he may prove himself worthy of that five-year extension he received last year. With the amount of holes the Lions have on their team, they need all the picks they can get.

No matter where they end up selecting, should they trade down from the #2 spot, the question of whom to draft is not going away. And while I still believe Wisconsin's Joe Thomas is the safest pick, another name, shooting up the draft boards, is looking awfully attractive right now. Patrick Willis is a Middle Linebacker from Mississippi and he is a monster. Not only is he strong as an ox but according to Pro Football Talk (I cite this site a lot for a reason -- they know their stuff) his feet must have been on fire.

According to NFL.com, Mississippi linebacker Patrick Willis ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.37 and 4.38 seconds during a Tuesday Pro Day workout.

Willis was the 2006 Butkus Award winner, and he would be a great fit in a Cover 2-style scheme, which requires the middle linebacker to chase receivers down the middle of the field.

The Cover 2, also known as the "Tampa 2" is the type of defense the Lions run. Pairing Willis with last year's knockout linebacker Ernie Sims, and a crop of other young linebackers (Boss Bailey, Alex Smith, and Teddy Lehman) who can compete for the third starting linebacker slot (and since none of the three can ever seem to stay healthy, them sharing the spot for a season should work out great) would go a long way to rebuilding the Lions porous defense.

So what is the bigger need? It's so hard say. On one hand, the offensive line is critical to ensuring success on that side of the ball, but perhaps with a slimmed down Damien Woody and the addition of Foster, you can get by with what you have. And with the injury history of our linebackers, adding Willis would be a big help. And with his speed, he could really be a special player, especially paired with the equally quick Ernie Sims.

With a little over a month to go until the draft, the debate is only going to grow, especially when/if the Lions make a trade (or two, or three) to move down the draft board a bit. Matt Millen certainly does not have the confidence of Lions fans or the city of Detroit, but a few right moves in the draft could go a long way to slowly working himself back into the good graces of Lions fans.

Day I of NFL Free Agency -- Lots of money changing hands but none in Detroit

The first day of NFL Free Agency is always exciting. Free agent visits set up at 12:01 a.m., every fan in every city feverishly checking Pro Football Talk's Rumor Mill to see what the latest news is for their respective favorite team, and millions of dollars changing hands at alarming rates. For many cities in the NFL, this was very true today.

Nate Clemons, for example, became the highest paid defensive player ever today, signing an $80 million contract over 8 years which includes $22 million in guaranteed bonuses. Now, Clemons is a very good cornerback and by far was the best cornerback available, but is he the best defensive player ever? Or, even the best defensive player in the league? No. He isn't even the best cornerback in football. A Pro Bowl player? Yes. Worth $10 million a season? No.

The Detroit Lions, thankfully, were not in the Clemons chase. And given General Manager Matt Millen's history of overpaying players, that may have been a bit of a surprise. But, Millen is learning, so he deserves some credit for that at least. In the past, Millen has tried to hit home runs with big, expensive free agent signings. Most have been disasters. Wide Receivers Az Zahir Hakim, Bill Schroeder, and Corey Bradford were all busts. As were Offensive Guards Brandon Stai, Ross Verba, and Rick Demulling. And Marcus Pollard. And Fernando Bryant. And, well, you get the picture. Lest we forget Damien Woody, who was one of the best offensive lineman in football until he came to the Lions, got millions of dollars, and decided he no longer needed to stay in shape. He's currently at a weight clinic at Duke (I'm not kidding) and he may get cut if he does not shape up (literally). Okay, rant over.

So, this season, the Lions are taking their time in free agency. The only move they made today, other than bringing in Tampa Bay Defensive End DeWayne White for a visit (he'd be a decent addition and has familiarity with the Lions coaching staff and defensive scheme) was trading James Hall to the St. Louis Rams for a 5th Round Draft pick in the upcoming 2007 NFL Draft.
Hall, at least early in his career, was an underrated star for the Lions. He played at the University of Michigan, went undrafted, but proved himself and eventually became a leader on the Lions defense, both as captain, and as a leader in quarterback sacks. He though, like many Lions fans, reportedly has lost confidence in Millen, and thus with the future of the Lions. So, off he went as the Lions picked up their fourth 5th round pick, which gives the team a lot of flexibility to trade up as the draft progresses. And since they were going to release Hall anyway, and get no compensation for him (as they did with Pollard and Marcus Bell, both cut loose today) picking up anything is a bonus.

Over at MLive, Lions guru Tom Kowalski, blogged today that he believes the Lions should draft Joe Thomas in the upcoming draft, despite the trade on Thursday for Denver Offensive Tackle George Foster. As I wrote yesterday, passing on Thomas could be a huge mistake. But, Kowalski also speculated that if the Lions trade down, pass on Thomas, and grab a defensive end like Clemson's Gaines Adams, the team may try to trade back into the first round to grab Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton.

As good as I believe Thomas will be, if the Lions pass on him, draft the top defensive end in the draft in Adams and are able to get Stanton, that may be worth it. I am not surprised that Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (who at one point was considered the top prospect in the entire draft until people came to their senses) is sliding because as anybody who watched Notre Dame play this season knows, Quinn just isn't that good. Stanton, on the other hand, is a football player with all the intangibles you would want in a franchise quarterback. Maybe I'm biased because I watched Stanton play in high school, and predicted then he'd make it to the NFL (so I want to see myself proven right), but just as Quinn's slide isn't stunning, neither is Stanton's rise. He has a heckuva an arm, is a true leader, and is a football player, which was proven beyond doubt when he tore his ACL early in his college career as the gunner on the Michigan State punt team. Only the most die-hard of football players volunteers for that position, and hardly ever is it given to a quarterback. And despite the knee injury (and various other injuries Stanton suffered at Michigan State) Stanton maintained his athleticism and is very mobile. While Quinn and potential #1 pick JaMarcus Russel get all the publicity, I still think when we look back on the 2007 draft, Stanton will be the best quarterback of the class. Which is why the scenario Kowalski floated is so appealing. I still think Thomas is the pick, but it's nice to have options, and the Lions would do themselves good by maintaining those options as long as possible.