Meet the Cubs: Amari Spievey Scouting Report

3.2, 66: Amari Spievey, Iowa CB:

It’s not a secret: coming into the draft, the Lions needed cornerback help.  Of course, the Lions always need cornerback help, but the Lions really needed cornerback help.  At the top of the third round, the pickings were slim.  The Jets’ surprise selection of Boise State CB Kyle Wilson kicked off a run on cornerbacks: four went in just seven picks. 
With two more corners coming off the board before the Lions got back on the clock, all of the “first- or second-round” corners were gone; there was no slider, no steal, no early Christmas present sitting there for the Lions.  One such guy I thought might fall, Chris Cook, actually went with the 34th pick of the second round.

Unfortunately, the next tier of man-to-man cover cornerback prospects, like Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and Trevard Lindley, were definite fourth-rounders.  Until Michael Schottey started putting Amari Spievey’s name out there on the Mlive.com live chat, he wasn’t even on my radar.

Amari wasn’t really on the major recruiting sites’ radar, either.  Coming out of Middletown, CT, as Xavier High School’s all-time leading rusher, Spievey was rated a two-star corner by Rivals, and a two-star cornerback/runningback by Scout. He had 3,606 yards and 50 TDs, along with 87 tackles and 16 INTs.  In 2005, he was named the Connecticut Player of the Year, while leading Xavier to the Class LL state championship.

Despite the tepid grades from the big recruiting sites, Spievey boasted a small, but impressive offer list: Iowa, Wisconsin, and Rutgers.  Spievey chose Iowa partially because they showed lots of early interest:

"The offensive coordinator at Iowa is from Connecticut and my school is actually his school's rival and I used to run all over them. I kind of caught his eye and they had been recruiting me since I was a freshman."

Once at Iowa, Spievey didn’t have a seamless transition.  He was redshirted his freshman year, and had difficulty maintaining motivation.  Through a combination of being switched to defense (he’d played runningback his whole life), being so far from home (he’s very close to his mother), and having a staph infection (ow), Spievey lost his way.  He wasn’t mixed up in the party scene; he’d just lost confidence and direction both on the field, and in the classroom.  Spievey got the wake-up call he needed, according to Nick Cotsonika, by being dismissed from the team:

"When I got dismissed, that kind of just shook me up and just woke me up, like, 'Man, you better take advantage of this opportunity that you have here,' " Spievey said. "I knew that if I had a chance to come back that it would be my last chance. After that, I would be out of football. I made sure I wasn't going to mess it up."

That's exactly what Spievey did.  In 2007, he had seven INTs, 242 INT return yards, two INT return TDs, returned two kickoffs for TDs, boasted a 39-yard kickoff return average, and blocked four punts.  His The Iowa Central Community College Tritons went 9-2 en route to being ranked 7th in the nation, and Spievey was named NCJAA 1st-team All-American.  He also pulled his GPA up, netting a 3.0 and 2.7 in his two semesters there.

Welcomed back to Iowa University—and the Hawkeye squad—with open arms, Spievey embraced the challenges of big-time college football.  Amari opened his junior year as the starting right cornerback, and closed it on the All-Big Ten team (coaches’ second-team, media’s honorable mention).  He finished third on Iowa in tackles, with 68 (43 solo); he had four INTs and six passes defensed.  He was also named to CollegeFootballNews.com’s Sophomore All-American second team.  Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker on Spievey’s turnaround:

"When he came back, he came back with a different attitude," Norm Parker said. "He was much more into studying film and that kind of stuff, the stuff you have to do to prepare to play a game, than he was before he left. All of a sudden, he believed a lot more of what you said than he did in his first go-around. He just wasn't mature. I think it helped him mature."

His senior season, Spievey had two things he'd never had before: respect, and expectations.  Named to the preseason Jim Thorpe award watch list, and a bevy of preseason all-Big Ten teams, Spievey was expected to be an impact player on defense, and that he was: starting every game, he was second on the team in solo tackles, with 42, 2 interceptions and eight passes defensed. 

The postseason awards followed.  He was named All-Big Ten again, this time to the first time by the Big Ten coaches, as well as The Sporting News and Phil Steele’s own first-team All-Big Ten lists.  He was also named to College Football Insider’s All-America third team, and Pro Football Weekly’s honorable mention All-America team. 

Spievey decided to forego his senior year.  Between his redshirt year, his juco detour, and leaving early, he’s actually right on schedule: He had four years of school, and just turned 22 years old.  With his physical maturity, the accolades he’d received, and the limitations of Iowa’s system, he had little left to prove.

An interesting sidenote: Spievey was an art major.  Yes, that’s right, an art major.  I have the privilege of being the son of an art major, and I knew a couple of art majors in college . . . none of them were big-time college football players.  Spievey told Scout.com why:

“My whole family is good at drawing. I've been drawing since I was little. My brother was always drawing, so I've been watching him for years and found that I had the ability to draw, too. And I found that it's something I love to do. Whenever I have free time I pull out some paper and a pencil and just draw whatever I see, whatever's on my mind. I talked to Coach Ferentz and he said, "while you're here you might as well do something you love to do" and I love to draw, so I decided to be an Art major.”

So.  This is the part where I run down his profile as a prospect, but I’m going to sideline for a bit.  Adam Jacobi of the excellent Iowa blog, Black Heart Gold Pants put together an Amari Spievey Owner’s Guide, and it is a definitive reference.  Getting away from all the “stiff hips,” “thick lower body,” and “has the high, tight bubble you look for” stuff, Jacobi gives us the in-game bottom line on what Spievey does on the field:

Will Spievey be awesome? It depends on where he goes. At Iowa, he was the most special cornerback we've ever watched. He got torched once against Illinois in '08 and once against Penn State in '09. Those happened and you're free to read as much as you please into those plays, but also consider that they're the only two times that he got torched. It's not as if he's just plain too slow. On, say, the Ravens, he'd fit in beautifully.

Again, read it: Black Heart Gold Pants's Amari Spievey Owner’s Guide.

Okay, so: really special player, really hardnosed tackler, great instincts, very physical, good athlete, but possibly lacking in the blazing/gambling/one-on-one fly route erasing department.  Also, a suggestion that he could be a standout in a defense which runs a defense where the corners press with safety help up top, such as the Tampa 2.

Cue the wailing, lamentations, and gnashing of teeth from Lions fans everywhere.

Let’s hear what all those scouty types have to say, anyway:

First, Spievey's NFL.com combine profile page:

Spievey is a two year starter for the Hawkeyes after transferring from Iowa Central Community college. He has a good combination of size and athleticism for the position. Spievey doesn’t have great power and pop as a run support defender but gives consistent effort and is solid in the open field. Spievey is just average as a reactor to route progressions and has some work to do in this phase of his game. He does have a good feel for leverage in the running game and is quick to squeeze running lanes from the perimeter. Spievey shows good hands with the ball in the air and is aggressive to make a play in traffic. Spievey is a good football player that has a higher ceiling than many prospects but may take some time to work into a starting role.

CBSsports.com's NFL Draft Scout breakdown of Spievey:

Man Coverage: Usually played off in Iowa's defensive scheme and was able to transition to face receivers and stay on their hip down the sideline. Could be an effective press corner, but needs to get his hands on the receiver more consistently. Strong enough to ride his man out of bounds if getting the jam. Loses track of his man when turning to look for the ball downfield. Plays tall, has a high, choppy backpedal and only average lateral movement. Allows receivers to eat up cushion too quickly.

The National Football Post’s scouting report on Spievey, via Rivals.com:

He's a technically sound corner who showcases good footwork in his drop, does a nice job keeping his feet under him and wastes little motion when asked to click and close on the ball. He displays a good feel in coverage and looks natural when asked to read and react in zone coverage and close on the football . . . the biggest knock on Spievey is his lack of a second gear when asked to turn and run downfield. He demonstrates above-average fluidity when asked to transition out of his drop but struggles to get back up to speed quickly and seems to get too upright when asked to run vertically downfield . . . Overall, he's a tough corner who can tackle, press and find the ball in both off-man and zone coverage but will struggle when asked to turn and run with speed downfield.

SI.com grades Spievey as a 2.65; a "future starter".

Analysis: Spievey has been a terrific player at Iowa the past two seasons and has the skills necessary to develop into a second cornerback on the NFL level. He's a top-100 pick who should see action in nickel packages as a rookie in the NFL as he completes his game.

As always, there's a lot of contradiction here: Spievey either has "good feel or "isn't instinctual", either "wastes little motion" or "is inefficient", either "doesn't have great power and pop" or is the best tackling corner ever.  However, there is a consensus picture: he's really, really good until he has to turn and chase—but if he can improve that dimension of his game, he’s a complete player with high upside.

It's difficult to say what "scheme" the "Lions run" when it comes to the secondary, since between injuries and lack of talent, the Lions were pushed up to, and beyond, the breaking point.  They 2009 in all-hands-on-deck panic mode against Drew Brees and the Saints, and then lost Ko Simpson, Eric King, Jack Williams . . . the starters were terrible, and they were losing their injury replacements to injury.

It’s reasonable to assume that given healthy, quality defensive personnel, the Lions would use more man-to-man, to allow their safeties to be more aggressive blitz.  Then again, it’s reasonable to assume that the Lions will be deploying their safeties in 2-deep umbrellas, as Gunther turns up the wick on OLB pass rushing.

Either way, the Lions like their defensive players to be multidimensional; no player should limit what the defense can do.  They’ll expect him to learn what he doesn’t know, and improve where he’s lacking.  The stuff they care most about: smart, big, tough, physical, aggressive, but doesn’t make the big mistakes—and learns from them when he does, that stuff’s all there.

The comparison Lions fans leap to is nasty, physical Tennessee CB Cortland Finnegan; I hesitate to compare any third-round rookie to a perennial Pro Bowler.  But Finnegan needed a few years to develop his game, and if we give Spievey enough time, he may get there as well.  Of course, why bother waiting and seeing when we can know right now?

We consult the most authoritative oracle, the Solomonic arbiter of future NFL success: YouTube Highlight Reels!

Observe the "snap-back" (Gunther's phrase for the motion DeAndre Levy’s tackling victims) at the two hits Spievey delivers at the 1:10 mark here :

Here’s the NFL Network’s Draft Recap breakdown of Spievey.  These are some great clips here, and we see Spievey make some excellent plays on the ball.  What struck me most was his awareness of where he is on the field, his understanding of angles, and his instincts to turn INTs upfield and make plays.  You see his background as a runningback and kick returner in his open-field vision, too. 

Here, also, is the 2009.  IOWA.  DEFENSE.  SIX.  SECONDS.  OF.  HELL.  In the 4 minute video, six seconds is about all we see of Spievey (check 2:52), but it’s still worth a look-see.

After all that killer rawk music, I'm totally amped to go play some Quake II or something!   Anyway, the upshot is that Amari Spievey is an unusually tough, smart, motivated player, who has the technique, strength, instincts, and maturity to compete for a starting job right away—and acquit himself well, for a rookie.  Moreover, the giant smoking crater that is the Lions’ depth chart at the cornerback position will give Spievey the opportunity to do exactly that: compete for a starting job right away.

The issue will be whether or not he can hold up in man-to-man coverage on the outside.  As a nickel corner, I think he’d be a plug-in impact player.  But I have a sneaking suspicion he ends up on the outside right away, where he’ll be repeatedly tested by Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, and, let’s face it, Brett Favre.

Spievey's saving grace for 2010 might be Louis Delmas.  If Amari plays the same right cornerback position he did in college, he should (if memory serves) have Delmas behind him more often than not, allowing Spievey to be aggressive and physical—and therefore, effective.

Will James was a similarly-built, excllent the-play-in-front of him tackler last season.  But, his rotten coverage skills, and the rottener safety play behind him, forced the Lions to play him ten, twelve, or even fifteen yards off the ball; practically at safety depth.  You can’t be a physical, press corner if the wideout is in lined up in the next zip code.

To that end, I want to mention something interesting: TJ, from Lions blog The Mane Point, saw that Spievey was initially listed on the Lions’ official roster at DetroitLions.com as a safety.  It’s since been changed back to corner—but given his skill set, and the Lions’ similarly smoking crater next to Delmas, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Spievey flex a little between corner and safety.

Long term, the outlook is extremely bright.  There’s no question in my mind that Spievey possesses all the physical tools to be an excellent all-around starting cornerback in the NFL, even if he’ll never achieve Champ Bailey status as a one-on-one cover man.  He will be much better in 2011 than he will be in 2010—and, I believe, much better yet in 2012 than in 2010.  The only problem for the Lions is, they need Future Amari Spievey to arrive in August.

Technorati Tags: nfl,detroit lions,iowa hawkeyes,amari spievey,black heart gold pants,adam jacobi,the mane point,scouting reports,nfl draft

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The Secondary Is Dead, Long Live the Secondary . . . again

Last offseason, I did a little research on the Lions’ secondary problems.  It seemed to me that there’d been an “overhaul” back there every year, going as far back as I could remember.  I looked it up, and was horrified.  Starting with the season-ending injuries to CB Bryant Westbrook and S Kurt Schultz during the 2000 season, the Lions have brought in two or more new starters in almost every subsequent year:

2001: Signed CB Todd Lyght, CB/S Robert Bailey, and S Chidi Iwouma.  Subtracted S Corwin Brown, CB Darnell Walker, and CB Marquis Walker.

2002: Drafted CB Andre Goodman and CB Chris Cash; signed S Corey Harris, S Brian Walker, CB Eric Davis, and S Bracey Walker.  Subtracted Terry Fair, Ron Rice, Kurt Schultz,  Robert Bailey, and Chidi Iwouma.

2003: Signed CB Dre' Bly, CB Otis Smith, and drafted S Terry Holt.  Subtracted Todd Lyght and Eric Davis.

2004: Signed CB Fernando Bryant, S Brock Marion, S Vernon Fox, and drafted CB Keith Smith.  Subtracted Brian Walker and Corey Harris.

2005: Signed S Kennoy Kennedy, CB R.W. McQuarters, and S Jon McGraw; drafted CB Stanley Wilson.  Subtracted Brock Marion and Chris Cash.

2006: Drafted S Daniel Bullocks and signed CB Jamar Fletcher.  Subtracted Andre Goodman, R.W. McQuarters, Bracey Walker, and Vernon Fox.

2007: Drafted S Gerald Alexander, CB A.J. Davis, and CB Ramzee Robinson; signed CB Travis Fisher.  Subtracted Dre Bly, Terry Holt, Jamar Fletcher, and Jon McGraw.

2008: Traded for CB Leigh Bodden, and signed S Dwight Smith, S Kalvin Person, and CB Brian Kelly.  Subtracted Fernando Bryant, Kennoy Kennedy, and Stanley Wilson . . . and Brian Kelly.

2009: Drafted S Louis Delmas, traded for S Ko Simpson, and signed CB Philip Buchanon, CB/S Anthony Henry, CB Eric King, and S Marquand Manuel.  Subtracted Leigh Bodden, Travis Fisher, and Dwight Smith.

2010: Drafted CB Amari Spievey, traded for CB Chris Houston, and signed CB Johnathon Wade, and S C. C. Brown.  Subtracted Philip Buchanon, Anthony Henry, and Kalvin Pearson.

This list ins’t meant to be comprehensive; any player prior to 2009 on the list played in at least ten games for the Lions.  in ‘09 and ‘10, I included any player who was expected to make a significant contribution to the team.  This is why players like CB Jahi Word-Daniels, a practice-squadder briefly activated to fill an injury-opened roster spot, aren’t on there.

However, there are some seemingly-insignificant players who might play a role when the curtain goes up on the 2010 season, like CB Jack Williams.  Williams, a fourth-round pick in his second season, was signed after Week 7 last year, when the Broncos released him.  He blew his left ACL on his first play as a Lion, and was placed on Injured Reserve.  He’s a talented young corner who could immediately push King and Spievey if healthy—but we have no idea how healthy he really is.

As it stands, though, we’re right on track for another overhaul this time next year.  Chris Houston, as promising and young as he is, was still replaced and traded after his disappointing 2009 performance.  Amari Spievey (yes, Meet the Cubs piece on him coming soon) is going to step in and play, but every cornerback has a year or two of ramp-up time.  The only possible long-term answer to the #2 safety problem is Daniel Bullocks, but who knows what he’ll be able to contribute?

Eric King, in my humble estimation, doesn't belong anywhere near the starting lineup.

Though the uncapped UFA bonanza is over, and the draft is long in the books, there IS one possible acquisition left out there; one possible target who could forestall multiple-starter secondary churn next season.  O.J. Atogwe, the St. Louis Rams’ excellent young ballhawk, has refused to sign his RFA tender—meaning he’ll become an unrestricted free agent come June 1st.  As Twitterer @Msu4Us pointed out, Atogwe is from Windsor, so if there’s any “childhood fan” mojo, it’ll likely be for the Lions . . .

On the other hand, the Lions’ front office has already spent a ton of the Fords’ money this offseason, and Atgowe will likely command a fortune on the unrestricted market.  Unless the Lions are convinced that Atogwe is THE answer to their defensive problems, I don’t anticipate that dramatic of a move.

No, the likely answer is that one of the amassed throng of mediocre safeties will have to scale the mountain of bodies before them, and plant their flag at the summit . . . where it will stay until next season, when the roster dynamite levels the mountain, and the annual secondary rebuild begins.

Technorati Tags: nfl,detroit lions,o. j. atogwe,st. louis rams

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The Lions Congregation: Post-Draft

Here's the latest installment of the Lions Congregation, one of the best roundtable features . . . well, around!  The men of the cloth congress and discuss several topic questions:

• Now that they drafted Suh, what does our starting D Line look like?
• Given the changes that have been made to the Lions roster so far in the off-season, what do you think are the strongest and weakest position groups?
• Which Undrafted Free Agent(s) do you feel have the best shot to make the team, or even to camp?

Please, take note: two of the questions were submitted by laypeople--so if you have a question you'd like the Congregation to delve into, please submit it to lionscongregation@yahoo.com!

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Meet the Cubs: Willie Young Scouting Report

7.6, 213: Willie Young, N.C. State DE

Willie Young is the most intriguing pick of the Lions' 2010 draft class.  At 6’-5”, 251 pounds, Young is the only selection with no obvious niche in the roster cut out for him.  Every defensive end brought in by the New Lions has been around 270 pounds; then again the New Lions have never drafted a defensive end.  As you can see, Young’s very lean.  With that frame, he should be able to get much bigger—but adding 20 pounds of lean muscle?  When he’s already 24 years old?
It’s confusing.  Young seems to be cursed with Cliff Avril’s build; why add another project who’ll need years to build both body and technique in order to contribute?  In a word, BATFAN.
Young came out of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, with some academic problems--but that didn't keep Florida, Georgia, and Ohio State from offering him a scholarship anyway.  He chose N.C. State over all of them, though, even staying committed after his recruiter there, Doc Holliday left for Florida($).  Presumably, the way that N.C. State developed DEs like Mario Williams and Manny Lawson was a big draw.
Manny Young was Scout.com's #34 overall defensive end; a high three-star recruit.  Rivals had him ranked even higher; Young was Rivals’ #14 weakside DE and a low four-star.  The “book” on him was the same everywhere: great speed, tremendous first steps, extremely long legs and arms, not really so much size, weight, bulk, strength, or run-stopping ability.  But blazing edge speed, and a knack for getting to the quarterback?  Check, and check.
After prepping a year at Hargrove Military Academy, he redshirted in 2005, finally getting back on the field in 2006.  He wasted no time making an impact, playing in every game and starting the final four.  He didn’t have any sacks, but according to the N.C. State website Young had 15 QB pressures, more than double anyone else on the team.  He also had one INT, which he returned 34 yards for a touchdown.
In 2007, he started 8 of 12 games, notching 5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and had 24 QB pressures.  That pressures tally was the second-best ever for an N.C. State sophomore, and even one higher than Mario Williams’ sophomore mark.  He also broke up six passes, third-best on the team (!). He started full-time in 2008, leading the team in TFLs (12.5) and sacks (6.5).  He also added an INT, and 26 QB pressures, to his increasingly-impressive career stats.
In 2009, the expectations were really on him: Phil Steele and Athlon Sports named him to their preseason second-team All-ACC squads.  He delivered, notching 54 tackles, 14 TFLs, 8 sacks, and another INT—earning him actual second-team All-ACC honors.  His 20 1/2 career sacks put him sixth in school history, and his 45 TFLs are second only to Mario Himself.  Here’s a Scout.com article about Young ($) with some good quotes from his opponents, including C.J. Spiller, Christian Ponder, and Maryland QB Chris Turner:

Every week when you go in the film room there are certain guys you have to game plan for, and he's one of those guys. Whether you double-team him or just try to contain him with one guy, you have to know where he is.

Unfortunately, his very lean build and his lack of strength almost certainly doom him to a situational role in the NFL.  SI.com grades Young as a 2.27, a top practice-squad type.  They, however, are the most pessimistic I’ve found.  Sideline Scouting grades Willie Young as a 5th rounder, New Era Scouting had Young as the #160th overall prospect, and Scardraft had Young going in the 4th to New England as a 3-4 OLB.  However, there’s a common, disturbing, thread I’m following.
SI.com:

Considered a "me" sort of player . . . will be a bargain if he decided to play within the team concept and dedicate himself.

Sideline Scouting:

Has been benched for inconsistent effort.

. . . and then, the ever-excellent NFL Draft Scout gives us hope:

Intangibles: An admitted free spirit who reportedly struggled initially adjusting to the coaching staff's old-school mentality, he was benched last season due to inconsistent effort and undisciplined play.  Improved as the season went on and represented NC State at ACC Media Day.

You know what it's time for: YouTube highlight reels! Here's the aforementioned Media Day appearance:

Oddly, almost all of the rest of the videos I can find on him are postgame interviews . . . I guess people knew where to go for a quote.

Here, though, is the NFL.com clip of all of Young's combine performances; especially note the crazy jumps, and the stiffness/slipping in the change-of-direction drill.  Finally, here's some actual footage of him playing football--unfortunately, it’s from his days at the military academy, and the film looks like it was shot with authentic 1960's satellite spy camera technology.
So where does Willie Young fit in with the Lions? Some have suggested that Young is Gunther Cunningham's Secret Outside Linebacker, but according to John Niyo and Tim Twentyman of the Detroit news, Young immediately shot that down:

"I will be playing defensive end with my hand down," said Young, who also said he could easily gain 10 pounds and not lose any speed or agility.

Even so, Willie has a long way to go before he'll be able to play DE in the Schwartz/Cunningham system.  Cliff Avril has taken this long to get his body to the point where the Lions are happy with it, and Young might never get there.  Even so, he just represented too much value at the top of the seventh round to deny. 

I mean, Willie Young was a player that, when we drafted, was a lot higher on the board and really didn't go into the draft anticipating taking a defensive end, but he was there and it made sense at that point. He was sort of too good a player at that point to pass up. He brings some really good pass rush to the table.

That pretty much says it all.  Best available player that fits a need: developmental defensive end.  Interestingly, though, that quote proves that the Lions truly are satisfied with Cliff Avril’s development.  Neither Jared DeVries nor Jason Hunter represent excellent long-term solutions, so if they weren’t looking to draft a DE this year, Avril’s spot must be secure. That having been said, welcome to the roster, Willie Young.

Technorati Tags: nfl.nfl draft,detroit lions,willie young,scouting reports,n.c. state

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Meet The Cubs: Tim Toone

7.48, 255: Timothy Toone, Weber State WR
About seven seconds into my research on Toone, I knew what we were in for.  That catchy, alliterative name, plus a phonically germane nickname: “Tarzan.” Those incredible, flowing, straw-colored dreadlocks.  His tiny FCS Utah school.  His blazing speed, his special-teams prowess, and his legendary work ethic.  Of course, his coveted “Mister Irrelevant” status as the final pick in the 2010 draft.  All the elements are there, all the pieces are in place.  Tim Toone is a mortal lock to be this year’s marquee inductee into the Lions Fan Hall of Fame.  Immediately, my words from last year about Zack Follett came rushing back to me:

Zach Follett is going to be the next inductee into the Lions Fan Hall of Fame. Players like David Kircus, Scotty Anderson, Casey Fitzsimmons, David "Blue" Adams, Greg Blue, and Buster Davis have been drafted late (or signed as a UFA) by the Lions, made a big play or two in training camp or preseason, and become cult heroes--often, with fans insisting that these practice squadders and/or bench riders would be immediate upgrades over the current starters, if only they were given the opportunity. Zack Follett perfectly fits this profile; I have no doubt we'll be seeing Follett jerseys in the stands sooner rather than later.

The only way he could be any more perfectly qualified would be to have played at GVSU, or come up through the Detroit Public Schools system.  Unfortunately, Toone hails from from Peoria, Arizona—where, despite being first-team All-State as a senior, he was unknown to Scout.com, and an unranked one-star recruit at Rivals.com.  His senior year, he caught 37 balls for 1,125 yards, setting an all-time state record for YpC with 30.4.  Thirty.  Point.  Four.  Yards.  Per.  Catch.  I love me some high school statistics.

Timonthy “Tarzan” Toone redshirted (and paid his own way) his first year at Weber State, then served his two-year Mormon mission in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.  NFL Draft Blitz asked Toone about that mission, in one of the most desperate and war-torn regions on Earth:

It was difficult, but it helped me grow up. It made me more responsible. I had life goals after I came back from the mission. I knew how to work hard towards those goals.

Work hard he did, immediately making an impact as a deep threat.  He had seven catches for 275 yards (39.3 YpC).  Nine games in, he took over as punt returner, and in his first game he took a punt back 61 yards to the house. 

As a redshirt sophomore, he was the team’s second-leading receiver, with 32 catches for 698 yards (21.81 YpC) and 10 TDs, tying the school’s single-season receiving TD record.  Toone was named Honorable Mention All-Big Sky conference that year, but it was only a hint of what was to come.  Over the next two seasons, Toole became the Wildcats' primary offensive threat: over the next two seasons, he averaged 83.5 catches, 1,314.5 yards, and 8.5 TDs--and was first-team All-Big Sky Conference in both seasons.

How does all that small-school success translate to the big time?  Sports Illustrated grades Toone as a 2.05, a practice-squadder.  Most of the information I can find agrees: at Weber State, Toone’s calling card was his blazing speed, but that speed is merely adequate at the next level.  However, his technique, his willingness to go across the middle, his hands in traffic, routes, body control, they all grade very well.  His lack of typical deep-threat size (5’-11”, 170 pounds) means that though he put up outlandish, ridiculous YpC numbers in college, he projects to the NFL as a sneaky, second-level possession receiver—one who’s very dangerous after the catch.

As for character . . . well, Toone grades highest of all in that category.  Here’s a great ESPN TV interview of Toone, where they closed it out by asking how he’d apply the lessons learned in west Africa to his life in the NFL:

It's for Detroit, the team is for Detroit. To try to help them out, and do everything I can to make that city proud, and happy to be a Detroit Lions fan.

It’s not just his off-the-field exploits that show great character and work ethic.  Here’s a little piece from the Deseret News, telling how Toone punished himself for loafing after an eight-catch, 135 yard, 2 TD performance that won his team the game:

I just was not playing like I usually do, so I had to go in there [the up-down circle].  I felt like I didn't block and do all that I needed to do, all the little things that count. Maybe if I would have blocked a little more, some big plays would have sprung and we wouldn't have been in that situation [to need a last-minute touchdown].

Wow.

Well, enough of that nonsense; let’s get to what really matters; the only true oracle of NFL success: YouTube highlight reels!

Subjectively, it’s hard not to love the hell out of this kid.  Like I said, all the indicators, all the effort, all the character in the world.  Looking at these clips, he’s obviously in a class by himself on this field, but his speed is far from breathtaking.  However, his hands, routes, football sense, and open-field ability will certainly give him the inside track on impressing the coaches over, say Derrick Williams.

In fact, that's how I’d say Toone projects: as Derrick Williams’ replacement, if Williams doesn’t get his head screwed on straight.  Sap away a little bit of Williams’ speed, and add all the common sense, sticky hands, and work ethic that he lacks, and it’s hard to see how the resultant player wouldn’t be Toone.

I'm not guaranteeing a roster spot for Toone, but I’ve said several times that neither Bryant Johnson, nor Dennis Northcutt, nor Derrick Williams appears to have any great future here as a Lion; any of them could be cut tomorrow and I wouldn’t be that surprised.  A kid who’s put service, hard work, and team success above all else—including his own career?  You absolutely want to see him succeed, and I think he’s got an excellent chance here.

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Old Mother Hubbard: 2010 NFL Draft Recap

Let's review the Lions' 2010 NFL draft shopping list:

• A developmental quarterback who could push Stanton in camp.
• A starting, three-down power runningback with speed.
• A developmental power-blocking fullback, to complement Jerome Felton.
• A left tackle, who could be groomed to replace Jeff Backus.
• A power-blocking center, to be groomed behind Raiola.
• A starting, disruptive pass-rushing DT to rotate w/Williams & Hill.
• A starting, three-down, two-way defensive end, a la Kyle Vanden Bosch.
• A developmental middle linebacker.
• A starting, athletic, blitzing outside linebacker, a la Julian Peterson.
• At least one starting cornerback.
• A starting safety, who’s very strong in pass coverage.

I'll be reprising last year's Meet the Cubs series, so I won't go into depth on each pick just yet--but look at the way the Lions addressed those needs. In fact, I'd say they may have strayed from their "BATFAN" strategy. Of course, Suh was the consensus #1 overall prospect, and fit a need, so he was unquestionably the Best Available That Fits A Need. However, the move back up to get Best was an attempt to get a specific player to fill a specific need.

Given the undeniably special talent Best possesses, and the perfect fit he represents, it was a good move--but it wasn't just taking BATFAN when their pick came up. It's worth noting that I was wrong about the Lions and Best; it sounds like he was their target all along, as Killer had said. Rather than a power back with speed, they now have a home-run-hitting speed back, who's strong enough to hold up for three downs.

After the trade up for Best, the Lions stood pat throughout the second round, and into the third, finally taking Amari Spievey when their next pick came around. Spievey, arguably, wasn't the even consensus best corner on the board at that point. Again, I have no knowledge of the Lions' prospect grades, nor do I know what their assessment of their own cornerbacks. But in my eyes, it's undeniable: the Lions reached to fill a need, because the need was great, and later picks wouldn't fill it.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this. Am I wrong, and the Lions took the top player left on their board? Am I wrong, and the Lions don't see corner as an extreme need? Or, are the Lions beginning to see their roster one that has a few "holes" that must be "filled" instead of a lifeless vaccuum, desperate for any talent that can be found?

It could be any of those reasons--or all, or some, or none of those reasons. I wouldn't be the first to compare the Spievey pick to last year's controversial third-round choice, DeAndre Levy. Of course, Levy didn't take long to endear himself to the Lions' coaches and fans. But on the day he was drafted he still appeared to be a reach for a great need; I can only hope Spievey turns out as well as Levy.

The remaining picks appear to stick to the BATFAN philosophy-and in fact, did a very good job of getting intriguing prospects in the fourth and seventh rounds. When you add in the UDFA signing of FB Matt Clapp, the Lions came very close to snagging the entire shopping list--when I'd said it wouldn't be possible. Here's what's left:

• A developmental quarterback who could push Stanton in camp.
• A power-blocking center, to be groomed behind Raiola.
• A starting, three-down, two-way defensive end, a la Kyle Vanden Bosch.
• A developmental middle linebacker.
• A starting, athletic, blitzing outside linebacker, a la Julian Peterson.
• A starting safety, who’s very strong in pass coverage.

There's a little more information yet to consider: at one point, during the second day, Tom Kowalski reported via Twitter that there was a rumor that Cliff Avril had been traded to Miami for a fifth-round pick. Killer then called the Lions to confirm, and the Lions told Killer that:

After a few phone calls -- and a lot of stern denials -- it was clear the Lions were not trading Avril. In fact, the Lions actually are very happy with Avril's approach to the offseason. He showed up with an extra 10 pounds of muscle and has been working very hard during the offseason workouts. Avril, who has a better relationship with new defensive line coach Kris Kocurek than he did with the recently retired Bob Karmelowicz, has turned up his intensity.

Well, if that's all true, we can optimistically pencil in Avril as the starting left end. And, while we're at it, we can assume the Lions aren't interested in pushing Stanton, either--they didn't even sign a UDFA quarterback as a camp arm. Therefore, the remaining list looks like this:

• A power-blocking center, to be groomed behind Raiola.
• A developmental middle linebacker.
• A starting, athletic, blitzing outside linebacker, a la Julian Peterson.
• A starting safety, who’s very strong in pass coverage.

So, the Lions are only an outside linebacker and a free safety away from having a playoff-caliber starting lineup? Well, no. We're presuming that all of these free agent signees and drafted-to-start rookies actually step in and play at a high level, which never happens. My personal rule of thumb is that when a team acquires a player to step in and start, it works out about 50% of the time. So, take Suh, Best, Spievey, Scheffler, Sims, Houston, Burleson, Vanden Bosch, and Williams, and flip a coin for each. Anyone who comes up "tails", assume their role will be on next year's shopping list.

Have I depressed you? Sorry; I didn't mean to--and you shouldn't be depressed, anyway. The amount of talent the Lions have added in this offseason is impressive--and when you consider just how far the roster has come since I stared this blog, the day Mayhew and Lewand took over, it's nothing short of astonishing. Of course, it's all on paper until we see it on the field, but this draft did nothing to shake my faith that this time, things really will be different.

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Mlive.com NFL Live Chat, Day two!

Come chat with me, Killer, Phil, Schottey, and everyone else over at Mlive.com . . . RIGHT NOW. 

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Suh at Number Two, Jahvid Best, and All the Rest

Frustration.

On my way to Ford Field, stuck in traffic on I-96, my finding/parking/walking/set-up time melting away before my eyes.  The radio’s pumping pre-draft hype, my heart is pumping Taurine and B-vitamins where my blood used to be, and my mind is racing trying to figure out how I'm going to get there, get set up, and join the Mlive.com NFL Draft live blog before the Lions draft Ndamukong Suh.  I hope.

Passing the accident, racing my GPS, hastening the ETA minute by minute as I make time faster than Sprint Navigation thinks I can, thanking God for Detroit drivers as I hurtle down a "55 mph" road at 75 while getting passed on both sides.

Racing through the parking garage, approaching the entrance, praying word got from the Lions’ staff to the security people that I was coming with a laptop.  As I enter, a security staffer asks to see my bag.  I hold by breath, open the bag . . . and she says, “Are you Ty?”  I avoid the temptation to answer, “ . . . YES I AM,” and instead just say yes.  I’m directed to someone who tells me to head to the fifty-yard line, and someone will meet me with WiFi credentials.  As I race down to the field, the commissioner appears, and tells us the St. Louis Rams are on the clock.

As I see the setup, I desperately want to be small again.  Bouncing on the bouncy things, jumping on the jumpy things, running around like a maniac on the Lions’ home turf, it all looks like so much fun.  Instead, I sit down at the fifty-yard line, take out my laptop, and get to work.  Double-fisting the Internet with my cell phone and laptop, I try to deliver my Twitter followers and Mlive friends a full dose of the happenings. Within seconds, Commissioner Goodell took the podium:

The excitement is electric, the buzz spine-tingling, the thrill unanimous.  Despite annual bluster about needing to take a left tackle because OMG Jeff Sackus, as the Lions went on the clock, we all hoped for one player, the best player in the draft, one of the best defensive line prospects ever: Ndamukong Suh.  A little of my excitement started to turn to fear.

The vibe I’d been catching from Tom Kowalski, and others, was that if the Lions could find a deal to move down, save money, and add picks in one of the deepest drafts in years, they would.  In the middle of this crowd, if the Lions traded down—or worse yet, didn’t take Suh—I would want to be anywhere but where I was.  Suh is shown on the phone, and a cheer goes up . . . but then, the commissioner takes the podium, and we hold our breath:

Jubilation.  Exultation, adoration, grown men and women acting like children; children also acting like children.  Hugs, high fives, clapping, cheering—and SUUUUUUUUUUH.  Lots and lots and lots of SUUUUUUUUUUH.

I’ve never been tempted to take up photography; I have no eye, no instincts, no talent for the art whatsoever.  I’ve always preferred to be the center of attention, rather than the chronicler of it.  But, that moment of anticipation was magical, and I’m glad I was there as much to observe as to participate.

Thousands of men, women, children, from all walks of life, from all races, creeds and colors, from miles around, were all decked out in Honolulu Blue, and all gathered together, united completely in that moment.  Every eye focused skyward, every ear straining to hear, every fan’s heart desperately wanting the same thing: hope.

In that moment the commissioner spoke, those timeless few seconds, the blue flame flickered  and stirred, like a puff of breath on the flame of a candle.  When the name of Ndamukong Suh rang out, the fire ROARED.  For a few seconds, we beheld the glorious joy that is still yet to come.  That day when every Lions fan wears their gear with pride.  When every casual fan, former fan, or not even really a fan picks up a Lions hat or T-shirt while they’re at the mall, because it’s cool.  When every empty suit, talking head, and pillar of hair on TV sings the praises of the Lions and their management, and when winning is not a faint and distant someday but a weekly expectation.

On the field, It’s hard to explain exactly how much Ndamukong Suh means to this franchise.  After a decade of swinging and missing on high draft picks in an attempt to build a high-powered offense, building instead the worst NFL defense of all time, Suh is something different entirely.

Suh, the breathtakingly powerful keystone of a rebuilt defensive line, gives us hope that the Lions will no longer bleed to death in the fourth quarter, surrendering game-winning drives when pluck and effort crumble at the hands of power and strength.  He gives us hope that the Lions will not be Kleenex on third down—no more containing an offense twice, only to helplessly allow their march to the end zone to continue.  He gives us hope that finally, finally, the Lions defense has a player that can disrupt an offense, and force them to adjust to us.

After the rapturous joy had subsided into thousands of permanent grins, I decided it was time to stop observing and start experiencing. I'd already had the pleasure of seeing several people come stand and pose on the leaping Lion.  But these two dudes, in Cory Schlesinger and Chris Spielman jerseys, arrived and started WORKING IT.  Seriously, these guys were naturals.  After they took turns doing pose after pose, I asked them if they wanted to be e-famous.  They said, “Sure!” and went to work:

They just did this, I didn’t direct them or anything.  Amazing work, fellas; drop me a line if this was you.  Next up, I attempted a field goal.  I debated about using the straight-ahead style, or soccer style . . . I dimly recalled an old Jason Hanson interview where he said that novices should always use straight-on, but I decided to attempt it soccer-style.  It went up, and straight, and end-over-end, but not very far.  I’d put my plant foot short of the ball, and so my kicking foot bounced off the turf before going up into the ball.  Ah well.  Next up . . . heading into the tunnel.

This was kind of unreal.  I couldn’t believe the Lions opened up the tunnel and the locker room for fans—but, as the fellow guiding the tour, Don, pointed out, the Lions are actually only in Ford Field twelve times a year.  It’s not as though any deeply personal stuff is kept in the locker room; the vast majority of the Lions’ working time is spent at the Allen Park facility.  Apparently, you can rent out any space in the Ford Field building . . . even the locker rooms . . . even for weddings.

Here’s the visitors’ locker room.  I complimented these gentlemen on their jersey purchases.  Fellas, comment if you see this.  Next up, the home locker room:

It's impressive.  It’s also about five times the size of the visitors’ locker rooms—and, according to Don, this room’s showers work.  By the way, in case you doubt the NFL’s commitment to cracking down on blowing up ‘defenseless’ players, check it out:

There are posters and signage like this all over the locker rooms, like the full uniform code and a graphic detailing what is appropriate and what will be fined.  But this one jumped out at me:

The NFL takes the sanctity of the game very, very seriously.  Finally, the brief tour ended, and I headed back out onto the field.  With the event nearly over, people were streaming out, and the field was nearly empty.  The draft was approaching pick #20, and I had to get my laptop packed up.  I realized the moment would be wasted if I didn’t strike my own pose:

. . . and with that, I left.  The fine folks at Ford Field put on an excellent event.  The fans went home pleased and fulfilled.  A couple of guys were hollering, “SUUUUUUUUUH” in the parking garage and letting it echo and echo and echo . . .

Good night, Leaping Lion.  Good night, FieldTurf.  Good night, goal posts, and good night, signs.  Good night, jumpy things, and good night, bouncy things.  Good night video boards, and good night Commissioner.  Good night Ford Field, and good night staff.  Good night Lions fans everywhere.

Yeah and then while I was driving home they traded back up into the first and took Jahvid Best.  @#$%#*@$@%#*$#@$*&@^^#&#**!^^$*$((&$^#&^$&*#(#&$*$(#@&#(#*&&!!!!

Some are complaining about the trade up; the Lions surely could have waited to see if he fell?  But the Lions were waiting on the best available runningback or cornerback, and every other RB or CB with a first-round grade was gone.  The dropoff from Jahvid Best to Toby Gerhart or Chris Cook is really, really significant—and with a whole night to sleep on it, the risk that a team could trade up and leapfrog them was extreme.  No, Best was the only way the Lions get two instant-impact starters out of this draft, and I commend them for putting those seventh-rounders to work.

The Lions got much, much better last night; the offense now looks truly dangerous. The amount of talent at each position is orders of magnitude above where it was two years ago, and much greater than at this time last season.  I am pleased; Best will be a good feature back until Kevin Smith is ready, and they’ll be a tremendous combination once he’s full speed again.  Ndamukong Suh, along with Sammie Hill and Corey Williams, will form one of the biggest and most athletic defensive tackle rotations in the NFL.

I wonder if the Lions don’t have more up their sleeve; they desperately need a corner who can compete for a starting job.  Chris Cook is still out there, but likely won’t last to the third round, and the pickings get even slimmer after him.  I’d like to see the Lions dip in to next years’ picks; this draft is one of the deepest I’ve ever seen, and there are still players with excellent grades still on the board.  If they could move back up into the second, without sacrificing their third, I think it’d be a truly outstanding draft.

Don't forget: tonight, join me, Killer, Phil, Schottey, and the rest of the crew over at Mlive.com for the live draft chat, part 2!

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2010 NFL Draft: The Lions in Winter, Live from Ford Field

It took me longer than I meant to to get my draft plans figured out, but it’s now settled:  I’ll be attending the creatively-named Draft Night Event at Ford Field.  I’ll be seeing the sights and talking to people beforehand, and recording video live from the event.  I’ll be trying to upload them and link to them as the night goes on.  Hit me up on Twitter if you’re there—and if you aren’t camera shy, you might even get to be “famous”!

And by "famous", I mean you will get to be on the Internet.  Which like, you probably already are.  But you know, more on the Internet.

Also, if my laptop isn’t confiscated and the WiFi holds up, I’ll be part of the Mlive.com NFL Draft Live Blog, along with Phil, Killer, Schottey, and the rest of the gang.  I’ll be posting up the video links there, too, so if you’re following along, you won’t miss out.  Failing that, I will of course be Tweeting the everlovin’ love out of it @lionsinwinter.

The fourth round of my quasi-mock will be up before the afternoon is out, but I’m not going to do the seventh.  Besides being a massive effort, with so many selections and too many players to scout, there’s nearly zero chance that the Lions stand pat throughout the fifth and six rounds while they have four seventh-rounders burning a hole in their pocket.  I anticipate that those picks will be used as trade lubricant, and the draft board will start changing rapidly come Saturday.

I love making the pilgrimage to the stadium, there's really nothing like it.  Connecting with the fans, hearing the cheers, feeling the excitement, spotting jersey fails, and spotting jersey wins—like the old guy in an authenic Lem Barney throwback I saw last year.  Paying like $13 for a Labatt and a Kowalski, soaking in the tepid rays of the Detroit sun, even indoors . . . it’s awesome.  I can’t wait to capture the moment when they draft Ndamukong Suh on video—and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

Technorati Tags: nfl,detroit lions,nfl draft,ndamukong suh,live blog

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Old Mother Hubbard: Going Shopping at the 2010 NFL Draft

twenty-odd years later I still know EXACTLY what this kid was supposed to get

We have the Lions' 2010 draft shopping list:

• A developmental quarterback who could push Stanton in camp.
• A starting, three-down power runningback with speed.
• A developmental power-blocking fullback, to complement Jerome Felton.
• A left tackle, who could be groomed to replace Jeff Backus.
• A power-blocking center, to be groomed behind Raiola.
• A starting, disruptive pass-rushing DT to rotate w/Williams & Hill.
• A starting, three-down, two-way defensive end, a la Kyle Vanden Bosch.
• A developmental middle linebacker.
• A starting, athletic, blitzing outside linebacker, a la Julian Peterson.
• At least one starting cornerback.
• A starting safety, who’s very strong in pass coverage.

So, let's go shopping.  With each pick, I’ll give you the players who could fill the above needs, and then rank ‘em as I feel the Lions have them ranked, based wholly on my own ill-informed opinion.

Round 1, Pick 2 (#2 overall): Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska DT

2. Eric Berry, Tennesee S

3. Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma DT

4. Bryan Bulaga, Iowa LT

5. Russell Okung, Oklahoma State LT

I've been banging the Suh drum for quite a while, though not as long as some.  The fact of the matter is, he's the best overall prospect in the draft, and--just like Calvin Johnson a few years ago, the Lions are going to be in position to get the best player in the draft, because the #1 overall team will take a quarterback.  Don't stress if the Rams, as rumored, trade down--nobody's going to give up the necessary king's ransom to move up to 1.1, just so they can turn around and hand a defensive tackle eighty million dollars.  Even if, through some ridiculous machinations, Suh goes #1 overall, the Lions will hold all the cards to trade down.  So don't stress.

Berry, I'm not sold on.  I haven't watched much of his play, but have heard rumblings from those who have that he's still more "jawdropping potential" than "actually a phenomenal safety".  Besides, building the defense around two athletic, playmaking, gambling, hitting safeties seems like putting the cart before the horse, especially given the salaries involved.  But, a not-insignificant school of thought holds that Berry is the best player in this draft, or the second-best behind Suh, and he inarguably fills a need on the shopping list.  Ergo, I place him at 2, over my own objections.

McCoy, I still don't think is the right fit for the scheme--but Schwartz has said there isn't as much separation between Suh and McCoy as everyone thinks, and these two are clearly the two best non-QB prospects in the draft.

Okung, everyone knows my feelings about.  When Mayhew was asked if Okung was clearly the best tackle in the draft, Mayhew said he thought there were "two best tackles in the draft," and refused to elaborate. Some have speculated the Lions would prefer Trent Williams, but from what I've read, Williams is a little stiff in pass protection, and needs a lot of technique work.  No, I think the more complete LT is Bryan Bulaga.  I know he's not the elite ÜBERTAKKEL that everyone has been screaming for since Lomas Brown, but to be brutally, brutally honest, folks, I think the Lions would be happy to Jeff Backus with Next Jeff Backus.

Round 2, Pick 2 (#34 overall): Ryan Mathews, Fresno State RB

2a. Kareem Jackson, Alabama CB, 2b Devin McCourty, Rutgers CB

3. Jahvid Best, California RB

4. Everson Griffen, USC DE

5. Roger Saffold, Indiana OG/OT

While most have the Lions ready to take Jahvid Best if he's there, Mathews is the "power back with speed" the Lions truly covet, not the "speed back" that Best is. I Tweeted Sports Illustrated's Peter King about this, and he said the Lions brass would "do handsprings" if Mathews was there for them at 34.

Kareem Jackson didn't get the attention that his partner, Javier Arenas, did--but Jackson is the much more NFL-ready prospect, even if he isn't quite as head-turning of an athlete.  He's a much headier, smarter, more polished cornerback--exactly the kind of Jackson, like Mathews, is about a 50/50 shot to be there for the Lions--essentially, if the Chargers take Mathews, Jackson should fall, and if the Chargers take Jackson or Rutgers CB Devin McCourty, Mathews should fall.

In the unfortunate scenario where Mathews, Jackson, and McCourty are all gone, it's hard to count out Jahvid Best.  Best was an absolutely lethal tailback before his frightening neck injury; Scott Linehan's word "eraser" almost doesn't do him justice.  Personally, I still question his size, and between-the-tackles mojo.  I have a sneaking suspicion that the Lions aren't as high on Best as everyone thinks. That leads me to my next possibility . . .

Everson Griffen is cut right from the Schwartzian cloth: 6'-3", 273, technique, speed, great against the run and a gifted pass rusher.  The only reason I hold back my prediction on him--the fourth(ish) option instead of the first or second--is that I don't think he possesses the high-motor, high-IQ psychological profile that Schwartz and Cunningham love.  But it's undeniable that he, physically, is a perfect fit.

Roger Saffold is a very versatile guard, who's frame and skill set remind some of Branden Albert, the famed one-that-got-away-when-we-passed-on-him-and-got-Gosder-Cherilus-instead-even-though-Albert-hasn't-been-very-good-at-LT LT. Saffold would fill the swing guard/tackle role that Daniel Loper vacated, and might push Jon Jansen out the door.

Round 3, Pick 2 (#66 overall): Corey Wootton, Northwestern DE

2. Chris Cook, Virginia CB, 2b Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest CB

3. Ricky Sapp, Clemson LB

4. Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Indiana CB

5. John Jerry, Mississippi OG

This pick is going to turn some heads, but everything I read about Corey Wootton just SCREAMS Jim Schwartz.  He’s extremely smart, very driven, extremely high motor, perfectly framed at 6’-6”, 270, has first-round tools but fell due to an injury that hampered his senior year, a true three-down, two-way monster.  The troubling thing is that the Lions would be turning down a step-in-and-start cornerback, and they need at least one, but remember what I said?  There are too many needs.  They’re not going to fill all the needs, they’re going to take the best player on their board.

#2 is kind of wishful thinking; most mocks I've seen have Cook going in the low second. But, his combination of physicality and football IQ are in the Schwartz mold, and his excellent size (6'-2") and speed (4.46) should help him make up for his lack of polished technique. He can also flex between corner and safety, so the Lions can use him as needed—and really, they need two of him!  Ghee is a guy who could go anywhere from the late first to the mid-third, from what I’ve seen, but he’s also fast and loves to hit.

I've been trying and trying to figure out who Gunther's "nobody else thinks I can do what I think this guy can do" linebacker is, and I think I have it narrowed down to two: Clemson LB Ricky Sapp, and Washington's Donald Butler. Either would have the blend of size, speed and high-impact tackling that the Lions want. I'll put Sapp here . . .

Awkasi Owusu is the consolation prize if neither Cook or Ghee fall.  Another big (6’-0”, 207), fast (4.47) CB/S flex guy, Owusu has excellent ball skills—and is a great returner, both on special teams and after the interception.  He’s a D2 guy, so he’ll need some time to develop. but as with Sammie Hill, the Lions aren’t afraid to take the guy from the small school.

Okay, Google disabled my account again, and I've run out of time. No round four, but keep an eye out for Donald Butler, Washington LB, Awkasi Owusu-Ansah, Indiana CB, Ciron Black LSU OT/OG, Mitch Petrus, Arkansas OG/OC, and John Connor, Kentucky FB.

Technorati Tags: nfl,nfl draft,detroit lions,ndamukong suh,russell okung

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Old Mother Hubbard: the Detroit Lions’ 2010 NFL Draft Shopping List (Offense & Defense)

I don’t know if you heard, but yesterday the Lions made a move that shook up the shopping list a little bit . . . but really, only a little bit.

Of course, all eyes are on the Defensive Tackle position.  Last season, this was the team’s most desperate need.  That draft netted Sammie Hill, an athletic big man out of tiny Stillman College; so raw he’d never attended an NFL game before he started his first.  Throughout the season, the Lions got significant contributions from Grady Jackson (since released), Landon Cohen, Andre Fluellen, Joe Cohen, and Turk McBride.

Fluellen and McBride are both inside/outside guys who saw snaps at both DE and DT.  Neither are long-term pieces of the puzzle at DT—in fact, I expect them to fight for a roster spot this summer.  Same story, I predict, for the Cohen Brothers (they aren’t brothers).  They’re similar players—but  Landon’s youth, short-area quickness, and breathtaking physical development should give him the advantage.

Then, of course, there's the new guy: trade acquisition Corey Williams.  A huge, gifted 4-3 pass rushing DT who blossomed into a franchise player in Green Bay, he went to Cleveland and struggled as a 3-4 end.  It’s presumed that a change of scenery, and a return to his natural role, will allow him to pick up where he left off—but that’s just a presumption.

If Williams returns to the form that produced 69 tackles and 14 sacks in his 3rd and 4th years in the NFL, the Lions have a natural starting DT pair: a 320-pound pass rusher, and a 330-pound run stuffer.  If he doesn't, the Lions are back to Sammie Hill stuffing the run on most downs—and rotating everyone else through both spots the rest of the way.  Either way, Hill and Williams aren’t playing 60+ snaps each, and none of the rotational guys listed above currently pass muster.  The Lions need a disruptive, starting pass-rushing 4-3 DT to rotate with Williams and Hill.

The Lions’ Defensive End depth chart is a mess right now, but summer should clear things up a bit.  The way  I believe this will work is this: Kyle Vanden Bosch will play right defensive end for all three downs, spelled by Cliff Avril as needed.  Jason Hunter and Jared DeVries will battle in camp, and may ultimately platoon, at left end; Avril may also see snaps over there in passing situations.  In running situations, McBride/Fluellen may rotate in at LE, as well.

KVB is the prototypical end for this defense; the Lions would start one of him on each side, if they could.  Avril is slightly too small to play every down at LE, and Jason Hunter isn’t a polished enough pass rusher to play every down at LE either.  Jared DeVries would have been a nice match to KVB a few years ago—but between age and injury, nobody knows how much he has left in the tank.

Obviously, with at least four players seeing time at left end, they don't currently have a long-term solution.  If either Hunter or Avril takes a big step forward this season, it could be either of them—and if not, they could be gone after 2011.  Further, KVB is no spring chicken; defensive ends rarely stay dominant deep into their thirties.  The Lions need a starting, three-down, two-way defensive end in the mold of Kyle Vanden Bosch.

The Middle Linebacker spot is a blessed island of clarity in this muddled lagoon of a defense: DeAndre Levy will start, and play well, for a long time.  Backing him up will be . . . holy crap!  Nobody!  The Lions have no other middle linebackers on the roster.  The Lions need a developmental middle linebacker.

Now, we get to the spot that was made both clearer, and muddier, by yesterday's trade: Outside Linebacker.  Julian Peterson is one starter—and, if my understanding of the defense is correct, the 6’-3”, 245-pound blitz specialist is the prototype for the defense.  Just like KVB, they’d love to have two in-their-prime JPs on either side of Levy.

Gunther Cunningham has said before that Jordon Dizon is like JP only a half-a-foot shorter; I’ve never quite believed him, but it’s possible.  Cunningham now says that he expects Zack Follett to compete for, and win, that starting role—presuming the Lions don’t draft that anonymous linebacker they’ve all fallen in love with.  The rest of the group: Landon Johnson, Vinny Ciruciu, and Ashlee Palmer are all special teams aces who may or may not be in the mix to play OLB.  Again, like KVB, Peterson’s getting up there—even if Follett, or one of the others steps up, the Lions need a starting, athletic, blitzing outside linebacker in the mold of Julian Peterson.

Now we get to the really, really hair-raising position: Cornerback.  Despite the trade for talented young veteran CB Chris Houston, the Lions still have zero established starters at this position.  Houston has been wildly inconsistent in his brief career, and the Falcons signed Dunta Robinson to replace him.  After him, the depth chart is a Hogan’s Alley of almost-cornerbacks: Eric King, Jack Williams, DeAngelo Smith, Dante Wesley, Jahi Word-Daniels, and Jonathan Wade.

Most of those guys are pretty young—some very young, and with some measure of upside.  However, all of these guys are, at best, young nickel/dime guys with some measure of upside.  None of them should be anywhere near the starting lineup.  Even if Chris Houston works out just fine, the Lions need at least one starting cornerback; they like ‘em smart and tough.

Finally, we get to the end of this mess: Safety.  Of course, last year’s second-rounder, Louis Delmas, exploded in his rookie year, making plays left and right against the pass and the run.  unfortunately, the other safety spot was arguably the weakest position on the roster, with Marquand Manuel, Ko Simpson, Marvin White, and some others no longer on the roster saw snaps back there.  Again, just like KVB and JP, with the symmetrical Schwartz/Cunningham defense, I think they’d like to clone Delmas and start two of him.

On the other hand, Delmas is so excellent in run support—and the cornerbacks so dire—that if I were the Lions, I’d be okay with taking a more pure free safety to pair with Delmas.  Given the quarterbacks in the NFC North, and how badly the Lions struggled to cover the pass in 2009, it only makes sense to have the best possible coverage guys out there.  The Lions need a starting safety, who’s very strong in coverage.

So, the complete shopping list:

• A developmental quarterback who could push Stanton in camp.
• A starting, three-down power runningback with speed.
• A developmental power-blocking fullback, to complement Jerome Felton.
• A left tackle, who could be groomed to replace Jeff Backus.
• A power-blocking center, to be groomed behind Raiola.
• A starting, disruptive pass-rushing DT to rotate w/Williams & Hill.
• A starting, three-down, two-way defensive end, a la Kyle Vanden Bosch.
• A developmental middle linebacker.
• A starting, athletic, blitzing outside linebacker, a la Julian Peterson.
• At least one starting cornerback.
• A starting safety, who’s very strong in pass coverage.

What strikes you about this list?  How about the fact that it is way too long to completely cross off in one draft.  No matter what happens this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, there is no way that the Lions can “fill all the holes” or “get everything they need” or “address every question mark” or however you want to phrase the way drafts are normally graded.  When this draft is over, I guarantee that you will look at the list of draftees and exclaim in horror, “THEY DIDN’T GET A ________?!?”

Let me assure you: they know.  The Lions know where their roster holes are—maybe, believe it or not, even better than you do!  All we can hope for is that their grades are right, and the players they choose actually DO fill those needs, instead of trap the Lions yes-no-maybe-so at that position for three years.

Next up: WHO.

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