Lions Draft Grade: Z+

If you happened to be listening Saturday afternoon you could hear something that sounded very similar to a couple hundred thousand Lions fans collectively getting kicked in the junk. While they should be applauded for having the stones to select yet another WR in the first round of the draft (and the ONLY draft prospect in the entire shabang that is a lock to be a very good if not great player in the NFL), the entire course of the rest of the process was utterly despicable.

The only real thing I can compare it to is going to a nice restaurant and finding five different things on the menu that sound really good, and then having your selection taste like shit. Basically this draft by the Lions leaves a similar taste in my mouth. Why?

1) It appeared that every single game the Lions were actually somewhat competitive in (and there weren't many, but still...) they ended up blowing late because they couldn't get a defensive stop if their lives depended on it. Literally, this happened in at least five games. Consequently, simply logic dictates that you just continue to draft offense. Except in the way that it doesn't.

I have nothing against Drew Stanton. He was a very good player on a VERY bad Michigan State team. I can't stress VERY bad enough. Basically a one man show that couldn't do it all himself. Had Stanton been the QB at Notre Dame it wouldn't have surprised me if he went early in round one. The comparison's to Rich Gannon are well placed and the guy, I think, is a winner if surrounded by even mediocre talent (which is great except the Lions drafted him).

But we drafted him before both Paul Pozluznznznznznzy and David Harris for chistsakes! Posluznznznzny is THE linebacker from Linebacker U. Harris is as solid a tackler as Michigan has had in a long time (which includes plenty of current NFL players). Furthering the idiocy of the whole thing, two of the three starters at LB (Lehman & Bailey) can't stay on the field and the third is one helmet-to-helmet hit away from becoming a turnip (Sims). I actually spent about 5 minutes trying to make a joke about how oft-injured Lehman and Bailey are and I couldn't think of a single player except Charles Rogers who makes them look healthy...just put a hole in my head.

2) They can't block shit. I'm convinced the only reason Aaron Kampman is a Pro-Bowler is b/c he gets to play against the Lions offensive line twice a year. So say LB wasn't a priority for you? How about you pick up a solid guard since Damon Woody is intent on eating himself out of the league and Ross Verba is writing bad checks. Or don't. Or....draft one in the later rounds that plays in an offense that doesn't require him to run block at all. That sounds like a good idea.

3) I wouldn't even care if they drafted someone for the defensive secondary with that pick. But to pick a guy that is going to ride the bench they entire season and not give you anything immediately is just plain dumb. I won't even make a Millen joke b/c I'm so sick of them and they are just too easy.

As an aside...I think the Pats got better with Moss. I'm firmly convinced that this situation is more of a Rasheed Wallace/Larry Brown scenario than a Parcells/T.O. case. If not, you burned a fourth round pick.