Detroit Lions 2012 NFL Draft and Offseason Grades, Analysis, and Projections
The Detroit Lions have had a huge franchise makeover since 2009 when they hired Jim Schwartz as their head coach and drafted Matt Stafford as the face of the franchise. When Matt Stafford is healthy, the Lions play like one of the best teams in the NFL (for the most part). Even when Stafford was down, the Lions competed really hard in 2010 and finished as one of the hottest teams in the league that year. With a fully healthy Stafford in 2011, we saw exactly what this team was capable of, at least offensively, when the third year signal caller passed for over 5,000 yards and had 41 touchdowns.
Obviously, the Lions’ offense is explosive, but I can’t imagine what they’d be like with even a moderately consistent running game. Between Jahvid Best, Mikel LeShoure, and Kevin Smith, the Lions’ running back group has been unable to stay healthy and thus, their run game has suffered.
If they can figure out the running game and the defense stays on the trajectory it’s on, this team is going to be one of the NFC’s elite for a long time to come. They lost a big name in cornerback Eric Wright this offseason, but for the most part, this Lions team is staying in-tact and will return with some of the best young players in the NFL, including Madden 13 cover man Calvin Johnson, who is probably the best wide receiver in the NFL.
Johnson is the NFL’s equivalent, at least in my opinion, to Kevin Durant in the NBA. He is so consistent and so dominant, he’s like a man playing among boys most weeks. With Johnson and Stafford leading the way, this Lions team has shown they are one of the best offenses in the NFL, and they have an up-and-coming defense led by Ndamukong Suh as well. Here’s what they added in the draft and undrafted free agency:
- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
- Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma
- Dwight Bentley, CB, Louisiana Lafayette
- Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma
- Tahir Whitehead, LB, Temple
- Chris Greenwood, CB, Albion
- Jonte Green, DB, New Mexico State
- Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma
UDFA
Elon G Rodney Austin; Penn State G Sam Barham; Illinois K Derek Dimke; Houston WR Patrick Edwards; William & Mary TE Alex Gottlieb; New Mexico ILB Carmen Messina; Boise State QB Kellen Moore; Weber State OL J.C. Oram; Boise State WR Tyler Shoemaker; Kentucky LB Ronnie Sneed
Best Undrafted Free Agent: Patrick Edwards, WR, Houston
One player who wasn’t drafted but has a really solid chance of sticking on an NFL roster is Houston’s very productive wide receiver Patrick Edwards, who was picked up immediately after the draft by the Detroit Lions.
The Lions have Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson, and Titus Young established at the receiver position, and they used a second round pick on Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles (which was a shrewd move), but there is not a ton of proven talent at the receiver position on the roster after that, so Edwards has a decent chance of making this team when all is said and done.
According to various reports, Edwards was very solid at the team’s first rookie mini-camp, and despite the fact that he is very undersized at about 5’9″ and just shy of 180 pounds, Edwards is a smart football player who has found a way to get open a heck of a lot over the last few years as a Houston Cougar.
He doesn’t have great measurables by any means, but sometimes, guys just know how to get it done on the field and make plays. Edwards can contribute at receiver, obviously, but also as a kick and punt returner in the Lions ask him to. He could turn out to be a valuable weapon.
2012 NFL Draft Pick Reports and Analysis
Pre-season scouting report
Perhaps even more so than the tight end position, the University of Iowa is an absolute offensive lineman factory. Kirk Ferentz is a former NFL offensive line coach, and the Hawkeyes have one of the best strength and conditioning programs in all the land. Riley Reiff was a 250 pound defensive end when he came to Iowa, and with one year of strength, conditioning, and a change in diet, the Hawkeyes got him up to 300 pounds and in two years have developed him into a first round offensive tackle. Reiff will likely be an All Big Ten performer in 2011 and if he stays healthy, could be a top 15 pick in the draft. A great athlete with a blue-collar style of play, and a name to keep an eye on.
PROS: Great athlete, smart, versatile (RT or LT), feet are getting better every game, excellent work ethic, great coaching background at Iowa, great size, sky is the limit in terms of his potential. Better pass blocker than run blocker, but not by much
CONS: Former defensive lineman, still relatively new to the position, sometimes plays too high, 2010 tape not as good as people had expected/hoped. Overall not many glaring weaknesses. Not huge for an OT (6’6 300 pounds), but that’s the way the league is trending now a days, doesn’t have really long arms
Pick Analysis
Reiff is a great pickup for the Lions. He will be the starting left tackle after Jeff Backus departs, whenever that may be. Reiff has short arms, but he is a very talented left tackle prospect who has had excellent coaching the last four years at Iowa. Obviously, there is a reason he fell to the later portion of the first round, but he should be a very good player for a long time.
Pre-season scouting report
Small possession receiver who has been nothing short of spectacular for the Sooners throughout his career. First team All-American in 2010 after catching 131 passes for 1,622 yards and 14 touchdowns. Over the last two seasons, has 220 catches for 2,742 yards and 29 touchdowns while also doubling as a punt returner for the Sooners. Averaging around 11 yards per punt return (90 PR for 998 yards) and has started 26 games over the last two years. Has started 34 games in three years for the Sooners, catching passes from both Sam Bradford and top QB prospect Landry Jones. Broyles isn’t going to really benefit from going back to school another year other than the possibility of a national championship, which seems likely. Fifth year senior with a ton of experience. Not the fastest receiver but very quick, understands route concepts, and understands defense. Was a big time defensive back in high school. Gritty player who is not afraid to put his body out there for contact. Owns 10 Oklahoma records, and is the first WR in 72 years of recorded history at Oklahoma to lead the team in scoring (2009). Broyles is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, and has 16 plays of 40 or more yards.
Pros
Extremely productive…catches everything that hits his hands….effective punt returner…willing to go over the middle…could post big bench press numbers for his size at combine…top route runner…excellent at finding the soft spots in zone…minor character concerns, but seems to have matured a lot…durable…good at getting the few extra yards needed for a first down, but not going to take a screen pass 80…gets up field immediately…
Cons
not a punishing run blocker…doesn’t break a lot of tackles…more quick than fast…could struggle against press coverage vs good cornerbacks…runs a lot of bubble screens not really a con, just boring to watch
Pick Analysis
Excellent value pick in the second round for the Lions, who have now really upgraded their linebacker group over the last couple of years. I love how Broyles fits with Calvin Johnson and Titus Young, and while the Lions aren’t finished building that core of guys yet, I think these three will be a great start. If Broyles can stay healthy, he will be an awesome addition to this already potent offense.
3. Dwight Bentley, CB, Louisiana-Lafayette
Pick Analysis
Bentley comes to the Lions after lighting it up this past offseason where he really caught a lot of people’s attention. He’s not the biggest cornerback but he has excellent athletic ability and at about 5’10″ 185 pounds, he runs well and is an aggressive cover corner. He will likely start off as a nickel cornerback, and could be the benefactor of that great Detroit defensive line early on in his career. As a third round pick, expectations will be that he eventually winds up as a starter, which he very well could. Coming from a smaller school like ULL, he will have an uphill battle to climb but the talent is certainly there and he can keep up with the speed of pretty much any receiver in the NFL.
4. Ronnell Lewis, DE/LB, Oklahoma
Scouting Report
Pros: Really gets his hands up well if he doesn’t get to the quarterback…plays with a mean streak..pretty good awareness…explosive of the snap…playing the hybrid position at Oklahoma this year…a lot of production this year…uses his hands well…good speed…good closing speed…plays with good leverage…Good awareness…really great functional strength
cons: does not have great size/length, which could hurt at the N.F.L. level…not a full time starter until his final four games in 2010…could develop more pass rush moves…only going to be a 34 OLB at the NFL level…run defense at the N.F.L. level? Could use more work in zone coverage to has the athleticism, but not the technique yet
Thoughts:
Other than Morris Claiborne, perhaps no one has seen such a rise into the first round conversation as Ronnell Lewis. Lewis was an after thought heading into this season but has really played well this year. He hustles and flies to the ball, he plays with good leaverage, and has good athletic ability. He also plays mean and looks like he’ll be one of the most coveted pass rushers in a weaker pass rushing class.
Pick Analysis
Another really good value for the Lions, who get a pass rush specialist who is really raw and needs some work, but he can be a high impact player in a couple of years. He will start off as a rotational pass rusher, but he needs to get better against the run and improve his overall maturity. If he can do that, he should be a very solid pass rusher.
5. Tahir Whitehead, LB, Temple
Pick Analysis
Whitehead played outside linebacker in the Temple 3-4 defense, but he will likely play SAM linebacker for the Detroit Lions where he will double as a pass rusher at times. He is a linebacker with good speed and good overall athletic ability who was a team captain and had some really good numbers last season for the Owls. He led the team with 12 tackles for loss and had five sacks, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. He is pretty solid in coverage, and I think he will definitely bolster the Lions’ linebacker depth. Really improving player who could be nice value in the fifth round for the Lions.
6. Chris Greenwood, CB, Albion
Pick Analysis
Another small school gem, the Lions get an outstanding athlete here in Chris Greenwood. At Michigan’s pro day, he ran a 4.41 second 40 yard dash at 6’1″ 190 pounds and had an incredible 43 inch vertical leap. Those athletic measureables are obviously good enough to let him start out competing as a special teams player, but his coaches speak really highly of his football IQ, whatever that means. If Greenwood is able to pick up the mental aspect of the game quickly, he could contribute in a multitude of ways for this Lions team. He could play cornerback or safety, and he could certainly help generate some turnovers for this defense.
7. Jonte Green, CB, New Mexico State
Pick Analysis
Green is another guy who has a good combination of size and speed at 5’11″ 192 pounds and a 4.40 forty yard dash. He was named second team All-WAC last season and finished with 14 pass breakups and two interceptions along with a forced fumble. He is another aggressive player who can sit back and contribute early on as a special teams player, but because of his aggressive nature, he could be a perfect fit for the nickel/dime role to keep some speed on slot receivers and keep an attack mentality.
Pre-season scouting report
Pros:
Very productive….reportedly a good leader and has a great work ethic…instinctive, especially in the run game…has pass rushing potential…Gets off blocks much better than giving credit for, though he does lack ideal size for a SAM…Plus in coverage
Cons:
Lacks scheme versatility, ideally suited for a 43 defense…potential as a pass rusher, but needs work…not going to make Sportscenters top 10 with bone crushing hits…his tackles for loss have gone down each year…isn’t a great tackler…prima donna? (seen it reported)…Injury concerns (played through a broken big toe on his foot this year) has missed games because of injures…slower than expected at combine
Round projection: Round 3-4. A down year for Lewis while he battled injuries is likely going to keep him out of the first round and possibly even the second round. He could be a very early round 3 pick.
NFLmocks preseason bio
Lewis could be the best WILL linebacker prospect in the entire draft. He has been a projected first round pick since 2010, and likely will be a first round pick in 2012. He combines phenomenal speed to go along with his ideal size for the position. His tackles for loss have gone down every year, but he has still been very productive with 362 tackles, 26.5 for loss, 8 interceptions, and 10 passes broken up. He is a complete prospect who will likely only benefit from another year of seasoning. Started all 41 games he has played in over three year span. Has been named All-Big 12 three years in a row, and in 2008 was the Big 12 defensive newcomer of the year as a freshman. Broke Brian Bosworth’s freshman tackles record with 144. All Big 12 Academic performer who will break the all-time record at Oklahoma of interceptions by a linebacker if he picks off just one pass in 2011. Six career sacks and likely will be a plug-and-play in the NFL. Immediate starter at WILL in a 4-3 defensive scheme.
Pick Analysis
Lewis’ stock obviously took some kind of a hit this season, as he was not selected until the seventh round. Injuries, size, and overall athletic ability pushed him way down draft boards, but he is still a good value in the 7th round for the Lions, and I think he could still eventually wind up a starter.
Projected Depth Chart (offense)
QB: Matt Stafford, Shaun Hill, Kellen Moore (R)
RB: Jahvid Best, Mikel LeShoure (R), Kevin Smith, Keiland Williams
WR1: Calvin Johnson, Ryan Broyles (R), Patrick Edwards (R)
WR2: Nate Burleson, Titus Young, Stefan Logan
TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler, Will Heller
LT: Jeff Backus, Riley Reiff (R)
LG: Rob Sims, Jacques McClendon
C: Dominic Raiola, Dan Gerberry
RG: Stephen Peterman, Dylan Gandy
RT: Gosder Cherilus, Johnny Culbreath
Projected Depth Chart (defense)
DE: Cliff Avril, Lawrence Jackson
DT: Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley
DT: Corey Williams, Sammie Lee Hill, Andre Fluellen
DE: Kyle Vanden Bosch, Willie Young, Ronnell Lewis (R)
OLB: Justin Durant, Tahir Whitehead (R)
MLB: Stephen Tulloch, Ashlee Palmer
OLB: DeAndre Levy, Doug Hogue, Travis Lewis (R)
CB: Chris Houston, Jacob Lacey, Chris Greenwood
CB: Aaron Berry, Dwight Bentley, Jonte Green
FS: Louis Delmas, John Wendling
SS: Amari Spievey, Erik Coleman
Special Teams
K: Jason Hanson
P: Ryan Donahue
LS: Don Muhlbach