They were also extremely beat up at other positions. They lost their #1 CB in FA, lost their starting SS, lost Adalius Thomas for almost half the season, every RB on the roster went down at some point, and Vrabel and Bruschi were anothe ryear older. As far as the offense goes they were still 8th in scoring with a QB that hadn't started a game since HS. We still don't know if Brady is anything more than average on a different team just like Cassel might just be average on another team. For the most part Brady has been in the NFL scenario of what Bradford has at Oklahoma. He plays in a high powered offense that is predicated on getting the ball into the receivers hands and letting them make plays. he also sat behind an O-line that until the Super Bowl last season gave him all day to scan the field.

Patriots gave up 21 sacks in 2007, gave up 47 in 2008. With the same offensive line.

I'm sorry but your statement about Brady is just flat out wrong. Brady has taken the Pats to the Super Bowl without having a top tier WR (until last year). Deion Branch is not a super star WR. Neither is David Givens, Troy Brown, Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney, David Patten.... It's just ridiculous to say Brady is a product of a system.

Back on topic. The #1 overall should be the player with the greatest potential impact for our franchise.

In 1989, the Green Bay Packers picked Tony Mandarich with the second overall pick, passing up on our 3rd pick- Barry Sanders.

Let's learn from GBs example. Mandarich was considered possibly the best offensive line prospect ever. The Packers took him over the greatest running back of all time. They probably thought that O-line was a safe and more reasonable pick. They passed on one of the greatest players in league history for one of the top 5 busts in NFL history.

My point: Taking a lineman with the first pick is a risk too. Don't even pretend that Andre Smith cannot fail, if 'the greatest offensive line prospect ever' can fail. At the end of the day, the QB has more upside for the franchise.

Answer this question: How can we draft a LT with the first pick? We don't even know which one is better. Half think it is Smith, half Oher. Still others like a different LT altogether. We could very well end up dropping 12 million a year on the second or third best LT in this draft. If we are going LT with the first pick, he damn well better be a top 3 in the NFL, not just in this draft.

-ILMP

The draft is a crap shoot. "There are no guarantees" I don't much like the idea of taking a LT at #1, but who are you going to take?

Stafford makes sense because of the value of the #1 pick compared to positions of needs.There are no OG or OT worth the number one overall pick. Andre Smith is consistent but his pass protection will get exploited in the pros if he stays at LT. Though i think his best shot in a career in the pros is as a Potential Pro Bowl LG. But that kinda project is not a #1 pick. Defense would be nice.Honestly i would love for us to go Jenkins #1....But understanding the reality of the game and with a new Head coach And O.C. coming in we will Probably go Offense.

Stafford has played in a pro style offense taking snaps under center and in multiple formations for 3 years. as where Bradford Sat in shotgun behind one of the nations best lines in Spread formations dinking and dunking it up the field.(which he is very good dont get me wrong but with Calvin Johnson I want a QB that can hit him 55 yards down field in stride beyond the safety.) Bradford arm is not as good as Stafford I think If anyone takes the time to watch all the tape they can find on each they will see Stafford does Little things that u dont see out of QBs every year. Ball fakes,Pocket prescense,Great Screen pass,throwing with accuracy off back foot/sidearmed/getting shoulders squared upfield quickly when rolling out to his left.

1b Is the real Question.......Mack,Alphonso,Pettigrew,J. Smith,M Johnson.?????

Stafford makes sense because of the value of the #1 pick compared to positions of needs.There are no OG or OT worth the number one overall pick. Andre Smith is consistent but his pass protection will get exploited in the pros if he stays at LT. Though i think his best shot in a career in the pros is as a Potential Pro Bowl LG. But that kinda project is not a #1 pick.Oher would be better than Smith. At least he was great at Guard and Tackle in college. He doesnt have the same talent level as a Joe Thomas or Jake Long.....and you gotta remember we will probably be making this LT the Highest Paid Offensive Lineman on the entire NFL!!!!!!!It is a ridiculous upward trend every year. Defense would be nice.Honestly i would love for us to go Jenkins #1....But understanding the reality of the game and with a new Head coach And O.C. coming in we will Probably go Offense.

Stafford has played in a pro style offense taking snaps under center and in multiple formations for 3 years. as where Bradford Sat in shotgun behind one of the nations best lines in Spread formations dinking and dunking it up the field.(which he is very good dont get me wrong but with Calvin Johnson I want a QB that can hit him 55 yards down field in stride beyond the safety.) Bradford arm is not as good as Stafford I think If anyone takes the time to watch all the tape they can find on each they will see Stafford does Little things that u dont see out of QBs every year. Ball fakes,Pocket prescense,Great Screen pass,throwing with accuracy off back foot/sidearmed/getting shoulders squared upfield quickly when rolling out to his left.He would fit in great into our offense.He has some Swagger and i could see a new great NFC trio of Stafford/C. Johnson/K. Smith...That Potential is worth the #1 Pick Just because we have another #1

1b Is the real Question.......Mack,Alphonso,Pettigrew,J. Smith,M Johnson.?????

Hi, new member here.

For me, the Lions have to draft defense. You can't throw a rookie QB into the Lions team, he'd get killed by the O-line and even if he did his best the D would still give up mega points every week. Matt Ryan is the exception to the rule, and as for Flacco, well, with the Ravens D you don't have to be particularly, good, just don't turn the ball over.

The Lions need defensive leaders who are going to inspire the fans and make the offense believe they could win the game if they play well. There's loads of QB's out there who the Lions could go after that are backups on their teams and who could at least do a respectable job if they came in.

The main one that I think of is Derek Anderson. Quinn's gonna be the guy in Cleveland, I think Anderson is out of contract next season, but I could be wrong. A mid to low pick gets you a QB and you get some prime defensive talent for the future via the draft.

The draft may be a crapshoot, but LB is probably the safest position to assume a first round success ( unless you're Vernon Gholston ).

IF and only IF the Lions determine that Stafford is NOT a can't miss QB, then this is what I think might be good.


1-1 Orapko DE Texas DE and LT are equal value. Lions young DL are mostly DTs
1-20 Vonate Davis CB Illinois
2-1 Clint Sintim OLB Virginia
3-1 Fenuki Tupou OT Oregon
3-20 Kraig Urbik OG Wisconsin
later picks to get

a KR/RB/WR type
backup/developmental C
SS

You are then (hopefully) sitting with

OL
Backus/Tupou, Urbik, Raiola, Ramirez, Cherilus

DL
Orapko, Fluellen, Redding, Avril

LB
Sitrim, Dizon, Sims

CB
Davis, Bodden