OK, I always like to make a December prediction for the draft. Last year my selection was Kevin Jones, but I thought they would have to take him high in the draft with their first selection. Show's you what I know.

This year, looking at where the Lions are probably picking and not knowing what is going to happen in FA I think they will have the chance to address two of their most pressing issues with the first two picks.

1) Thomas Davis - Safety - Georgia - Jr.
6'1", 230

2) Elton Brown - Guard - Virgina - Sr.
6'6", 338

At this early point, I have those two as the top rated guys at each position and think they will be available when the Lions make their first two picks. If Brown is gone by the time the Lions pick in the second round, I think they might go for David Bass - Guard - Michigan (6'5", 322).

Anyone else want to make some early guesses or comments on my early selections?

I'd but in as well, but my thoughts are exactly as your's. Thomas Davis round one, offensive guard round 2. I don't see any other safeties that are first round picks. No guards are first round picks. Only Heath Miller is a late first round pick, we will be picking too high to consider him.

Every draft website has us getting a DE, and I don't exactly understand the logic in it. Sure, it would be a decent upgrade over Redding, Devries and Edwards, but they have played well in rotational roles, and the defensive line is the strength of our team. Why improve upon our strengths when we can improve our weaknesses? Then they use the crappy logic of "Porcher retired, draft his replacement". Hello, Porcher didn't play all season! And we still had a good defensive end rotation!

So Thomas Davis is my desired first round pick. But, say we lose to Tennessee and we are in the top 7 or so. Derrick Johnson is avaliable. Take Johnson and move Lehman to ILB. That would be better than selecting a DE, IMO. Alex Barron is another possibility to fill the hole at RT if we are selecting high enough and Johnson is gone. McDougle would have to leave for us to select him.

Here is who I would take if I was the Lions, in order.

1) D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia*
-rumored to be staying at Virginia, probably won't declare
2) Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas
-move Lehman to ILB, create a devastating LB corps
3) Ahmad Brooks, ILB, Virginia**
-sophomore, raw, but would be the heir apparent to Holmes at ILB
4) Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
-needs to polish his technique, has great potential
5) Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
-more complete than you think, injuries beware
6) Dan Cody, DE, Oklahoma
-big, versatile, and athletic. underrated
7) Thomas Davis, S, Georgia*
-may not declare, or at least rumored so

If we win on Sunday, we won't be able to get any of the top 4. James and Cody are possibilities, but depending on need, Detroit would rather go with a safety than a DE first round. But you could also see us go DE round 1, SS round 2, because of the talent pool. This is a great DE class, and a poor safety class.

I still like Pablo's thought, and that's what I want to happen. Thomas Davis round 1, Elton Brown round 2. But if we have a chance to get a quality player, pass on Davis (who doesn't fit well into our defense) and get a playmaker.

What do you think of the lions trying to trade out of the 10 spot? I was looking at some mocks and thinking of our real needs. I figure we are most needing S, OL, TE and DE, I really don't think we need to pick so high to get any of those postitions. Some mocks don't have a S going till like 20, mind you this is early but it really doesn't seem too "Millen" to not try to get maximum utility out of his pick.

I agree with your picks though. Being a homer though, I would rather have Baas.

That's what I think now. Thomas Davis is NOT worth the 10th pick at all. He is a player that would fill a need for us, but you know, after watching him in the Outback Bowl, he wouldn't be a good fit for our defense. He doesn't have any speed and is poor in pass coverage. He also doesn't have good run-pass recognition and bites on play fakes. I'd like to see us take someone like Donte Nicholson in the second, after we trade down in the first.

Trade down route:

Trade 1 (10) to Jacksonville for 1 (19) and 2 (19)

1 (19) Jammal Brown, RT, Oklahoma
2 (10) David Baas, OG, Michigan
2 (19) Donte Nicholson, SS, Oklahoma

Stay at #10:

1 (10) Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
2 (10) David Baas, OG, Michigan
3 (10) Andre Maddox, SS, North Carolina State

I agree with both of you. I can see them trading down. My dream scenario, for Detroit, would be for a highly covitted player (say Rolle) to fall to the Lions at # 10, and thus giving the pick BIG trade value with several teams.

# 10 may not be an early enough pick in this draft for something like that to play out, but we're still so far away...who knows.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson is not going to come out.

Also rumored is Heath Miller might stay another year

Hall was not a consistant pass rusher. He did get good sacks, but he was not getting the pressures and hurries on the quaterback that Porcher got. Why are you all scared of E. James's injury? I rember a guy named Shaun Rogers who all the teams were scared to draft because of injuries. Look what happened there.

we didn't risk a 1st round pick on rogers though. if he was available in the second round it would be a no brainer. with the 10th pick, you have to take injury concerns into account.

still, the lions have pretty good depth along the d-line, it is the teams strength defensively. it all comes down to what they do in fa before the draft.

D line is the best unit we have. But can you imagine if we Kalimba Edwards pans out. Rogers had an off year his soph. season. KE was injured last year. If he gets back what he showed the rookie year, he could be the next Freak. He has the body/speed. Then if boss comes back. We would have one of the best defense in the country with Thomas Davis back in the SS and Holt in FS. Ferando is better than he looked this year.

I'm sorry, but there is no way I can see Kalimba Edwards ever turn into the freak. This was supposed to be his breakout season, and he couldn't get a starting position over Cory Redding. He is at best a situational pass-rusher. Just gets overpowered against the run.

I think we also may want to look at getting a quality DT to replace Big Daddy. In fact if we can find a good enough one they could split duty.

heath miller is coming out.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=401473[/quote]

Nice, maybe we can pick him up w/ our 1st pick.

I'm new, my name is Crazy and I love the Lions.

I think we address the safety through FA maybe later rounds. I would love a pass rushing sack artist in the 10 spot, somebody to disrupt things and make QB's get rid of ball quick. I like Butler next year on the line and a second rounder on the offensive line would be nice.

I also like a fast pass catching Tight End, I still have hope for Fitzsimmons but, a solid second or third round TE would also help.

Welcome to Lionbacker CRAZY! Hope to see you around often