Best Likely to Land on PUP List

[Slick]

Lions beat writer Tom Kowalski believes that Baylor LT Jason Smith and Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry have emerged as the top candidates to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
"I don't think Andre Smith is an option at No. 1 and I don't think Stafford is an option at No. 1," Kowalski said. It's still very early, but we must agree. Smith had an outstanding Combine and Curry is viewed as the draft's safest pick.

Beat writer Tom Kowalski believes Baylor OT Jason Smith and Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry have emerged as the best bets to go No. 1 overall to the Lions.
Smith is separating from the rest of the tackle group at the Combine, and Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford simply isn't good enough to go No. 1. It wouldn't surprise to see Stafford tumble out of the Top-10 by draft time.

NFL Network's Mike Mayock considers Jason Smith the best offensive tackle in the draft.
Mayock has Smith (Baylor) first, followed by Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Andre Smith (Alabama), Michael Oher (Mississippi), and Eben Britton (Arizona). Mayock added that Alabama's Smith "has fought the weight his entire life...there's been some weight fluctuation and that worries me."

Lions beat reporter Tom Kowalski writes that he's "more and more convinced" Detroit will take a left tackle No. 1 overall.
Kowalski says it'll be Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith, likely based on which is willing to take a cheaper contract. Kowalski doesn't think the Lions are sold on Matt Stafford and expects them to make a run at Jay Cutler on draft day. Cutler would at least cost Detroit its second first-round pick (No. 20).


Sure, there might've been some scouts who got it right with Smith, but please, don't act like everyone knew he sucked. And don't pretend Stafford was widely considered a great pick. Plenty of GMs would've gone in another direction IMO

when you use Tom Kowalski columns to support your argument I really cant help you.

Schwartz has said many times Stafford was the pick 2 minutes after his Pro Day was over.

as for Mayock , he gets pumped to much on his "opinions"...this is a guy who said Jamarcus Russell was cant miss.

 

[lp4ever41]

when you use Tom Kowalski columns to support your argument I really cant help you.

Schwartz has said many times Stafford was the pick 2 minutes after his Pro Day was over.

Those are the opinions of Rotoworld in bold. They usually read tons of reports and scouting info before making comments. Just saying.....

And the team deciding on Stafford after his Pro Day doesn't mean they don't get any credit. It might not have been a bold choice, but it wasn't the easy one you're making it seem like...

 

[Slick]

Those are the opinions of Rotoworld in bold. They usually read tons of reports and scouting info before making comments. Just saying.....

And the team deciding on Stafford after his Pro Day doesn't mean they don't get any credit. It might not have been a bold choice, but it wasn't the easy one you're making it seem like...

seriously dude get a clue....the Lions had just hired Linehan and didnt have a QB on the roster who could run his aggressive throw down the field offense....Stafford was an absolute no brainer pick at #1.

not sure if you were around on the ESPN board days...but kowalski was usually the but of jokes every draft season....we pretty much figured the Lions "source" he always quoted fed him false information just for draft smoke....the guy was dead wrong and flip flopped more then most politicians when draft seaon rolled around.

fuck Im just an average fan and I had Stafford to the Lions soon as he declared...and had Pettigrew at 20 about a week later.

 

[lp4ever41]

seriously dude get a clue....the Lions had just hired Linehan and didnt have a QB on the roster who could run his aggressive throw down the field offense....Stafford was an absolute no brainer pick at #1.

not sure if you were around on the ESPN board days...but kowalski was usually the but of jokes every draft season....we pretty much figured the Lions "source" he always quoted fed him false information just for draft smoke....the guy was dead wrong and flip flopped more then most politicians when draft seaon rolled around.

fuck Im just an average fan and I had Stafford to the Lions soon as he declared...and had Pettigrew at 20 about a week later.

Dude, you've missed my point completely. I'm not saying the Lions never wanted Stafford. I believe they were locked in. And I wanted him to be the pick too.

My point is that there were many in the football industry who disagreed with it. I read info from plenty of scouts saying they'd choose someone else if given the opportunity. Many scouts thought Jason Smith was an elite prospect, and many thought Stafford would only every be an above-average QB at best. But Marty is a good GM with good scouts and made the right call. He deserves some credit for that IMO. Thats all.

I just get sick of people who are never happy. Our GM is one of the three or four best in the league IMO, but you still have people complaining.

 

[Mitchrapp]

The people who thought anyone but Staff should be selected, even the fans on this board were just dumb. Most of us thought Staff was a no brainer. A QB with an arm, easy.

 

[Slick]

Dude, you've missed my point completely. I'm not saying the Lions never wanted Stafford. I believe they were locked in. And I wanted him to be the pick too.

My point is that there were many in the football industry who disagreed with it. I read info from plenty of scouts saying they'd choose someone else if given the opportunity. Many scouts thought Jason Smith was an elite prospect, and many thought Stafford would only every be an above-average QB at best. But Marty is a good GM with good scouts and made the right call. He deserves some credit for that IMO. Thats all.

I just get sick of people who are never happy. Our GM is one of the three or four best in the league IMO, but you still have people complaining.

Jason Smith didnt have a chance to be #1 overall....Lions LOVED and still LOVE Jeff Backus , all the Smith talk was smoke and mirrors as for Curry same deal...nobody in their right mind was giving a OLB 40 million guaranteed.

Staff was the guy....not even Millen would have fucked that up.

 

[lp4ever41]

The people who thought anyone but Staff should be selected, even the fans on this board were just dumb. Most of us thought Staff was a no brainer. A QB with an arm, easy.

It just so happens Seifert wrote an article two days ago about this. Just saw it:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/44986/stafford-stands-amid-2009-draft-rubble

"To be clear, there weren't many people arguing from a public perspective that Stafford was the slam-dunk choice, myself included. It's hard to argue with it now."

Thats basically my point. It was a slam dunk for the Lions because they are a good organization. It wasn't a slam dunk to the football world. It wasn't an Andrew Luck pick. That's my only point. Mayhew deserves some credit.

 

[Mitchrapp]

It just so happens Seifert wrote an article two days ago about this. Just saw it:

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/44986/stafford-stands-amid-2009-draft-rubble

"To be clear, there weren't many people arguing from a public perspective that Stafford was the slam-dunk choice, myself included. It's hard to argue with it now."

Thats basically my point. It was a slam dunk for the Lions because they are a good organization. It wasn't a slam dunk to the football world. It wasn't an Andrew Luck pick. That's my only point. Mayhew deserves some credit.

The football world is stupid. They have yet to grasp the QB, DE, LT as top choice to make that much guarantee. At least during that time.

A QB with an arm over a LB? I'd bet on that each and every day.

 

[Slick]

hard to imagine how some regular Joe Fans knew more about things then some hack writers.

Lions wern't gonna give Curry #1 money and Backus is adored....like i said i read those tea leaves in January of that year.

 

[lp4ever41]

The football world is stupid. They have yet to grasp the QB, DE, LT as top choice to make that much guarantee. At least during that time.

A QB with an arm over a LB? I'd bet on that each and every day.

YES! Many in the football world are stupid. Our GM isn't. Thank you.

 

[Slick]

YES! Many in the football world are stupid. Our GM isn't. Thank you.

sure he is...explain Derrick Williams to me :lmao:

 

[Mitchrapp]

sure he is...explain Derrick Williams to me :lmao:

Can't all be golden.

But the point, lp, was that Staff was a no brainer. These "experts" who thought Curry or Smith blew it. It was an easy decision.

 

[lp4ever41]

hard to imagine how some regular Joe Fans knew more about things then some hack writers.

Lions wern't gonna give Curry #1 money and Backus is adored....like i said i read those tea leaves in January of that year.

I agree Curry wasn't an option, but to be fair, Mayhew did ask Backus himself not too long after that draft if he had ever played right tackle, since there were many good tackles available the following year. That means Mayhew at least considered moving him over. So if they had scouted Smith ahead of Stafford, I think he could've been the pick.

Luckily, we don't have scouts like this:

One NFL scout told the SF Chronicle that Matthew Stafford isn't even in the top ten on his team's draft value board.
"There are a lot of holes with him," the scout observed.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I agree Curry wasn't an option, but to be fair, Mayhew did ask Backus himself not too long after that draft if he had ever played right tackle, since there were many good tackles available the following year. That means Mayhew at least considered moving him over. So if they had scouted Smith ahead of Stafford, I think he could've been the pick.

Luckily, we don't have scouts like this:

One NFL scout told the SF Chronicle that Matthew Stafford isn't even in the top ten on his team's draft value board.
"There are a lot of holes with him," the scout observed.

And he was dead wrong, even back then. Lots of holes, like what. Some experts are just stupid.

 

[Slick]

Can't all be golden.

But the point, lp, was that Staff was a no brainer. These "experts" who thought Curry or Smith blew it. It was an easy decision.

I know I was joking...but Is eriously give Mayhew no credit for Stafford...none.

I give Lewand more credit for writing a almost perfect cap friendly contract that allowed them to build a contender.

 

[Mitchrapp]

True that.

 

[lp4ever41]

sure he is...explain Derrick Williams to me :lmao:

lol he made up for it with SLH. Man, I hope they extend him. He's still getting better, and they need depth at DT.

 

[Slick]

lol he made up for it with SLH. Man, I hope they extend him. He's still getting better, and they need depth at DT.

agreed SLH is a gem...also liked when he beat Bellichek to Louis Delmas

 

[tonyballs]

hard to imagine how some regular Joe Fans knew more about things then some hack writers.

Lions wern't gonna give Curry #1 money and Backus is adored....like i said i read those tea leaves in January of that year.

We all did, brother.

Only dummies like Kowalski thought different..

 

[lp4ever41]

agreed SLH is a gem...also liked when he beat Bellichek to Louis Delmas

If only Delmas could fk'n stay healthy. Willie Young might turn out to be his best pick.

Heard he beat Bellichek and Ozzie to Titus as well, although you could see Detroit loved him, so if those other teams wanted him they could've jumped Detroit.