Grade the Draft

[mhughes0021]

How the hell isn't a "B" grade "a very good job"? A "B" is a solid effort. Getting an "A" is outstanding if you ask me. The Lions had a solid, very good draft if you ask me....not sure how you're confused.

As for TJ Jones. Getting him in the 6th rd was great value. He has solid hands and was extremely productive in college. Will probably end up being a starting slot WR for us.

If by starting you mean on the practice squad. ..then ya.

 

[Monster]

Sorry Hughes, stole your format

Overall B

Rd 1 - #10(10) Eric Ebron (TE) UNC

C

Not because of his talent. I think he's probably a good TE and he'll help us score a bit more than last year. The problem is that he has a history of drops. If he doesn't change that part of his game, we would have been better off keeping Pettigrew as our guy. If he eliminates the drops, he's a playmaker. Can't complain about that. I just think there were more impactful players at #10.


Rd 2 - #8(40) Kyle Van Noy (OLB) BYU

A+

Wasn't a huge fan until about a week before the draft. A friend of mine (BYU fan) really talked him up. This friend knows more about football than anybody I know, so I took his word for it. The more I read about him, the more I like him. Being Ansah's friend and roommate helps.

Rd 3 - #12(76) Travis Swanson (C) Arkansas

C

I'd like to rate this higher, but he does nothing for us in 2014. I think he'll be a good player on the line in the future, but the impact this year is nothing.

Rd 4 - #33(133) Nevin Lawson (CB) Utah St

C

Reports on him are mixed. Some say he has potential, others say he's a 7th round pick. I haven't seen enough of him to say either way, but as a 4th round rookie, I don't think he plays over Houston, Mathis, Slay, and probably not even bentley. It seems like a wasted pick for 2014.

Rd 4 - #36(136) Larry Webster (DE) Bloomsburg

C

Potential. Potential. Potential. Is he a TE or a DE? He's raw and needs a ton of coaching. I don't see him starting over any of the TEs or DEs and I'm not sure how much he'll make it into the rotation on the line. Seems like a 2015 or 2016 pick.


Rd 5 - #18(158) Caraun Reid (DT) Princeton

A

Didn't like this pick at first. Then, I realized it was the fifth round and we'd be picking special teams and depth guys here. The fact that he has so much raw potential gives him a high grade.

Rd 6 - #13(189) TJ Jones (WR) Notre Dame

A+

Honestly, I didn't know he was in this draft. That's not a knock on him, I just assumed he was a junior at ND. Really surprised that he wasn't higher rated. Meet our new slot receiver. Will pass every WR aside from CJ and Tate on the depth chart very quickly. Love this pick.

Rd 7 - #14(229) Nate Freese (K) BC

A

Best kicker in the draft. 7th round. not much else I can say. Big need.

 

[tsmith7559]

Solid B

 

[mhughes0021]

just cause I gave mayhews draft a B-....doesn't mean I agree with it. I complained we spent all our FA money on offense. Then mayhew had the draft to make up for that....and he dcides to go offense on 2 of the top 3 picks while not addressing any of the DE, S or CB needs high in the draft. Mayhew needs to go....Needs...to....gooo

 

[elrod817]

That's correct. I don't know the first thing about them. I thought Texas A&M was the Aggies.

They are aren't they? Or am I nuts? I know I'm getting older, but I'm not old enough to be senile yet I don't think.

I'm sure some of the guys (*cough* LKP) had a full scouting report on him from his game film... but I seriously couldn't name one player on that entire team. I have never heard of Nevin Lawson before today.

Also, I had never heard of Chris Greenwood or Sammie Lee Hill before they were drafted, so I guess this is common for me. Honestly, didn't know who Larry Webster Jr. was either.

I know sarcasm can be lost in print format. But who the fuck follows the Utah State Aggies? I hear they have a good Geography department. If you did know who all these random players are I'd be amazed/worried.

Wait....so you guys DON'T follow the Aggies?

 

[tonyballs]

just cause I gave mayhews draft a B-....doesn't mean I agree with it. I complained we spent all our FA money on offense. Then mayhew had the draft to make up for that....and he dcides to go offense on 2 of the top 3 picks while not addressing any of the DE, S or CB needs high in the draft. Mayhew needs to go....Needs...to....gooo

Makes sense coming from you. Kinda like teachers, right? When they give out grades and little Timmy got a "B-", the teacher actually meant to give him an "F". You're fn brilliant, dude...lol. You just can't admit that Mayhew had a very solid draft. He wasn't reaching for a CB, S or DE at #10. Ebron was high on their list and that's why they pulled the trigger.

 

[tonyballs]

If by starting you mean on the practice squad. ..then ya.

Meh, whatever. 6th rd pick who got better every year he was in college. He's better than Ross and Ogletree off the jump. He'll push Durham and Broyles too. I thought the pick was fantastic....

Beat it up though.....it's what you do.

 

[elrod817]

C+

Nothing from this draft jumps out at me as being spectacular. Like the developmental guys in Webster and Reid. Not a fan of the Ebron pick, but I don't deny his talent. Swanson and Jones picks don't move me. Van Noy is probably my favorite pick of our draft and should supplant Palmer. Freese fills a need so that's good, but it's hard for me to get excited about kickers who don't hail from foreign countries and are adept at hitting trick kicks. Since I follow the Aggies, I'm on board with Lawson.

Just an average draft...

 

[cheeno]

Wait....so you guys DON'T follow the Aggies?

 

[michiganalex]

my big problems are the first round and drafting the WR later. needed to pick up Denarrd when he had the chance

 

[michiganalex]

whats funny is that even LKP didn't pick A!!!!!!

 

[grandy]

What I find interesting is that nobody picked A or F yet

Draft time always brings out the homers/haters who love/hate every pick

Did the Lions just have a universally mediocre draft?

 

[atxlion82]

I find it funny after years of bitching about drafting wr's, now we get to hear people bitch about not drafting one till the 6th

 

[wheels002]

I think our draft was a B

I didnt like the Ebron pick at first. Part of it is the fact that he is a TE. The more video I watch the more I realize he is just a big WR. The guy has skills that is sure and I know he will help. When I first heard TE I thought Pettigrew but he isnt anything like Pettigrew. He makes some crazy catches and has the speed to beat CB's and safeties. He will be a nightmare for any LB that tries to cover him.

I love the Van Noy pick. I wanted him since last year when I was watching video of Ziggy. It seemed like ever tackle was either made by Ziggy or Van Noy. He may be the most athletic LB we have had in a very long time. There is not a thing he cant do. He has the speed to cover WR's and RB's. He has the hands to make any INT. He is physical and can get after the QB. And caused a lot of turnovers.

I also like the Swanson pick. I thought he was the best center in the draft and we desperately needed one. He had a great career in the SEC. A 4 year starter. He never missed a game. I think we have been lucky up to this point that Dom hasnt been injured. We have now started building a very young and physical OL.

I like the Lawson pick. yes there were CB's that went earlier in the 4th I would have rather had but I think he has the tools to play well in the NFL. He is small being only 5'8" but unlike normal small corners he isnt afraid to play physical. He battles players much bigger than he is and wins. He does play bigger than he is and also has a lot of speed.

The Webster pick is my least favorite pick. He is a small school guy with very limited football experience. We have drafted several players like this since Mayhew has been GM. He could turn out and be a great player or he could not even make the team. We just dont know.

I like the Reid pick a lot. he could be a really big sleeper pick. He should just get better with better coaching and weight training. he is a small school player but unlike Webster he has a lot of experience and I think playing with Suh and Fairley will only help him in the transition.

I like Jones pick as well. he is a possession WR who run great routes. He isnt a deep threat but will be really good in the short and intermediate routes. He is very sure handed which is also something we need.

Freese is a very accurate kicker but he doesnt have the rocket leg like some of the other recent rookies. I am not worried about leg strength as much because we play inside but I do wonder with game @chi and @GB if he was the right kicker.

I would have given the draft a higher grade but although we got really good players we didnt get much we needed. I still would have preferred a trade down from 10. I read something that said the one team that tried to move up was GB because they wanted Ebron and we wouldnt trade with them. I did agree with the trade up for Van Noy. The reason is because he was the last elite LB left in the draft and there were teams that needed one drafting in front of us. Could he have been there yes but then maybe not and for a player with his ability it wasnt worth the risk of losing him.

I think is really clear that we will at least be doing some 3-4 defense. We now have the LBers we can play either in a 3-4 or a 4-3. I also liked what I kept hearing about being more of an attack D. Under Gunther we were a read and react D and we never really tried to dictate anything to the other offense. Now I think we will blitz more and play more press and come after the QB from different formations and angles.

One thing I noticed when listening to interviews of the players we drafted and reading player profiles is that all the players we drafted are very smart and well spoken. Several of them were also team captains which could be big for us because I do think we have lacked leadership the past few years. The only thing bad I read about any of the players we drafted is that Ebron would get mad when he didnt get the ball enough. Ebron and Van Noy both commented that they are home bodies and dont go out much. I think they are trying to change the culture and attitude of the team.

 

[Monster]

What I find interesting is that nobody picked A or F yet

Draft time always brings out the homers/haters who love/hate every pick

Did the Lions just have a universally mediocre draft?

I give you an F.
Mitch gets an F.
Hughes gets an F.
Tony gets a F.
Elrod gets an F.
Wheels gets an F.
Alex gets a G.


I get an A.

 

[Monster]

And to answer your question, it was a good draft as far as the future goes. Horrible for this year. Average those out and I'd say it's a B.

 

[sggatecl]

I've got to say, I'm impressed with the balls on Mayhew. Even after a 7-9 season in which the Lions couldn't win in a injury riddled division, he still drafted for the future rather than the upcoming season more often than not.

I give it a B because this crop of players has real potential to field 5-6 starters by 2015. With any sport, potential can be a scary word but until they play the games it's all we have to go on.

 

[LKP]

Mayhew drafted like his starters were set coming in to the draft. And he was right.

Te, 3rd lb and center may be the least important positions ever drafted in rounds 1-3. But I think he got good prospects with tons of potential that fit the schemes nicely

 

[biggunsbob]

D..

I just don't see it... Very uninspiring draft for a management group on the ropes..Hopefully all you guys with higher grades will be right...

 

[mhughes0021]

Mayhew drafted like his starters were set coming in to the draft. And he was right.

Te, 3rd lb and center may be the least important positions ever drafted in rounds 1-3. But I think he got good prospects with tons of potential that fit the schemes nicely

his starters shit the bed last year....