the 2009 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions had an awful season this year. Can we expect any different? Well we can start to now that possibly the worst general manager in any sport, Matt Millen, is no longer in the picture. After many years of failed draft choices, the Lions have finally gotten rid of one of the reasons behind this. Without Matt Millen, hopefully our beloved Lions can hopefully make some smart decisions.





Round 1: #1----Detroit Lions select Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia. When it comes down to it, unless a team has an amazing defense, they are going nowhere without atleast a solid quarterback. Talent at this position is something the Lions have not seen in a very long time. The Lions have a very porous offensive line, so many people would rather see a lineman taken first overall. However, we could have a very good offensive line, but if the QB can not throw the ball effectively, the offense will be bad. Matthew Stafford gets the nod here over Bradford because he has the strongest arm in college football, great intangibles, and experience running a pro-style offense. A quarterback is always a risk in the draft, but Stafford could easily be compared to Matt Ryan who immediately helped turn the Falcons into a winning team. Daunte Culpepper is washed up, Kitna is horrible, and Stanton obviously has shown nothing to even earn playing time. Stafford needs to be the choice here.
Round 1: #24 (via Dallas)---The Detroit Lions select Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest. Arguably the weakest position on the Lion's roster is cornerback. Brian Kelly has been more than disappointing and Travis Fisher should not be a starter in the NFL. Alphonso Smith would make an immediate impact on playmaking in the defensive backfield. He is very fast and a decent tackler. He is only 5'9", but he plays bigger than his size. He is also a very good special teams player, something the Lions have lacked recently. He has good hands and could easily be the #1 CB on the Lions in his rookie year. An interesting stat: CBs on the Lions this year have a total of 1 interception. Smith had 6 ints in 2008.
Round 2: #1 (33 overall)---Jason Smith, OT, Baylor. Jason Smith is not considered one of the top 3 OTs in the draft this year, but he has the potential to be better than all of them. A 6'5", 300 pound giant from Baylor, Smith is the prototypical LT. Smith rarely gives up a sack, and is a very experience football player. Smith not only has the physical tools, he also has the mental ones. He average a 4.0 in college and graduated from Baylor's Leadership Academy. He has no character issues whatsoever. This would make it possible for Backus to move to LG, which would greatly improve the OL. I do not see the need for drafting a OT 1st overall when they can get someone like Smith later on.
Round 3: #1 (65 overall)---Jasper Brinkley, MLB, South Carolina. Brinkley, a junior in 2006, led his team with 107 tackles and was a captain. He was medically redshirted in 2007 because of a knee injury. This may raise some questions, but doctors insist he is 100%. Brinkley at 6'2", 275, is a menacing presence on the defense and a great tackler. I believe that rookie year, Brinkley could compete with Lenon for the starting role.
I will stop there for now. Possibly more picks to come.