Draft Talk

TSE · Post #121 » by **TSE** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:30 pm

It was in the spirit of complaining though.

Post #122 » by **Icness** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 7:09 pm

Bartender wrote:Ice, what's the deal with Eugene Clifford? He has an interception in nearly every game he's ever played in and was the number two overall DB coming out of high school... not only that but he's six two and 205 pounds with a 4.4 forty.

What issues does this guy have?

He got into a fight at a bar not long after testing positive for pot. The word I got is that he happened upon a fight already going on and just jumped in and started swinging, broke someone's eye socket. That was his third positive for pot in under two years at OSU too, he was suspended from the national title game against LSU for it. He's also one of those players that stretches the range of "student" in student athlete :wink:

Post #123 » by **ajaX82** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:42 pm

I've seen a lot of mock drafts with us either taking or thinking about Akeem Ayers, the OLB from UCLA. Don't know much more than he is athletic as heck.

Anybody got some info on him?

edit: Just did a brief look around the webs at him. Intriguing, but my initial thought is a bigger Ernie Sims. correct or way off?

Liqourish · Post #124 » by **Liqourish** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:04 am

He's alot like Ernie Sims, and that's not a compliment. He's fast, but sometimes it's a detriment. He makes a really big play or he completely misses the play. Just like Ernie. He's a mediocre tackler, he's better at rushing the passer than he is in coverage as his lateral quickness is not elite. He's not someone I'd like the Lions to take. I'd much rather pass and look elsewhere.

TSE · Post #125 » by **TSE** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:41 am

ajaX82 wrote:I've seen a lot of mock drafts with us either taking or thinking about Akeem Ayers, the OLB from UCLA. Don't know much more than he is athletic as heck.

Anybody got some info on him?

edit: Just did a brief look around the webs at him. Intriguing, but my initial thought is a bigger Ernie Sims. correct or way off?

Well I don't have any tape on the guy, but the info that can be obtained from the Internet suggests we would be crazy to take him over Von Miller who has much better statistics, is an experienced senior, and played for a better team against better competition. Ayers seems like a good player, but we need a sure thing or a stud or a key player at a key position, and I don't see Ayers having credibility on any of those items. We just have to aim bigger to get more out of that pick than Ayers and if we have to trade up and negotiate a sweet low price to move up, or if we have to trade down and can land a big value for doing that, then that's what we need to do. To stay at 13 and take a LB other than Miller is just basically giving up and not even trying. It's Mayhew's job to make a great pick here, and he has to do just that or make a deal, not draft a LB. That LB is not going to radically change things and take us to a SB, we're not ready for a LB draft pick that high, it's not the proper timing just as it was not the proper timing to take a RB LAST year. We still aren't in tip top shape and we have RB as one of our premium used up resources, and those guys have shorter careers than most other positions, an absolute terrible idea to take on a depreciating asset in that position, and to pick a LB here would be the same type of mistake.

TSE · Post #126 » by **TSE** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:47 am

Icness wrote:
Bartender wrote:Ice, what's the deal with Eugene Clifford? He has an interception in nearly every game he's ever played in and was the number two overall DB coming out of high school... not only that but he's six two and 205 pounds with a 4.4 forty.

What issues does this guy have?

He got into a fight at a bar not long after testing positive for pot. The word I got is that he happened upon a fight already going on and just jumped in and started swinging, broke someone's eye socket. That was his third positive for pot in under two years at OSU too, he was suspended from the national title game against LSU for it. He's also one of those players that stretches the range of "student" in student athlete

Saw your mock, looks pretty good and very interesting, but you really think it's wise to trade away Fluellen just to move up 4 spots for a guy that could still be there, plus taking the downgrade of the 6th rounder on top of that? Is Fluellen in the doghouse for some reason, or do you just think he sucks?

Piston Pete · Post #127 » by **Piston Pete** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:20 pm

Still would love a draft like:

1) CB Prince A. (Nebraska)
2) OLB Bruce Carter (UNC)
3) best o-lineman or LBer
4) best o-lineman or LBer (opposite of round 3)
5-7 = depth at RB, WR, defense.

TSE · Post #128 » by **TSE** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 3:19 am

Not sure if a 3rd rounder OL is going to help. We don't really need a guard, we could use one I supposed, but it's pretty close to dead last in our set of needs. Raiola still has 2 years I believe, and we already have one prospect there so not sure a 3rd rounder center is worthwhile, if we are smart then we can patch up our holes and be in a good position to get a franchise center in the 3rd draft from now. I was thinking if we were 2nd in the draft before we won those games that we might be able to get Wisniewski there and trade Raiola in something like a deal like what Icness was doing with Fluellen, but that option could be a pricey trade up now. We just have way too much dilution of player talent on this team that I think our 3rd-7th round picks should be more like specialty choices such as an extra WR or RB or KR or ST or FB. If not those, then we should just package them all together and put that towards somebody really good cause we still no matter how you slice it come up short on premium players, and we have to get a handle on that and improve that if possible.

Post #129 » by **Icness** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 3:44 pm

TSE wrote:Saw your mock, looks pretty good and very interesting, but you really think it's wise to trade away Fluellen just to move up 4 spots for a guy that could still be there, plus taking the downgrade of the 6th rounder on top of that? Is Fluellen in the doghouse for some reason, or do you just think he sucks?

Fluellen is the 7th DL. if that can be parlayed into something more useful at a position of greater need, it makes sense to do it. I think he's a functional rotation player that has shown some improvement and juice as a nickel-package interior rusher.

TSE · Post #130 » by **TSE** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:46 pm

Well if that's the only parlay option we can get then at least it's something. I just hope some premium player drops into range where a deal like that becomes a possibility.

Post #131 » by **Icness** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:32 pm

Spent a little time today at the Senior Bowl practice sitting with a Lions coach. I can't say too much other than they are absolutely serious about upgrading the OL and defensive back seven. Hint: every OL starter except Raiola could be in a different spot next year, if some people get their way. They're looking at slot receivers too but not as strongly as the other spots I mentioned.

Disconnected but I saw them paying a lot of attention to the North punter, Alex Henery from Nebraska. He's a good one and will be drafted.

Bartender · Post #132 » by **Bartender** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 12:53 am

Lions seem to be very interested in Titus Young.

Bartender · Post #133 » by **Bartender** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 2:13 am

Icness wrote:Spent a little time today at the Senior Bowl practice sitting with a Lions coach. I can't say too much other than they are absolutely serious about upgrading the OL and defensive back seven. Hint: every OL starter except Raiola could be in a different spot next year, if some people get their way. They're looking at slot receivers too but not as strongly as the other spots I mentioned.

Disconnected but I saw them paying a lot of attention to the North punter, Alex Henery from Nebraska. He's a good one and will be drafted.

Raiola's job is safer than Sims?! I don't get that. Raiola is one of the people I want replaced most on this team.

Post #134 » by **ajaX82** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:16 am

Icness wrote:Spent a little time today at the Senior Bowl practice sitting with a Lions coach. I can't say too much other than they are absolutely serious about upgrading the OL and defensive back seven. Hint: every OL starter except Raiola could be in a different spot next year, if some people get their way. They're looking at slot receivers too but not as strongly as the other spots I mentioned.

Disconnected but I saw them paying a lot of attention to the North punter, Alex Henery from Nebraska. He's a good one and will be drafted.

very interesting Ice. And though it seems rather obvious that these are the problem areas, its good to get justification of that.

From an OL standpoint, from what you have heard/personally think, are we more interested in getting a LT like Solder or the BC kid and moving everyone around or would we consider a guard like Pouncey or Wisniewski?

I just read Solder had a real good day of practice at the Senior Bowl too. You were probably there though...true?

TSE · Post #135 » by **TSE** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:54 am

Bartender wrote:Raiola's job is safer than Sims?! I don't get that. Raiola is one of the people I want replaced most on this team.

Raiola has 2 years left on his contract I think, and at his salary nobody is going to trade for him and give us big value for him, thus we ride him out and replace him later when his time is up.

There's also not likely to be any great defensive choices by the time we pick, so OT is looking like a really strong bet since that position probably won't be overly picked on before our slot comes up. The 2nd and 3rd picks will go to BPA at CB/LB/S, and then maybe we can trade up for Henery and have him play double duty in the future!

Post #136 » by **Icness** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:24 pm

Let me clarify my OL statement:
It's a re-shuffling, not a slash and burn. They like the versatility of Backus and Sims, both those guys can play on the left or right side. Cherilus showed enough last year they want to try him on the left, though the coach told me it's not likely to work out better. Raiola is "safe" becuse they don't have another starting-caliber center on the roster...and they're not looking to draft one that they expect to play in 2010.

What they're looking at is making the pass protection better, the run blocking is not a problem in their minds.

Nate Solder is having a decent week. I've long maintained he's got the highest ceiling of any tackle in this draft but he's still a work in progress and the progress can be painful. It's funny; I put him at #5 overall in one of my mock drafts and people thought I was insane, they had him in the 20-40 range. Now I suspect you're going to see him no lower than #10. Haters :lol:

Piston Pete · Post #137 » by **Piston Pete** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:48 pm

McShay on ESPN mentioned Solder has been one of the 3 best players down in Mobile. Said he was having an excellent week. Heard he was a TE that Colorado molded into an OT. Supposed to have really good feet.

Post #138 » by **Icness** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:43 pm

Piston Pete wrote:McShay on ESPN mentioned Solder has been one of the 3 best players down in Mobile. Said he was having an excellent week. Heard he was a TE that Colorado molded into an OT. Supposed to have really good feet.

He's not quite ready to start yet but he's clearly got the biggest upside of any tackle. He can be Jake Long in 3 years and won't suck as a rookie. Castonzo is ready to start right now but is what he is, he's stronger than he looks.

Stephen Schilling has moved to 5th/6th round this week. Not a Lion but thought you Michigan people might want to know. Greg Jones is having a very strong week; if he were 2 inches taller he's a top 25 pick but he's not.

Piston Pete · Post #139 » by **Piston Pete** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:38 pm

Its interesting that you say that about Jones....I've never considered him to be undersized. Is he being seen as a MLB or OLB by most?

Bartender · Post #140 » by **Bartender** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:37 pm

I only see Jones succeeding in two positions. WLB in the 4-3 and ILB in the 3-4.

As for drafting OLine, I won't be against it if our free agency and/or trades are as good as they were last year.

Solder in the first round and Moffitt in the second?? That gives us Solder, Moffitt, and Sims as 3 of our future starters on the OLine.

And how can anyone think that our run blocking is better than our pass protection?