2009 NFL Draft Preview

April 25th, 2009

NFL Draft Preview 2009Have the Detroit Lions learned from history? Or are they doomed to repeat it?

The Lions are on the clock for this weekend’s NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Detroit’s draft-day misery over the past decade hangs over the franchise like a dark cloud:

2002: QB Joey Harrington, No. 3 overall
2003: WR Charles Rogers, No. 2
2004: WR Roy Williams, No. 4
2005: WR Mike Williams, No. 10

This collection of dubious picks eventually earned former President and CEO Matt Millen his walking papers – and kept Detroit in rebuilding mode on an annual basis. The Lions bottomed out last year at 0-16 (7-9 ATS). They’re last on the 2010 Super Bowl futures market at 150-1. And it appears they’re about to roll the dice again on a high-profile skill player. Reports from ESPN had the Lions trying to sign Georgia QB Matthew Stafford before Saturday’s opening rounds.

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The quarterback is the most important player on the field with the most difficult job. Drafting at this position is inherently risky, but also with a high reward, and last year’s successes with Matt Ryan in Atlanta and Joe Flacco in Baltimore appear to have emboldened front offices. Stafford is one of three QBs expected to come off the board early; USC’s Mark Sanchez and Kansas State’s Josh Freeman are the others.

Stafford certainly fits Detroit’s offense like a glove. His prime attribute is his arm strength, and scouts are drooling over the thought of Stafford airing it out to WR Calvin Johnson, who led the league last year with 12 touchdowns. Stafford is also fairly accurate with his throws, durable, and blessed with good leadership skills. But his focus and decision-making abilities are in question. If Stafford responds to coaching, he could blossom.

Think Stafford is the first to go? Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

Those are the kind of “ifs” that often scare teams away – notice how former Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn slipped to No. 22 overall at the 2007 NFL Draft. Last year, the Miami Dolphins drafted conservatively, taking OT Jake Long with the first pick and later signing New York Jets castoff Chad Pennington to a free-agent deal. That approach worked brilliantly in 2008 as the Dolphins went from 1-15 to the AFC East title at 11-5 (8-8 ATS). Long was one of seven offensive tackles taken in the first round; this year could see another four OTs taken in the Top 10, starting with Baylor’s Jason Smith.

If Stafford is a deadbolt lock at No. 1, then it’s almost a given that Smith will become a member of the St. Louis Rams at No. 2. The Rams have ridiculously gaping holes in their offensive line, especially with seven-time Pro Bowl selection Orlando Pace going to the Chicago Bears as a salary-cap casualty. The Lions are also bereft of talent at left tackle and reportedly have Smith as their fallback choice should Stafford decide not to put pen to paper. Detroit has the No. 20 pick and could find Freeman available at that slot; the other premium OTs (Virginia’s Eugene Monroe, Alabama’s Andre Smith, Mississippi’s Michael Oher) should all be snapped up by then.

Is Jason Smith headed to St. Louis? Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

On the defensive side, the general consensus is that the Kansas City Chiefs are going to take Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry with the No. 3 pick. Curry is ranked as both the best prospect at his position and the best overall by Scouts Inc. Conveniently enough, the Chiefs happen to need a rushing linebacker, although Curry would have been more useful in Kansas City’s “4-3 Under” system than the 3-4 front seven new coach Todd Haley plans to install. There’s every possibility the Chiefs will decide to trade down instead and pick up one of those aforementioned OTs instead.

NFL Draft Preview 2009 Some of the other big names expected to hear their names called sooner rather than later: Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree (possibly to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 4), Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno, Ohio State RB Chris “Beanie” Wells and his Buckeyes teammate, LB James Laurinaitis. The last name on this list could turn out to be the biggest steal of the draft. He started his college career as a piece of trivia – his father is best known as “Road Warrior Animal” from the world of professional wrestling – but Laurinaitis enters the draft as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. He’s ranked behind only Curry at his position and could go anywhere from the middle of the first round to the top of the second.

Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

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Entry Filed under: NFL Football,Sports News & Results,US Football

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