What do the Lions do at #2?

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Assuming that the Raiders go with Russell...

I see all the talk about the Lions going for Joe Thomas at #2. Is this really the way to go? What about Backus? He might not be a monster at LT like Walter Jones, but he's good enough. I think that the Lions have too many holes to fill elsewhere and might be better off trading down a few slots... They need a RB, CB, MLB, DE, QB, GM... the list is too long to simply pick the potential best player at a position that is not a weakness.

Assuming they do take Thomas, then what to do with Backus? Do you move him to RT or guard? I don't recall him ever playing a position other than LT, even at Michigan...

[JPhillips]

Calvin Johnson

[Honolulu_Blue]

If they take Joe Thomas, he'll either play RT or they'll move Backus there. They may try to trade down. Gaines Adams is another possibility. They need a DE.

[wade moore]

Calvin Johnson

Quoted for truth.

[Ben E Lou]

Trade for Schaub and a 1st round pick, so we can get C.J.

http://www.fof-ihof.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_pray.gif (javascript:emoticon(':pray:'))

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Calvin Johnson

This should scare Johnson more than the prospect of another top-10 pick spent on a WR...

I think that Arizona might be willing to pay up pretty well to grab Thomas... Dropping to #5 wouldn't be a bad thing at all, and if they can get a few picks...

[Swaggs]

I think Thomas is the safe pick, but Johnson is the smart pick.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Trade for Schaub and a 1st round pick, so we can get C.J.

http://www.fof-ihof.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_pray.gif (javascript:emoticon(':pray:'))

Then who will throw the ball to C.J.? :D

[EagleFan]

In all honesty, does it really matter what they do?

[st.cronin]

If the Lions aren't sure that Calvin Johnson is worth a #2 overall, Ted Ginn Jr. will probably be available.

[GoldenEagle]

Take Kevin Durant?

[DolphinFan1]

They will take a WR. Come on. This is the Lions. They wouldn't shock everyone and pick anything but now would they?

[cthomer5000]

What do the Lions do at #2?


Ruin some poor guy's career.

[WSUCougar]

If I were the Lions I'd do that in a heartbeat.
Trade for Schaub and a 1st round pick, so we can get C.J.

http://www.fof-ihof.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_pray.gif (javascript:emoticon(':pray:'))

[duckman]

They'll take another LB. They like to do patterns of 3.

[DougWyatt]

No way do we grab another WR. And I don't think we'll take a QB.

I see us grabbing Thomas & moving Backus.

[bulletsponge]

i see Millen screwing up.... oh wait thats about 5 years running

[Schmidty]

If they take Thomas at two, I'll puke.

My ideal situation would be to trade down a few spots, and take Gaines Adams. If they can't do that, I'd rather take Peterson, Russell (won't be there), or even *gasp*, Calvin Johnson. I despise the idea of taking OL that high, and the Lions can't pass up more talented players just because it looks bad. When you are in the top 5, you find a way to fit talent into your team- you don't take much lesser talented players that fill a need. That's what the 3-7th rounds are for.

And yes, my fellow Lions fans think I'm a moron. :)

[ISiddiqui]

i see Millen screwing up.... oh wait thats about 5 years running

Yeah, he'll pick Brady Quinn or something.

[14ers]

Safe pick: T Joe Thomas

Wild Pick: RB Adrian Peterson


Jones has had a setback in his rehab and will most likely not be ready for the start of the 2007 season. There is no depth at RB in detroit.

[AlexB]

Ruin some poor guy's career.

:D

[14ers]

Joe Thomas just posted a 4.96 in the 40.

[st.cronin]

Joe Thomas just posted a 4.96 in the 40.

Is that a good time for a tackle?

[Eaglesfan27]

Is that a good time for a tackle?

Yes.

[JeffNights]

Is that a good time for a tackle?


Yes, Very, No OL last year at the combine ran under 5 flat, the only guy that will run faster this year is that ex-SPRINTER turned offensive tackle from Central Michigan.

[st.cronin]

Joe Thomas always looks very fast in game, too. I've seen him outrun Big 10 defensive backs.

[st.cronin]

dola

I've also seen Big 10 linebackers dive to the ground like infantrymen under artillery fire when he's looking for somebody to hit.

He's a freak.

[Schmidty]

Yes, Very, No OL last year at the combine ran under 5 flat, the only guy that will run faster this year is that ex-SPRINTER turned offensive tackle from Central Michigan.

He only did 28 bench reps, which is kind of sad for a guy that's a potential top 3 pick. I couldn't care less if the dude is fast.

I really, really don't want the guy.

[Honolulu_Blue]

He only did 28 bench reps, which is kind of sad for a guy that's a potential top 3 pick. I couldn't care less if the dude is fast.

I really, really don't want the guy.

Who do you want?

[Schmidty]

Who do you want?

Gaines Adams, Russell, Johnson, or possibly Peterson.

I hate OL picks in the top 2-3. Maybe it's my green-tinted memory of Mandarich. Skilled positions or defense, imo, are the way to go when you are "blessed" with such a high pick.

[Eaglesfan27]

Thomas's official 40 is 4.92 and he had a nice broad jump.


Greg Olsen, the TE from Miami, just ran a 4.47.

[JPhillips]

Is there any more useless combine test than the standing broad jump?

[Ragone]

I'll remind you that Robert Gallery also posted a sub 5.0 40 time.. and we all see what a colossal bust he has been thus far

[Greyroofoo]

Given that Gallery is on the Raiders, I'm gonna cut him some slack.

[14ers]

Greg Olsen, the TE from Miami, just ran a 4.47.
He still looks more like a WR. I can see him throwing a lot of "Look Out" blocks in the NFL.:)

[Vinatieri for Prez]

The best decision is to drop and get extra picks. As far as I concerned, that's the only option that makes sense. With that said, Millen won't do that, but instead, he will draft . . . . Brady Quinn or Adrian Peterson. He would never think to draft anything but an offensive skill position with a top 10 pick. He'll be too scared (weak?) to pick another WR.

[rowech]

You take Brady Quinn or Joe Thomas.

[14ers]

He only did 28 bench reps, which is kind of sad for a guy that's a potential top 3 pick.

Damn, Brady Quinn did 24 in his test; how bad is a LT that can only do 28?

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Damn, Brady Quinn did 24 in his test; how bad is a LT that can only do 28?

Actually, last year 24 was the average for offensive lineman. So, Thomas' 28 is "above average." You would have to say Quinn is a very strong QB.

[RendeR]

Detroit needs a QB and it needs a RB, the offense up there is non-existant, some of that blame does, as always, fall to poor offensive line talent, but you also have to look at who they've had in there at QB and RB for the last few years. Scarrington who shook like the preverbial leaf every time he dropped back and looked like the scarecrow flailing about as he scrambled, and then jon kitna, now I love kit, he's got a heart the size of Montana, but he holds the ball too long and makes piss poor decisions when he's pressured.

Get a QB with some nuts and a brain, get a running backthat actually threatens the defense in some way.(I don't even knw the name of detroit's main RB, how bad do you have to be to be that name-less?) and perhaps the offensive line won't look quite so miserable with the guys they have, and they HAVE some good talent in that line.

[cougarfreak]

Joe Thomas always looks very fast in game, too. I've seen him outrun Big 10 defensive backs.

So did the entire Florida team last January 8th. :D

[cougarfreak]

I'd definitely go with the LT.

[stevew]

If I were the lions, I would trade down to #8 and pick up Carr and the Texans 3rd rounder. And from 8, then I would trade down to 12 and pick up Maghee(sp) from the Bills. At 12 I would take Levi Brown if he's still there, if not I would take a defensive player.

[CU Tiger]

Is there any more useless combine test than the standing broad jump?

Quite the opposite, SBJ is an excellent masure of hip flexor explosivity. It correlates, excellently to explosveness off the ball for an O/D lineman. FOr anyone else yeah its a waste.

Damn, Brady Quinn did 24 in his test; how bad is a LT that can only do 28?

One thing you will never see discussed on TV is the grip difference mandated by the league. Olinemen have a ton of scrutiny placed on them and are not allowed to have their hands more than 1 hands width outside the veryical plane of the chest. It turns the BP into a Tricep excercise and not a pectoral excercise. han placement alone is good for 3-6 reps difference.

Having said all that I havent seen any combine footage this year and do not know if hand placement was even relevent between the Quinn and Thomas numbers.


Calvin Johnson
ESPN radio honestly had Kiper and some other draft "expert" on there yesterday defending this move and saying how it was the obvious choice.

I think Calvin Johnson = Charles Rodgers at the next level....

[B & B]

Johnson is nothing like Rogers. While CJ is more talented physically but what separates the two players is their off-field traits.

[Eaglesfan27]

Quite the opposite, SBJ is an excellent masure of hip flexor explosivity. It correlates, excellently to explosveness off the ball for an O/D lineman. FOr anyone else yeah its a waste.



One thing you will never see discussed on TV is the grip difference mandated by the league. Olinemen have a ton of scrutiny placed on them and are not allowed to have their hands more than 1 hands width outside the veryical plane of the chest. It turns the BP into a Tricep excercise and not a pectoral excercise. han placement alone is good for 3-6 reps difference.

Having said all that I havent seen any combine footage this year and do not know if hand placement was even relevent between the Quinn and Thomas numbers.



ESPN radio honestly had Kiper and some other draft "expert" on there yesterday defending this move and saying how it was the obvious choice.

I think Calvin Johnson = Charles Rodgers at the next level....



I was completely with you until your last sentence. Calvin shows all of the signs of being the real deal.

[digamma]

ESPN radio honestly had Kiper and some other draft "expert" on there yesterday defending this move and saying how it was the obvious choice.

I think Calvin Johnson = Charles Rodgers at the next level....

Still smarting from that 2004 game, I see...

[Eaglesfan27]

FWIW, Calvin ran a 4.35 today.

[CU Tiger]

Still smarting from that 2004 game, I see...

Nah just noticedd how the SC offense and hell half our schedule torched our secondary, but yet CJ got , how many catches?

Remember this was a GameDay game where he said" World get ready to meet me." In a pregame interview...

uhh yeah we met him

[larrymcg421]

Nah just noticedd how the SC offense and hell half our schedule torched our secondary, but yet CJ got , how many catches?

Remember this was a GameDay game where he said" World get ready to meet me." In a pregame interview...

uhh yeah we met him

Well you've convinced me. Great arguments. He will obviously be a bust!

[14ers]

FWIW, Calvin ran a 4.35 today.
In someone else's shoes!

[JeffNights]

He only did 28 bench reps, which is kind of sad for a guy that's a potential top 3 pick. I couldn't care less if the dude is fast.

I really, really don't want the guy.



You gotta understand the Bench Press is a lot tougher for the tall guys with those long ass arms, fatique will set in a lot quicker, back in the day i could do 35 reps with 225(the weight they use at the combine), then again i'm 5'10, does this mean i have the strength of an NFl Lineman? NO.

The combine is for glitzy numbers in my opinion, only a few tests can really show something that is useful.

[digamma]

Nah just noticedd how the SC offense and hell half our schedule torched our secondary, but yet CJ got , how many catches?

Remember this was a GameDay game where he said" World get ready to meet me." In a pregame interview...

uhh yeah we met him

Pretty sure you already knew him. That's why you doubled him the whole game (besides, he doesn't throw the ball to himself, you know).

If you don't remember, maybe this will refresh your memory...

<object height="350" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5a9vbXISRCw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></object>

[st.cronin]

You gotta understand the Bench Press is a lot tougher for the tall guys with those long ass arms, fatique will set in a lot quicker, back in the day i could do 35 reps with 225(the weight they use at the combine), then again i'm 5'10, does this mean i have the strength of an NFl Lineman? NO.

The combine is for glitzy numbers in my opinion, only a few tests can really show something that is useful.


This is true. I'm 5'8", and haven't lifted weights regularly in several years. I guarantee that I could do 20 reps at 225, and I could possibly get to 30. That exercise is very easy for me. For bigger guys, its a lot harder.

[CU Tiger]

Pretty sure you already knew him. That's why you doubled him the whole game (besides, he doesn't throw the ball to himself, you know).

If you don't remember, maybe this will refresh your memory...

Nope didnt help...sorry... I have no recollection of that event.

Andwhats really funny is Clemson didnt double team Johnson the entire 2nd half, just Reggie couldnt see him from his butt.

I will be the first to post and say I am wrong if applicable, but I am one of the few folks saying that he will bust. I just have not like what I have seen in college. Most of his big games and big plays have been a result of "out athleting" his competition. IMO he runs sloppy routes, and gets short arms over the middle. I dont think the "Send CJ down the side line and we'll toss a jump ball" play will work very well in the NFL

[Schmidty]

This is true. I'm 5'8", and haven't lifted weights regularly in several years. I guarantee that I could do 20 reps at 225, and I could possibly get to 30. That exercise is very easy for me. For bigger guys, its a lot harder.

I could bench your imagination 300,000 times with one arm.

[st.cronin]

I could bench your imagination 300,000 times with one arm.

Prove it, girly man.

[14ers]

I will be the first to post and say I am wrong if applicable, but I am one of the few folks saying that he will bust.
You are going to be one of the few. The guys comes to the combine in great shape, runs a 4.35 40yard, and participates in all the drills. I think this speaks volumes for his NFL character.


I hate the NON-INJURED guys that come to the NFL combine and then selective pick what they are going to do here and what they will hold off on doing until their own Pro day.

[CU Tiger]

I did 33 twice coming out of HS.
Once I was in college liftying program and they tested us on the drill using NFL combine rules (hand spacing, clothing, and posture) I never got above 28.

At the time when I got 28 my 1 rep max was 440.

[Schmidty]

Prove it, girly man.

I would, but I don't have an imagination.

[miami_fan]

I hate the NON-INJURED guys that come to the NFL combine and then selective pick what they are going to do here and what they will hold off on doing until their own Pro day.

I would love to know how much not particpating in all the workouts at the combine hurts some of the top players.

[Bee]

You are going to be one of the few. The guys comes to the combine in great shape, runs a 4.35 40yard, and participates in all the drills. I think this speaks volumes for his NFL character.


I hate the NON-INJURED guys that come to the NFL combine and then selective pick what they are going to do here and what they will hold off on doing until their own Pro day.


He didn't participate in all the drills. The 40 was one of the few things he did.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The Lions choice just became very clear
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/gatech/stories/2007/02/25/0226combinenote.html
Indianapolis — Reggie Ball, who started at quarterback for four seasons at Georgia Tech, worked out at the NFL scouting combine at wide receiver Sunday.

The big name quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn and Heisman winner Troy Smith did not participate. Neither did the top wide receivers, Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson, Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr. and Southern Cal's Dwayne Jarrett.

Ball is trying to follow in the footsteps of former college quarterbacks Antwaan Randle El and Reggie McNeal and make the conversation to wide receiver. Randle El, a quarterback at Indiana, plays wide receiver for the Washington Redskins. McNeal, who played quarterback at Texas A&M, made the Cincinnati Bengals last season as a wide receiver.

Ball, wearing No. 4, caught all of his passes during the gauntlet drill.

He started by catching two passes along the sideline, then he sprinted across the 20-yard line, hauling in 10-yard passes from four different quarterbacks.

The receivers then ran quick 5-yard slant patterns and Ball caught his pass.

On the 10-yard and out pattern, Ball's pass was too far in front of him and fell incomplete.

On the 15-yard in route, Ball dropped a pass that was thrown behind him, but was catchable.

On the fly routes, the receivers were to make a stutter step at 15 yards and then keep going up the field. Akron quarterback Luke Getsy's pass for Ball was thrown too far outside and was incomplete.

[Schmidty]

I used to actually like you.