2009 Forum Wide Mock Draft - #1 Pick - Detroit

[Phicinfan]

Okay folks, you know the drill. Lets see who we as a consensus vote of the Sportsoutlaw experts think teams should take. The rules are simple, please choose one of the players listed and vote. Or, if you prefer, choose other, and then post who you would have taken. After 24hrs, the votes will be tallied and the winner will be awarded to that team. We will be going off the draft order now set...so if there are trades...we will see what happens.

Detroit is on the clock!

Draft Order:

1. Detroit Lions
2. St Louis Rams
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Seattle Seahawks
5. Cleveland Browns
6. Cincinnati Bengals
7. Oakland Raiders
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
9. Green Bay Packers
10. San Francisco 49ers
11. Buffalo Bills
12. Denver Broncos
13. Washington Redskins
14. New Orleans Saints
15. Houston Texans
16. San Diego Chargers
17. New York Jets
18. Chicago Bears
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas)
21. Philadelphia Eagles
22. Minnesota Vikings
23. New England Patriots
24. Atlanta Falcons
25. Miami Dolphins
26. Baltimore Ravens
27. Indianapolis Colts
28. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina)
29. New York Giants
30. Tennessee Titans
31. Arizona Cardinals
32. Pittsburgh Steelers

 

[Phicinfan]

This is a very tough call for me. If I am in Detroit I am looking at two key positions. First is OL, second is Def in general. Keeping in mind that the new head coach is a DC from Tennessee...I really like the idea of Curry here. I really think he could be a game changer. But reports all have Detroit cutting Kitna. So you have to have some type of Qb to run the show. Like what I saw from Stafford this weekend. So I guess I will follow most of the sites...and go Qb. Still...an OT would really, really be nice. Have to hope one of the top 6 drop to the next pick though.

 

[Miller]

I was very tempted to go with Jason Smith here as it will not matter who the QB is if you can not protect them. However, they have that 2nd first round pick and with a glaring need at both QB and OT, I agree with Phic that they can get better overall value by going Stafford here and tackle later. Matt Stafford is the real deal. He may not be Matt Ryan, but he's not Alex Smith either.

 

[chrisslabaugh]

I went with Jason Smith. That's not what's going to happen, but I don't think that Matthew Stafford is a special QB who deserves the #1 pick. I think that Culpepper or Orlovsky can do the job for a year or two and see what you can do via free agency or later on in the draft.

 

[dukdown]

The Lions brass have to give their fanbase some sense of hope. There's no Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden, imo, in this draft. Even Linebacker is fairly deep enough. Though there's no Matt Ryan or Eli Manning in this draft either, Stafford has nice athleticism, plus arm, played big-time football his whole life, and I think has the talent to have a nice career in the NFL. He has the potential to be a face of a franchise, and he has the potential to sell tickets. The Lions cannot go into this draft, again imo, and come out of it trying to sell their fans a LT of LB. They need to get a QB, and I see only 1 potential elite QB in this group, and that's Stafford.

 

[Phicinfan]

They need to get a QB, and I see only 1 potential elite QB in this group, and that's Stafford.

This was the key for me as well. No other Qb is really a solid prospect. So if you are detroit, you gotta go with Stafford, and hope beyond all hope that one of the top OTs drops for your second pick in the first.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

I chose Stafford. Hard not too. The Lions will be looking, IMO, to build around a new leader. Stafford appears to be the best choice here.

 

[Arctic Dawgs]

Stafford, They can go QB then Oline but not the reverse

 

[Miller]

Stafford, They can go QB then Oline but not the reverse

That was the deciding factor for me. What is the drop off at each spot if they wait. If they wait on OT they may be able to get a Michael Oher type, if they wait on QB, even if Sanchez slips which he may, the drop off there is HUGE IMO and much bigger of a drop than it is for the OT's.

 

[bodey24]

I voted for Stafford as well. They can wait till there second first round pick and still get a solid O-linemen

 

[Phicinfan]

bump to the top

 

[mills]

I don't see Stafford being a long term QB... I'm just not overly impressed with any QB's this draft. I think there will be a lot of expectations on any QB drafted first round this year to be a Matt Ryan... no one form this class will be that. Detroit has major problems in most areas, but I think they need to look at defense. Most of their games I have watched, they are playing from behind almost every game and a stud like Aaron Curry can help out here. Follow that up with a few FA pick ups and Detroit could be on the right foot. Then use their 2nd first round pick on a OL. Wait around until next year and pick up a franchise QB from a better selection.

 

[Da Bomb]

surprised myself by going with stafford here. i agree with the logic above, that there is a much bigger dropoff here than at OT, especially with andre smith now falling as well. they could even end up getting both, you never know.

phic, you should maybe make votes public next time on these? just a thought.

 

[Sgt John]

I voted for Smith. I think this football team sorely lacks at many positions, but IMO the MOST important thing they can do is nail down your franchise left tackle for the next several years. Detroit is in too much trouble to play around with a maybe in a weak QB class.

They wont improve so much in one year that they cant get what will probably be a better QB prospect high in 2010

 

[dukdown]

The thing about the Lions, is it seems like they have two tackles that they've already invested 1st round resources in in Backus and Cherilus. I thought Smith looked excellent at the Combine, but to me, it's not like Baylor was some kind of powerhouse offense where I was truly able to gauge whether Smith is a 'franchise' left tackle, the way say I was able to judge what type of teams Alabama or Ol' Miss were with Andre Smith or Michael Oher on the field, respectively.

 

[Sgt John]

Granted, football is a "Team" sport, but he did well individually. Maybe Im crazy for thinking you can never have too many good offensive lineman.

 

[dukdown]

He's only been a Tackle since his Sophomore year. If I'm a NFL Personnel guy, I'm gonna want to take a guy like Eugene Monroe, who was rated the #1 offensive tackle coming out of high school, and then was coached by Al Groh. Because he was at LT, Brandon Albert was moved inside to LG. Albert started at LT for Kansas City last year.

 

[Hoos First]

While being a Lion and a UVA fan, I choose Eugene Monroe. The real pick will be Stafford, though.

 

[Sgt John]

He's only been a Tackle since his Sophomore year.

Any you know that doesnt mean he wont thrive at the position in the pros.

In any event, it appears the people have spoken and Matt Stafford will likely go from leading the Georgia Bulldogs to a team that might not beat the Georgia Bulldogs.

 

[dukdown]

Be ironic if Kansas City takes Monroe and reunites him with Albert.