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And with the #20 Pick in the Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the Detroit Lions Select...

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Penn. St. DE Aaron Maybin

UCrawford with the pick...

It's a deep draft this year, so options abound for the Detroit Lions at the number 20 pick. They still have plenty of holes to fill all across the team, particularly on offensive line, defensive line, linebacker and cornerback. On the down side, there isn't much help left for the offensive line in the first round unless the team wants to reach severely. There are a couple of defensive backs left who fill a team need that aren't reaches (Louis Delmas, Alphonso Smith) and one linebacker who would probably be an excellent fit on the inside (James Laurinitis). But somehow Penn State DE Aaron Maybin, projected as a top 15 pick, slipped through the cracks and landed on the lap of the Detroit Lions. And since the name of the game is "best player available" the Lions have decided to snatch him up and in the course of one offseason have turned the team's biggest weakness into arguably its greatest strength.

Maybin, undersized for a 3-4 lineman, will likely settle in as a pass-rushing linebacker, much as Derrick Thomas did with Gunther Cunningham's defenses of the '90s (and Jason Taylor did with the Dolphins). He will also allow the Lions to move top draft pick Aaron Curry (whose pass-rush skills are questionable) to inside linebacker, where he can put his other-worldly athleticism to good use. Using Maybin opposite 2008 team sack leader DeWayne White will help the Lions to bolster their anemic pass defense (dead last in the NFL last season) and middling pass rush (ranked #16) and should go a long way towards turning the Lions from laughingstock into sleeper team in the NFC North.

Assuming Gunther Cunningham doesn't screw it all up, of course.

Previous pick: DT Peria Jerry

Read more: Scouting Report (Mocking the Draft)

On the clock: Philadelphia Eagles (ChiefsFan717)

Click over for the schedule and current draft results.

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The only defense worse than the Kansas City Chiefs last year was the Lions' D. Two defensive picks in the first round makes sense here. Althougth, like with the Chiefs, the Lions have a lot of options here.

Pick Round 1 Selection Date Community Approval
1 Detroit Lions - UCrawford LB Aaron Curry Weds. March 10th
2 St. Louis Rams - Lanier63 OT Jason Smith Monday, March 16th
3 Kansas City Chiefs - TonyG88 OT Eugene Monroe Monday, March 16th
4 Seattle Seahawks - mikvogel DT B.J. Raji Tuesday, March 17th
5 Cleveland Browns - HIV2Elway WR Michael Crabtree Tuesday, March 17th
6 Cincinnati Bengals - mistamic OT Andre Smith Weds., March 18th
7 Oakland Raiders - mushin WR Jeremy Maclin Weds., March 18th
8 Jacksonville Jaguars - DThomasReigns WR Percy Harvin Thursday, March 19th
9 Green Bay Packers - JasonM DE/OLB Everette Brown
Thursday, March 19th
10 San Francisco 49ers - Harry Feltersnatch QB Matt Stafford Friday, March 20th
11 Buffalo Bills - ArrowDread LB Rey Maualuga Friday, March 20th
12 Denver Broncos - Keyser Sose DE Brian Orakpo Monday, March 23rd
13 Washington Redskins - Official Arrowhead Pride Parade T Michael Oher Monday, March 23rd
14 New Orleans Saints - cmpotter CB Vontae Davis Tuesday, March 24th
15 Houston Texans - ChiefsDude CB Malcolm Jenkins Tuesday, March 24th
16 San Diego Chargers - Helmets DE Tyson Jackson Weds., March 25th
17 New York Jets - NJChief QB Mark Sanchez Weds., March 25th
18 Chicago Bears - Holmeslice QB Josh Freeman Thursday, March 26th
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - madtheory DT Peria Jerry Thursday, March 26th
20 Detroit Lions (from Dallas) - UCrawford DE Aaron Maybin
Friday, March 27th
21 Philadelphia Eagles - Chiefsfan717
Friday, March 27th
22 Minnesota Vikings - kcsno56
Monday, March 30th
23 New England Patriots - connerman
Monday, March 30th
24 Atlanta Falcons - RedNose
Tuesday, March 31st
25 Miami Dolphins - shraggyj
Tuesday, March 31st
26 Baltimore Ravens - Ben S
Weds., April 1st
27 Indianapolis Colts - craig in calgary
Weds., April 1st
28 Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina) - Chiefsfan717
Thursday, April 2nd
29 New York Giants - ChiefsFan90s
Thursday, April 2nd
30 Tennessee Titans - Lvl.99
Friday, April 3rd
31 Arizona Cardinals - THE_TRUTH
Friday, April 3rd
32 Pittsburgh Steelers - McWhirt33
Monday, April 6th

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