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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 |