"Take The Best Talent Available"

Last year the Detroit Lions selected Pettigrew despite needs at OL,DL and CB...why? because Pettigrew was the player with the best overall talent still left on the board and Schwartz has said that's how he drafts all along right? So we fast forward to this draft and barring the option of a trade down (which will be the best option) and now hear why they should take Okung or Suh or Berry but the reality is that if they are following their same strategy they should take Eric Berry.

I know, I know...nobody will spend that high of a pick on a safety....*blah,blah,blah* So outside of this whole Don't spend a high draft pick on a safety let's simply analyze the talent of Berry compared to everyone else and really come up with a good reason why they shouldn't draft him.

Why not Suh?- I love Suh and the only chink in his armor I can find is a pretty big chink...the guy is too small. To get pressure on the QB from up the middle in a 4-3 defense he needs to be at least around 320-330. Do we also realize how difficult it is to get pressure up the middle in a 4-3 defense in the NFL? That's a lot to ask of a rookie who will be undersized against some quality Guards and Centers in this division.

Why not Okung?- Simple, he's not the best player available and despite how we feel Backus didn't have a bad season last year. Stafford has a quick release and teams stopped blitzing him once they realized he could pick apart the blitz. Stafford took most of his hits because the defense gave up 14-21 points in the first half and every defense knew what the Lions were going to do. A strong Guard in the third round can add to an O-line that didn't have as bad of a year as people want to believe. If Okung was ranked as high as Joe thomas or Jake Long when they came out I'd say take him but I think he'll be more like Smith out with the Rams.

Why not Berry?- Other than the fact he's listed at Safety...Berry could start at any position in the secondary and make a huge impact for the Lions. Also rookies in the secondary typically have the best transition to the NFL game which bodes well for someone who shutdown an entire side of the field in the strongest conference in college. Berry can tackle, he can make plays in space and more important he can guard WR's man-to-man. Add to the fact in the second round Good DE's like Griffen, Sergio Kindle, Dunlap or Jerry Hughes...we can actually trade down in the second round and still get a player who can get pressure on the QB from the position where it happens the most in a 4-3 defense.

I can't find a knock on taking Berry at no. 2 other than the fact that they could maybe get him later in the draft (5-10)...and that to me has always been the dumbest argument. If I want this player and I have the opportunity to get him...I take him..and let the chips fall as the may. I'd always rather have the guy on my team who I wanted than a handful of plan b's/c's.

So what do you think?