2011 NFL Draft Grades: Report Card for Detroit Lions' 1st Round

The scenario played out like a dream.

The Detroit Lions watched, eyes wide, as Prince Amukamara slid down the draft board.

Washington could have taken him at No. 10, but they traded down to let Jacksonville take Blaine Gabbert.

Houston needed corner help, but decided to go with J.J. Watt to help their transition to a 3-4 defense.

Minnesota, the final road block to the Lions getting their man, reached about a round-and-a-half early to select Christian Ponder.

Finally, the Lions were on the clock, and with Amukamara available, the Lions took a predictably short time to send in their pick.

And with the 13th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions selected...

Nick Fairley? Defensive tackle out of Auburn?

Are you serious?

But Amukamara was right there! Why in the world would you ... wait.

Wait just a second.

Nick Fairley? The same Nick Fairley who was, not more a month ago, looking at being picked No. 1 overall? With the 13th pick?

It's almost as if the Lions draft players based on talent and not need. Have we heard that somewhere before?

This was a pick made by people who have a long-term plan in place. Just as predicted, teams' inability to address major team needs through free agency drove them to reach in the draft, and the Lions capitalized by getting a player that should never have been there.

Now, the biggest problem people are going to have with this pick is that the Lions seem to have used a first-round pick to address their position of greatest strength. But it isn't as though the defensive tackle position was infallible.

Ndamukong Suh is already one of the best defensive players in the league, so that's one spot secure. But who else is there?

Corey Williams was effective, even good, in 2010. I mean, he was offsides at least twice a game, but he could play. He's also 30 and was only effective, not fantastic.

Sammie Hill performed very well, but he does his best work in relief.

The remaining DT on the team was Andre Fluellen. Fluellen is on the phone with his agent right now to see what other teams might want him.

Honestly, Lions fans aren't used to watching a truly dominant defensive front. They had gone so long thinking that guys like Cody Redding and Ikaika Alama-Francis were quality linemen that the 2010 edition seemed unbeatable by comparison.

In fact, the Lions' 2010 defensive tackle corps was good. Maybe even very good. Suh was a star, Williams a quality starter and Hill an effective backup.

Now add Fairley to that mix. Fairley is another explosive defensive tackle who, like Suh, uses quickness and power off the snap to break into the backfield and wreak havoc, be it on running backs or quarterbacks.

On most teams, he would draw an inside double team. Next to Suh, he can't possibly. When it was Suh and Williams on the interior, there was no doubt who was going to get the double. With Suh and Fairley (and a plethora of effective edge rushers), it's going to be "pick your poison" on every down.

Jim Schwartz has always had a love of depth at the defensive tackle position. He likes to rotate linemen so there's a fresh rush wearing down the offensive line at all times.

He certainly has that now, with potential Pro Bowlers in the starting positions and starting-quality players relieving them.

It's an embarrassment of riches at the position.

The greatest knock on Fairley is that he work ethic might not quite be up to snuff. Given his MVP performance in the National Championship Game, I don't see how that can be true.

Besides, he's going to play between Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh. Work ethic will be conveyed, or else.

It's true that cornerback is the far greater need for the Lions here and now; in that sense, the Lions may have made a mistake passing on Prince Amukamara.

But the question asked in that war room was not who the Lions need today, but who is going to be the best player for us two, three, five years down the road?

Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley for years to come. Picture that, and give me your answer.

I already have mine.

Grade: A