2011 NFL Draft Grades: Quick Grade on Mikel Leshoure to Detroit Lions in Round 2

The Detroit Lions have once again traded up in the draft to select a running back.

Last year, the Lions traded up into the first round to take Jahvid Best. Today, they traded up 18 spots to select MIkel Leshoure in the second round.

I liked Leshoure to the Lions at 44th, so to see the Lions swindle a deal to get him at 57th is exciting.

The details of the deal temper that excitement just a bit, though.

Considering how far the Lions traded up to get Leshoure (18 spots from the Lions' next pick at 75th), what they gave up was not incredibly great.

In exchange for the Seahawks' second-round pick, the Lions swapped picks with them in the fifth and seventh rounds, and gave up their third and fourth-round picks outright. In effect, they got the 57th pick for the 75th and 107th (a second for a third and fourth), moved down three spots in the fifth (154th to 157th) and four spots in the seventh (205th to 209th).

That's considerable, since the Lions now won't pick again until the fifth round, and have only two picks left in the draft. That's going to take players like Curtis Brown, Anthony Cannon, and John Moffitt out of the Lions' range. In effect, the Lions are finished taking huge impact players in this draft.

However, we've seen the kinds of cost associated with moving up that many spots, and the Lions are only down one pick for it (as compared to the Falcons, who gave up five picks for one, including a pair of firsts)

With Mikel Leshoure, the Lions are effectively looking at a complete offense. The remaining needs in terms of skill position players coming in today were a third wide receiver and a power complement to Jahvid Best at running back. The Lions have filled both with players who should contribute immediately.

What the Lions are doing here is effectively telling you that they are confident with the pieces they have on defense. Whether that's a good thing or bad is debatable, but it seems they're going to rely on the development of their existing young players to fill what everyone thought were glaring needs (linebacker and cornerback).

Giving up the top half of the remainder of their draft stings, without question. There are other impact players who could have contributed this year that would have been available in the third and fourth round.

But the Lions decided they liked Leshoure to trade up a half-round to get him. And now, where it comes to skill position players, the Lions may be one of the most dynamic groups in football. Offensive line remains a minor need (not a huge one, like people think), and linebacker/cornerback will go neglected for most of this draft.

Leshoure is a lot like Titus Young, in that it's a little strange that the Lions would reach so far for a skill position player, but he is very possibly the final piece in the Lions' skill position puzzle. He's a good pick, but another instance of not necessarily best player available, not necessarily greatest need. Losing the extra pick hurts a bit, which brings this grade down.

Grade: C+