Detroit Lions: 10 Best Draft Picks in Team History

The Detroit Lions may not be the most storied franchise in NFL history, but they have certainly drafted some tremendous players.

From current Lions like Calvin Johnson, to the star-studded group from the mid-90s, numerous greats have spent their careers in Motown.

But who are the 10 best? Is Matthew Stafford already on the list? Is there anyone who even compares to Barry Sanders?

Let's answer these questions and more as we take a look at the 10 best draft picks in the history of the Detroit Lions.

Honorable Mention: Matthew Stafford, QB, 2009 Draft

Matthew Stafford is a promising young quarterback who played a Pro Bowl caliber 2011 campaign.

The reason he does not make the list is because he simply has not played enough yet.

One outstanding season certainly provides a great deal of hope to the Lions fanbase, but Stafford needs a couple more years under his belt before he's considered one of the 10-best draft picks of all time.

Still, 5,000 yards passing and a playoff berth are a quick way to get into the conversation. If Stafford avoids that persistent injury bug then he should be on his way to this list.

10. Alex Karras, DT, 1958 Draft

Younger fans may not remember Alex Karras.

Middle-aged fans may only know him from his hilarious role in the movie Blazing Saddles.

But older fans and diehards will remember the beast of a defensive lineman that went to four Pro Bowls.

The No. 10 overall pick out of Iowa in 1958, Karras was named All-Pro four times and is tied for the Lions record with 17 career fumble recoveries.

The anchor of the "fearsome foursome" that dominated the 1960s, Karras and his linemates had perhaps their best outing in the 1962 Thanksgiving Day Game. In that contest, the defensive line sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr 11 times.

Fearsome indeed.

9. Billy Sims, RB, 1980 Draft

Billy Sims had the potential to be so much higher on this list.

The Heisman Trophy winning running back out of Oklahoma was taken No. 1 overall by the Lions in the 1980 draft.

He flew out of the proverbial gates, rushing for 1,303 yards and 13 touchdowns in his rookie season. Those stats earned him rookie of the year honors.

Unfortunately, a knee injury cut Sims' promising career short after just five seasons with Detroit.

In that time, he was still able to make three Pro Bowls, and to this day, remains second in Lions history with 5,106 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns.

8. Calvin Johnson, WR, 2007 Draft

Calvin Johnson may be young like Matthew Stafford, but already, he has put a serious stamp into Lions history.

The No. 2 pick of the 2007 draft, Johnson was considered a can't miss prospect and for good reason. He possesses all the natural size, strength, and speed required of an elite receiver.

At 6'5", 236 pounds Johnson is a matchup nightmare, and his stats reflect this notion.

The man they call "Megatron" has already amassed 5,872 receiving yards in his short career and has caught 49 touchdown passes.

He and Matthew Stafford should form one of the league's most formidable duos for the next decade.

7. Chris Spielman, LB, 1988 Draft

A second-round pick out of Ohio State in 1988, Chris Spielman is undoubtedly one of the best defensive players in Lions history.

His 1,138 tackles are more than any player to wear the Honolulu Blue and Silver.

Spielman was the kind of player who was in on every play, never afraid to get his nose dirty, and willing to sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team.

He helped lead the Lions to four playoff berths in his career, including two NFC Central division titles and one NFC Championship Game.

Individually, Spielman received his fair amount of awards. He was selected to four Pro Bowls and was named team defensive MVP twice.

6. Robert Porcher, DE, 1992 Draft

The 1992 draft would be a great one for Detroit.

Before they selected a certain kicker in the second round, they took a defensive end out of South Carolina State in the first round—Robert Porcher.

Porcher would be a force for the Lions for 12 years, earning both Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors on three separate occasions,

This 6'3", 275 pound defensive standout ranks third in Lions history with 187 games played and is the all-time team leader with 95.5 sacks in his career.

5. Charlie Sanders, TE, 1968 Draft

Before Charlie Sanders was a terrible preseason announcer for the Lions, he was a player.

Actually, he was a Hall of Fame tight end, and one of the best players to ever suit up for Detroit.

Taken in the third round of the 1968 draft out of the University of Minnesota, Sanders would spend his entire ten year career with the Lions.

He was selected to seven Pro Bowls, was a two-time member of the All-Pro unit and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1970s.

His 336 career receptions set a Lions record until that mark was surpassed by Herman Moore in 1996.

4. Jason Hanson, K, 1992 Draft

It is not too often that a kicker is drafted in the second round of the NFL draft, but that is just what happened in 1992 when the Detroit Lions wisely selected Jason Hanson out of Washington State.

Hanson holds every team kicking record that you can think of and in 2011 he set the NFL record for most games played with one team at 310.

Throughout all the turmoil that has befallen the Lions over the last two decades one constant has always remained; Jason Hanson.

Hanson has the most field goals of 50 yards or more in NFL history, and he shows no signs of slowing down with age.

Often undervalued and rarely praised enough, Hanson is most deserving of inclusion on this list.

3. Joe Schmidt, LB, 1953 Draft

Would you believe there may actually be a better linebacker in Lions history than Chris Spielman?

You have to hop into the way-back machine to find him, but his name is Joe Schmidt, and he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1953 draft out of Pitt.

His stats are mind-boggling. Schmidt was selected to 10 Pro Bowls and was named All-NFL 10 times as well.

Undersized at 6', 195 pounds, he still led Detroit to an NFL title as a rookie, and in 1960, he was voted the unanimous MVP of the league.

His tremendous skill and talent have not gone unnoticed by historians.

In 1999, Schmidt ranked No. 65 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

2. Herman Moore, WR, 1991 Draft

The best receiver in Lions history comes in at No. 2 on this list. Herman Moore was selected in the first round of the 1991 draft out of the University of Virginia.

In his 11 seasons with Detroit, he would take ownership of nearly every receiving record, including:

• Career Receptions: 670
• Receiving Yards: 9,174
• Touchdown Catches: 62

Moore was sent to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl on four different occasions and was an All-Pro three times.

In 1995, he and fellow receiver Brett Perriman became the first receiving tandem in NFL history to each have 100 receptions in a season, and in that year, Moore also set a then record with 123 catches.

1. Barry Sanders, RB, 1989 Draft

Yes the top spot goes to Barry Sanders. Was their any doubt? No. But for good reason.

Sanders is not only the greatest draft pick in Lions history but one of the best in NFL history.

Taken in the first round of the 1989 draft out of Oklahoma State, Sanders burst onto the scene in his rookie season and never looked back. 

Some of his more remarkable stats and awards include:

• 10 Pro Bowl selections
• 10 All-Pro selections
• 1997 NFL MVP
• 10,000 yard rushing club
• 2,000 yard rushing single season club
• 1990s All-Decade team
• Third leading rusher in NFL history

His retirement may of come earlier than fans had hoped but Sanders still dazzled Detroiters for 10 seasons and is certainly the franchise's best draft pick of all time.