2012 NFL Draft: Dre Kirkpatrick Would Be Perfect First-Rounder for Detroit Lions

It seems to be a general consensus among fans that the Lions should be seriously considering drafting a cornerback with their first-round pick this season. This comes from the relative lack of depth at tackle in this draft class, as there are no players with comparable skills and draft value to Anthony Castonzo or Gabe Carimi.

Also, the very deep cornerback group, which could possibly see four or five players taken in the first round, means that there should be some talented players available when the Lions are on the clock late on Day 1. 

One of the cornerbacks that could fall to the Lions is Dre Kirkpatrick, one of the defensive leaders on Alabama's national championship-winning defense. 

Kirkpatrick has always been highly regarded by the drafting community, primarily because of the great tape he has put together over his college career. He has been a shutdown corner in college, who also played the run well and was a leader on an elite defense. However, an arrest for marijuana possession and a lack of top-end speed and athleticism has dropped him down draft boards during the pre-draft season.

Kirkpatrick is at his best in zone coverage, where his length, great instincts and burst allow him to be in the right position and break up passes. It also allows him to read the play and come up to defend the run. His physicality and technique make him a very sure tackler, and he consistently sniffed out and eliminated underneath passes in college. 

Kirkpatrick is also an elite press corner. He has great length and strength, and that allows him to re-route receivers consistently. He also has good technique, and successfully held up top college wide receivers at the line.

Once it is established that Kirkpatrick is a good football player, the next question is whether he fits the Lions defense schematically. In this regard, it is a resounding yes!

The Lions defense generally plays press zone coverage, which asks cornerbacks to jam at the line before retreating to their zones. This is a perfect fit for Kirkpatrick, who would excel from his first season if he were asked to press receivers then drop into zone most of the time.

Kirkpatrick also would offer the Lions a great deal of versatility for a late first-round pick. As well as his likely position of an outside cornerback who can line up against No. 1 wide receivers, he could also develop into an elite free safety.

He has the ability in zone coverage to excel, could play man coverage if needed and has the run-stopping skills to play there as well. He would also be an elite athlete at safety, with great flexibility and the range to play cover one.

Kirkpatrick could also excel as a specialist slot cornerback. He has the tenacity to be a great run defender and tackler, which is essential to the position, and he also has the length, press skills and athleticism to cover the new breed of athletic tight end that is personified by Jimmy Graham.

This sort of ability is coveted in top cornerbacks, and is the reason why Cortland Finnegan was considered the best free-agent corner.

There are some issues with Kirkpatrick, primarily his marijuana-related arrest. Although the charges were dropped, on the back of Nick Fairley and Mikel LeShoure's marijuana issues the Lions front office will certainly be leery about drafting another player linked to marijuana. Some scouts have also raised doubts about Kirkpatrick's deep speed and ability to catch players if they get past him.

Nevertheless, both these issues should not turn the Lions away from Kirkpatrick. Although he was arrested for marijuana possession, the charges were dropped, and apart from this he has been model citizen. Also, although he timed slow in the 40-yard dash, he was still faster than Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden, who has had very few issues with the speed of the NFL. Kirkpatrick coped in college, and should be able to as a pro as well, especially in a zone-heavy scheme.