Detroit Lions NFL Mock Draft: Analyzing DraftTek's Latest 7-Round Selections

In one week, the 2012 NFL Player Selection Meeting—otherwise known as the NFL Draft—will get underway from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

While teams put the final touches on their big boards and draft strategies, scads of NFL experts are busy releasing their latest mock drafts.

DraftTek is no different. The premier independent NFL draft website came out with its latest 7-round mock draft on Tuesday.

Let's take a look at DraftTek's predictions for the Detroit Lions.

Round 1, Pick 23: Mike Adams LT, Ohio State

It should come as no surprise that the people at DraftTek pegged Mike Adams as the Lions' number one pick. The prediction makes perfect sense.

Jeff Backus—who's started every game he's played since he was drafted in 2001—is getting a bit long in the tooth.

At 34 years old, no one knows how much longer he'll hold up and the Lions need to start grooming his replacement.

In addition, Detroit is frustrated with right tackle Gosder Cherilus. His inconsistencies over the years have led him to take up permanent residence in Jim Schwartz's doghouse.

He is also a pending free agent.

Adams is athletic and versatile enough to replace Cherilus immediately, bringing stability to the right tackle position, and then take over for Backus when the time comes.

At 6'7'' and 323 lbs he certainly has the size to be a productive replacement.

Last year the Lions offensive line didn't exactly set the world on fire. They protected Matthew Stafford well enough, but their run blocking left much to be desired.

Given the depth Detroit has at other positions, upgrading the O-line is a good move.

Former Stanford Cardinal Jonathan Martin would also be a great fit for Detroit. He could also play right and left tackle and he might still be on the board when Detroit takes the podium in Round 1.

I've actually seen more draft experts—Mel Kuiper and Pete Prisco for example—predict the Lions will select Martin.

One thing is for sure, Detroit would immediately upgrade its offensive line by adding either player.

Round 2, Pick 54: Dwight Bentley CB, Louisiana-Lafayette

DraftTek makes another logical prediction in Round 2. In fact, I wrote this article last week recommending that the Lions draft a cornerback in the second round as well.

Everyone knows they have a glaring need at CB after losing Eric Wright to free agency this offseason and—with all due respect to Aaron Berry—they do not have a clear cut replacement.

Short of trading for Darrelle Revis, selecting a cornerback this high in the draft is the best option the Lions have. Unfortunately it is not a fail-safe solution.

Bentley is no Revis—at least not right now—but he does have plenty of upside.

According to ESPN.com, he is a bit undersized and will need to add bulk to be a full-time contributor. His talent is undeniable though. He's aggressive enough to take on the bigger receivers and fast enough—he ran a 4.4 second 40-yard dash at the combine—to cover the slot.

In fact, Bentley would likely start as the Lions' nickleback.

He has flown a bit under the radar, but his impressive performances at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine have turned more than a few heads. 

The only caveat I will add is that if Janoris Jenkins is still on the board I would not be surprised if Martin Mayhew rolls the dice and calls his name.

I know what the Lions have said about only wanting "character guys," but I find it hard to believe they would pass on his talent if he's still there in the second round.

In fact there are two cornerbacks I'd take ahead of Bentley in the second round: Jenkins and Josh Robinson.

Round 3, Pick 85: Malik Jackson DE, Tennessee

If the Lions are going to draft a defensive end here, I would prefer they look for more bang for their buck.

Malik Jackson is only the 21st ranked defensive end in the draft according to ESPN.com. They assign a lowly grade of 47 which equates to a "borderline NFL prospect". This isn't the kind of talent the Lions should be looking for in Round 3.

I believe Jonathan Massaquoi is the DE Detroit should target instead. He is only a junior but has much greater potential than Martin. According to CBSsports.com, he is an "untapped talent" with the ability to be a "big-time pass rusher".

While he is still raw and needs time to develop, he has the attributes—long arms, hard working attitude and explosive burst—that Martin lacks.

Plus, NFL talent runs in the family. He is the cousin of Cleveland Browns wideout Mohamed Massaquoi and Minnesota Viking tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Even with his potential, I don't see DE as a huge need for the Lions. They have four pretty good ones on their roster already: Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Lawrence Jackson, and Willie Young.

So why not really solidify the biggest area of need—the defensive backfield. Brandon Boykin is a top 10 cornerback prospect that DraftTek predicts will still be available when the Lions select in the third round.

He was injured in the Senior Bowl and could not participate in the NFL combine. As a result his stock fell considerably, but he's healthy now and he has elite level speed and cover skills.

Considering how badly the Lions need help in the secondary, drafting two cornerbacks in the first three rounds would not be as silly as it sounds. 

Round 4, Pick 117: Senio Kelemete OG, Washington

The Lions' offensive line issues are not just limited to the tackle position. The Lions would benefit from upgrading at guard as well. 

Most people believe that Lions' starting left guard Rob Sims' job is safe. However, right guard Stephen Peterman is another story. He is generally believed to be this unit's weak link.

That is not to say that Senio Kelemete would be able to take over for Peterman from day one, but he might surprise people and do just that.

According to ESPN.com, the big knock against him is his below average size, weight and speed. Other concerns regard his ability to play tackle in the NFL like he did in college.

The Lions would not be drafting him to play tackle though. Many of Kelemete's skills grade out quite well for a guard.

In addition, Kelemete was a two-time captain at Washington and is known for his maturity, work ethic and football I.Q.

He won the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award at the 2011 Alamo Bowl.

Sportsmanship award? Many people would say that fact alone would make him a valuable addition to the "dirty" Lions. 

Round 5, Pick 158: Jarius Wright WR, Arkansas

Initially, I did not like the idea of drafting a wide receiver in the fifth-round—or any round for that matter. Here are two reasons why.

1. I'm still gun-shy from the draft failures of the Millen era. Whenever I hear about the Lions drafting a wide receiver my eye starts twitching and I get an urge to bang my head against the wall repeatedly. 

2. I think the Lions have enough quality receivers on the roster and they have greater needs elsewhere, like safety and linebacker.

Then I actually looked at the Lions roster. Beyond Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Titus Young there really isn't much there.

See if these names ring a bell: Terrance Tolliver, Nate Hughes and Marcus Harris. No? Me either. Needless to say, I've changed my stance on drafting a wideout.

Another reason I changed my stance is that Jarius Wright is a talented prospect who is vastly underrated. This ESPN.com article includes Wright on a list of top value players who will outperform their projected draft spot.

What makes him an intriguing pick for Detroit is his ability in the return game.

Stephen Logan failed to make a significant impact in that area last season. Wright has the top-level speed and athleticism to not only impact the return game, but potentially take over the job entirely from Logan.

Round 6: No Pick

According to ProFootballWeekly.com, the NFL found the Lions in violation of the league's Anti-Tampering Policy last February.

Allegedly, the Lions had improper contact with Jarrad Page who was under contract with the Kansas City Chiefs at the time.

They had to switch fifth-round picks with the Chiefs and they sacrificed their sixth-round pick.

Round 7 Pick 219: Lance Dunbar RB, North Texas

I was not surprised to see DraftTek predict a running back for Detroit this late in the draft.

On paper, the Lions appear to be loaded with rushing talent. However, when you consider the injury history of their top three backs, it is easy to see why they might target one. 

This draft is a particularly weak one for rushers. Many of the mid-round backs have serious questions about their ability to succeed at the highest level.

Lance Dunbar is no different, but in the seventh round there is very little risk involved in selecting someone like that.

Dunbar was not invited to the NFL combine, so his only chance to improve his draft standing was at his pro day last month.

He turned in a solid performance and silenced critics who said he lacked sprinter's speed, running a 4.47 40-yard dash.

Dunbar turned in impressive career numbers in four years as a Mean Green, including over 4,000 yards rushing and 41 touchdowns.

Given his size (5'8" 205 lbs) he would be a change of pace back in the mold of Jahvid Best. His experience returning kicks is a quality that would interest the Lions as well.

Round 7 Pick 230: Brett Roy DE, Nevada

The Lions would do well to draft Brett Roy here. In the seventh round the Lions can afford to take someone that might not be ready for prime-time just yet.

That's not to say Roy didn't put together an impressive collegiate career. After his senior year he was named to the All-WAC First Defensive Team and got serious consideration for the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award.

Despite the awards he lacks the size and the explosiveness of a prototypical NFL defensive end.

His athleticism and versatility are his biggest strengths. He was a jack-of-all-trades at Nevada. He started out as a safety, moved to linebacker, gained some weight and played defensive end and then ended up playing defensive tackle.

At his Nevada Pro Day he worked out as a linebacker.

Detroit would not use him in that capacity, though. He would fit their 4-3 scheme as a defensive tackle.

While there are benefits to selecting a player like Roy, I think the Lions might be better off going another route and drafting a quarterback to replace Drew Stanton.

After losing Stanton to free agency, Detroit only has two signal callers on their roster: Matthew Stafford and Shaun Hill. Given Stafford's injury history they should have three.

Austin Davis out of Southern Miss and Chandler Harnish from Northern Illinois are two high value quarterback prospects that should be available for the Lions to target in the seventh round.