What Should the Detroit Lions Do with the No. 1 Pick in the 2009 Draft?

The Lions have quite a mess to clean after a disaster 0-16 season. The needs are big and many. And with this draft, they'll have two picks in the first round with the first overall and 20th overall, which leaves plenty of room to get quality players for the positions they need. Which raises the question, who will they go with 1st overall?

Starting with a starting quarterback. The Lions need a play caller that brings the team's offense some strength. Dan Orlovsky and Dante Culpepper are to the Detroit Lions what Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte are the Minnesota Vikings, scabs. They're only meant to be there so there is someone there.

Their option for handling this situation could mean waiting a year on a big-time QB in 2010 in Heisman winners Tim Tebow or Sam Bradford. But in all likelihood, the Lions could pick up Georgia's Matthew Stafford or USC's Mark Sanchez.

This seems to be the obvious choice, although the Lions have other needs that could merit making another influential grab for the money being paid to a No. 1 pick.

That means the Lions could invest in an offensive lineman instead. This could be Eugene Monroe from Virginia, Jason Smith of Baylor, or Alabama's Andre Smith. These picks would be safer and more assuring especially with an offensive line that could let blockers through like water through a sive.

Another option that could occur if Cory Redding is traded or even if they want to create a killer tandem, they could grab a playmaker in defensive tackle B.J. Raji of Boston College. This option seems less likely, but possible with the value Raji brings.

The Lions could also invest in Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State as a threat at cornerback.

If Detroit tries to prepare a defense for 2009 more then offense, they for sure wouldn't go 0-16 if they get a top notch defense. This also could fall under their plan for grabbing a QB of 2010.

But the option has many risks and consequences if it doesn't pan out.

The Lions could also strengthen their receiving core with Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. This doesn't seem logical to fix the problems the Lions are dealing with.

Calvin Johnson already holds the title of "main offensive" threat and with the Roy Williams incident last season, boosting a receiving threat doesn't help the fact that they don't have a quarterback that can throw the passes needed to make this receiving threat dangerous. They might draft him just to trade him, but I don't see why they wouldn't just trade the pick.

With the Lions only able to go up from here, this will be a sign of what to expect from the Detroit Lions come 2009.