Detroit Lions: Taking the Best Player Means Not Picking Matthew Stafford

Lion's Head Coach Jim Schwartz was on NFL Network and was asked: When making draft selections, if talent and need are the same between players, do you take a position you need? He answered, yes.  

If talent is more than need, what do you take? His response was that the Lions are in the position of not being able to pass up talent. The team has too many holes to focus on a particular position.

Then my question to you is this: Is Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford the best available player at No. 1?

I don’t think so, yet everyone has the Lions taking him at No. 1.

Oh, the Lions have to take Stafford first now that the Bears have Cutler, says the so-called experts.

Why? This does not make sense. When did teams start taking players at a position in a draft just because of a move another team made?  

You stick to your plan. The Lions have said their goal is to run the ball and stop the run. You pick the best available player, and if there is a tie, then you take need.

With Stafford, why pick a player with the plan of sitting him on the bench for the first year to learn. The team has too many needs to let a No. 1 pick sit. Let’s get the talent on the team first this year and go to positional needs next year.

The best player in the draft is Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry. Many websites and "experts" even think so. The best part of this is it also fills a need. The Lions want to stop the run and Curry fits that role.

You get the best available and fill a need with Aaron Curry as the first pick.

Wait a minute, you can’t pick a linebacker No. 1! Why not?

His risk is no different then any other player on the board. You and I don’t know who is going to make it in the NFL. Every year there are draft steals and draft busts. That’s what makes the draft so exciting and interesting.

So the Lions get a poor grade on Monday after the draft for passing on Stafford. Big deal. They took the best talent and filled a need. They stuck to their plan.

What more can you ask for? That they follow this same philosophy for each pick.