Six 2015 NFL Draft Picks Who Could Be Opening-Game Starters for Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions might be enjoying their greatest stretch of stability since the Internet was just a gleam in Al Gore's eye. Most of the starting lineup has been settled for weeks, and plenty of starters will look familiar come Week 1.

But not every gap in the lineup has been filled. And not every player who currently has the top spot on the depth chart would necessarily hold off a hard-charging rookie hungry to make his mark.

That's what this list is about—those rookies who could take Allen Park, Michigan, by storm and kick off the season on the field instead of the sideline.

RB Tevin Coleman

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

My man crush on Tevin Coleman swells with each new reel of tape I see. He's everything that you would want in a professional running back, and apparently, that view is shared by at least one other writer:

"

No idea if this opinion is popular or not, but I love Tevin Coleman. Would be a very early Rd2 pick for me.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 13, 2015"

Maybe it's a Bleacher Report thing.

It shouldn't be, because not only does Coleman have an incredible burst to pair with his decisive running style (a perfect fit for zone runs), but he's also one tough hombre. As another fellow Bleacher Reporter, Mike Tanier, discussed in a great piece about the Indiana running back, Coleman picked up the majority of his record-breaking 2,006 yards with a broken foot.

Check out what Coleman told Tanier about the injury and his decision to play here:

"

Coleman wore a boot when walking around campus. He wore an immobilization insert in his cleat when he practiced. He did not miss a single drill. "It was real sore, but I couldn't stop playing," Coleman said. "I had to continue to play, continue to help my team. Sitting out wasn't a part of me. I wasn't about to do that."

"

How do you think that type of attitude will play out in Detroit's locker room? His combination of talent and grit (watch him finish a run through a defender) makes him a viable candidate to unseat Joique Bell from the jump.

RB Melvin Gordon

The comments section is probably bursting with those who would agree with Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero that Todd Gurley would make much more sense here:

"

With the Dolphins visiting with Melvin Gordon, they had better be all up in Todd Gurley's biz. He's better.

— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) April 14, 2015"

That may be true, although the difference between the two might not be as pronounced as some would have you believe. But there is one reason why Gordon gets the nod over Gurley here, and it's all in the headline—we're looking for guys who can play right away.

Unless your doctors have examined Gurley's knee and you can predict that he'll be 100 percent come September, he doesn't have a place on this list. And apparently, some teams feel the same way:

"

I think @SI_PeterKing is dead on. Ravens one of several teams rating Melvin Gordon above Todd Gurley due to medical. https://t.co/20Wsr1GEWu

— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 13, 2015"

As for Gordon, he has the health and the goods. He excels when given a chance to get outside of the tackle box, which fits nicely with Detroit's favorite running play—the stretch. He will be given the chance to find his own holes, run over laterally moving defenders and then use his burst to explode into the secondary.

That's the type of player who can make an immediate impact.

OG La'el Collins

David Quinn/Associated Press

As it stands right now, Rodney Austin is the starting left guard. In September? He might not even be on the roster.

Remember that logic, because it will pave the way for this pick and the next. Granted, La'el Collins could win the job even if the Lions bring in a veteran with the anticipation of giving him the job.

Just ask Collins' college coach:

"

"La'el Collins would fit in at Right Tackle, but if you put him at Guard, he could be special in the NFL." - Kevin Gilbride #LSU

— PFTonNBCSN (@PFTonNBCSN) March 27, 2015"

I know people want to move Collins to the outside, because fans always want tackles over guards. However, moving the former Tiger inside would help shore up his shortcomings by limiting the amount of space he has to occupy since he has a bad habit of lunging. In addition, it would take advantage of his mauling, aggressive style by giving the defender a smaller space in which to avoid him.

If Collins is there at 23, he is probably the safest and wisest pick Detroit could make for next September as well as next January. And January 2023.

C Cameron Erving

Doug Benc/Associated Press

Cameron Erving has been the hot name associated with the Lions ever since Josh Norris of Rotoworld first brought up the possibility a couple of months ago. He had this to say at the time:

"

I know the team recently selected Travis Swanson, but 1) I was not a big fan, and 2) that should not keep a team from selecting a better player at an extremely important position in the first round. Erving is better on the interior than he was on the edge and helped solidify the fabric of the pocket down the stretch for FSU.

"

He has a point that Erving could be a great asset for the Lions inside. However, just because he didn't like the Swanson pick when it was made shouldn't be taken into account. Swanson acquitted himself well at the position against the Green Bay Packers, giving up just a pair of hurries and logging a plus-1.2 run-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus.

But moving Swanson over to guard isn't a terrible option, either. He spent some time there because of the injuries that riddled the line all season, and he proved adequate for the task with only one sack allowed in four games.

If the Lions make this move in the first round, it's with this aim in mind, meaning Erving would be in line to start. And he has the athleticism and fighting attitude to thrive on a zone-blocking line.

OT T.J. Clemmings

There has been plenty of chatter about the Lions taking a tackle in the first round. D.J. Humphries has been bandied about, and Andrus Peat has picked up traction from those who see him sliding, but the best choice of the bunch may be T.J. Clemmings.

The powerful Pitt tackle played defensive end for the first two years of his college career. He won't be capable of stepping in for Riley Reiff on the left side, because he simply doesn't have enough polish to keep Matthew Stafford alive over there, much less upright.

However, as Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated intimates, that doesn't mean his upside is limited:

"

I'm comparing T.J. Clemmings to Tyron Smith. Am I nuts? Perhaps. But after further review, I believe he could be that good over time.

— Doug Farrar (@SI_DougFarrar) April 7, 2015"

Clemmings is extremely athletic, which will come in handy since offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi expects his linemen to open holes while on the move. And he won't be a slouch protecting Stafford from there, either, per Dion Caputi of the National Football Post:

"

It's lofty, but if T.J. Clemmings pans out, he could follow a similar career path to Tyron Smith. Has most pass blocking potential in draft.

— Dion Caputi (@nfldraftupdate) April 12, 2015"

Has the message gotten through about how good Clemmings could be in the future? Good, because he can also be a solid starter from day one, just not at his eventual position.

DE Alvin "Bud" Dupree

The Lions do not absolutely need a defensive end in this draft, even if George Johnson's Tampa Bay offer is found valid and Detroit declines to match (as it should). But remember that general manager Martin Mayhew adheres to the best-player-available philosophy, and that means he will give Alvin "Bud" Dupree a look-see if he's there at 23.

I've brought this up before in various mediums, and it would appear I'm not alone in this paradigm:

"

I think a guy like Bud Dupree could be in play if he's there https://t.co/54OesdEmBU

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) April 14, 2015"

The Lions have Ziggy Ansah on the right side. He's an up-and-coming athletic freak who has proven himself to be excellent against the run with all the tools necessary to be a good pass-rusher.

Jason Jones mans the other side. While the veteran is stout, he is a meager participant on passing downs and is in the final year of his contract.

Dupree is more in the mold of Ansah. His 4.56 40-yard dash and insane 42-inch vertical, per NFL.com, make his 6'4", 269-pound frame even more imposing. He has the brute strength to set the edge as the defense requires of Jones, with the added benefit of making those extra plays that take a defense from good to great.

All combine statistics are courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced stats, grades and rankings are sourced from Pro Football Focus and require a subscription. 

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.