2011 Senior Bowl: 8 Player Performances That May Affect the Detroit Lions

The 2011 Senior Bowl has come and gone, and for the first time in a while, it has passed by without the Detroit Lions calling dibs on the most talented player there.

Instead, the Lions are hoping to have talent seep through the cracks to reach them at pick No. 13.

That makes a draft much more difficult to plan, and the impact of pre-draft events such as the Senior Bowl that much more important. Risers and fallers in the game affect not only Detroit's interest in certain players but also their ability to pick them.

In past years, the Lions had the pick of the litter and needed only to wait to see which player's stock would rise high enough to warrant a top selection.

This year, the Lions are a middle-of-the-pack team, and the team's front office will have a tougher job of finding a stud player, particularly in the first round.

Still, Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz have shown an ability to find talent at all levels of the draft, so there's a fair amount of optimism coming into this draft about the Lions picking a talented player at 13.

But who will that player be?

Perhaps, the results of the Senior Bowl will help us narrow it down a bit, before the NFL Combine makes it all completely irrelevant.

Von Miller (OLB, Texas A&M)

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Jordan Jefferson #9 of the Louisiana State University Tigers throws under pressure from Von Miller #40 of the Texas A&M Aggies during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by C

Coming out of the college season, Von Miller was pretty much a consensus top 15 pick in the draft. The Lions, at 13, fell squarely within the range of teams that would have a shot at him if they wanted him.

Since then, Miller's stock has begun to soar.

At the Senior Bowl, Miller was just plain showing off. He is a monster against the run with great sideline-to-sideline speed, is a disruptive pass rusher (something the Lions sorely lack at OLB) and has the natural quickness to be effective in coverage.

ESPN's Todd McShay called Miller the "top prospect" in Mobile and added that he was the "most dynamic pass rusher" all week.

If that wasn't enough, he also pulled down the Defensive MVP in the South's victory.

If Miller keeps up like this through the next two months, he'll pull himself out of the top 15 and into the top 10 or even top five.

Though Miller is projected to be a 3-4 rush linebacker, it's hard to believe the Lions would pass on him if they had a shot.

But now, it appears a trendy pick for the Lions is going to rise up a bit too far out of reach.

Titus Young (WR, Boise State)

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LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 22: Titus Young #1 of the Boise State Broncos is tripped up by Brian Blechen #2 of the Utah Utes during the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium December 22, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Titus Young is just a little guy at 5'11", 174 pounds. He and Stefan Logan could probably each ride on one of Ndamukong Suh's shoulders without straining him too much.

But despite his stature, Young had a fantastic Senior Bowl, beating his cover man on short routes, deep routes and everything in between.

Young makes sense for the Lions in some ways, not in others. With his size and quickness, he could be the ideal Wes Welker-type in an offense that still lacks anything resembling a slot receiver (though that's what Tim Toone, last year's Mr. Irrelevant, was intended to be).

Better yet, Young's performance is moving him up to be a second-round lock.

There will be some resistance to the idea of picking a 174-pound receiver in the second round, particularly from those who believe the Lions' top two (or three, or four, or seven) picks should be used on the defensive back seven.

But it's hard to look at the Lions' wide receiving corps behind Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson and feel anything but pity, dread and anguish.

The greater problem with drafting Young is that the team he ends up with will also be getting a gifted return man. The Lions, who currently possess the third-best return man in the NFC (behind Devin Hester and DeSean Jackson) in Stefan Logan, have no need for an upgrade in that area, and thus will likely pass unless Young is still available in the third round.

Still, Young's performance as a go-get-it receiver should have drawn some eyes from the Lions' brass, and he might be on their radar if they can get him as a value pick.

Ryan Kerrigan (DE, Purdue)

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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - SEPTEMBER 20: Quarterback Dan LeFevour #13 of the Central Michigan Chippewas is tackled by Ryan Kerrigan #94 of the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on September 20, 2008 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/

Last week, I published an article about how the Lions could benefit from drafting players based on talent, not need, particularly if a rash of teams do the opposite after a locked-out free-agency period.

Ryan Kerrigan is a perfect illustration of exactly that.

After a solid week in Mobile, Kerrigan has shown to be an ideal 4-3 defensive end with great explosiveness off the edge. His stock is rising, and he now looks like a late first-round pick or early second.

But if he's not taken there and instead falls to the middle of the second round, he could be just the kind of value pick the Lions need.

Sure, the Lions' biggest need isn't defensive end. It's also not their greatest strength, and stumbling across a first-round defensive end with the ability to get to the quarterback (and better ability against the run than fellow Boilermaker Cliff Avril) in the middle of the second round might be just what the doctor ordered.

Of course, if Kerrigan's stock keeps rising the way it is now, he's going to be taken closer to the middle of the first round than the second.

Still, remember the name. If it's still on the board at pick No. 45, don't be surprised if you see the Lions take a run at him and strengthen an already formidable defensive line.

Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska)

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LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 30: Cornerback Prince Amukamara #21 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers breaks up a pass intended for wide receiver T.J. Moe #28 of the Missouri Tigers during first half action of their game at Memorial Stadium on October 30, 2010 in Lincoln

Some people make headlines just by not going someplace they're expected to go.

LeBron James is one.

This week, Prince Amukamara was another.

Amukamara did not participate in the Senior Bowl, and the effects of this on his draft status will be of great interest to the Detroit Lions.

Since LSU's Patrick Peterson isn't likely to make it out of the top three, Amukamara would likely be the Lions' ideal pick at 13. Mocks across the internet have him solidly within the top 15, with some placing him as high as fourth overall.

But will this decision to avoid the Senior Bowl drop Amukamara out of the top 10?

Nothing would make Detroit happier than that. If by some miracle Amukamara slips to the 13th pick, Detroit would find themselves in the enviable position of picking the best player available to fill their greatest need.

Ultimately, Amukamara's no-show at the Senior Bowl will not, by itself, be enough to hurt his draft status. But couple that with a subpar combine performance, and it might be just enough to slide one of the best cover corners in the draft down far enough for him to reunite with former teammate Ndamukong Suh in Detroit.

Jake Locker (QB, Washington)

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SEATTLE - OCTOBER 30: Quarterback Jake Locker #10 of the Washington Huskies passes against the Stanford Cardinal on October 30, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Well, it's not like the Lions were thinking about drafting Jake Locker, so his horrendous performance in the Senior Bowl doesn't mean much to them directly.

The problem is, a number of teams are thinking about drafting Locker, and most of them sit above the Lions in the draft. For every team that drafts a guy like Locker that the Lions don't need, there's one less team in the running to draft the Lions' high targets like Von Miller and Prince Amukamara.

The Minnesota Vikings are one such team that are in great need of a fix at both quarterback and cornerback, and they sit at pick No. 12, one pick above the Lions.

Locker should be within their reach, but will his draft status be high enough for the Vikings to justify taking him there without trying to first trade down?

At the rate he's going, probably not.

For a guy expected to be one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft, Locker's entire Senior Bowl performance was shockingly bad. He didn't throw two accurate passes back-to-back all week, and his throwing mechanics are now being thrown into question as a result.

Not a good sign for a guy aiming to be the first quarterback off the board, and also bad for the Lions, who hope to see as many QBs and WRs come off the board in the top 12 as possible.

Nate Solder (OT, Colorado)

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BOULDER, CO - OCTOBER 04: Brian Orakpo #98 of the Texas Longhorns rushes against Nate Solder #78 the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on October 4, 2008 in Boulder, Colorado. Texas defeated Colorado 38-14. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Nate Solder had a decent performance in practices and interviews, but when it came to the Senior Bowl game, he was taken advantage of, repeatedly.

A number of mock drafts have Solder going to Dallas at ninth overall, which benefits the Lions because Solder is a long shot to the Lions at 13th when defense is the primary concern.

But Solder's performance Saturday may drop him out of the range where drafting him in the top 10 makes sense. In that case, the Cowboys likely draft defense, which takes a potential target away from the Lions.

This is another scenario like Locker where the biggest concern is not his value to the Lions but rather his value to teams drafting in the top 12. But unlike Locker, there is an outside chance that the Lions take a shot on Solder if he's on the board.

Jeff Backus is in a contract year, and while he isn't as bad as many think he is, he is a 10-year veteran and will need to be replaced soon by an elite talent at the position. It's more likely that the Lions wait and draft a lineman in the third round or later, if they're looking at one at all.

But if Solder makes a splash at the combine, and Dallas passes, he could be a dark horse candidate for the Lions, especially if their top defensive picks are already off the board.

Casey Matthews (LB, Oregon)

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CORVALLIS, OR - DECEMBER 4: Quarterback Ryan Katz #12 of the Oregon State Beavers lays on the turf after being hit by Casey Matthews #55 of the Oregon Ducks in the first quarter of the game at Reser Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Corvallis, Oregon. The Du

To know whose family Casey Matthews belongs to, look no further than his last name and his hair.

Casey, the younger brother of Super Bowl-bound Green Bay Packer Clay Matthews, has had consistent success at Oregon, and despite posting no stats in the Senior Bowl itself, he had a good week of practice.

Matthews has football in his blood, sporting a linebacker for a brother and an offensive lineman for a father, and his knowledge and work ethic show it.

Matthews will definitely not go until the second day of the draft at the earliest, but that could work out perfectly. The Lions are starved for linebackers, and Matthews' second-to-third round status could work out perfectly if he falls down to pick No. 87.

Given Matthews' understated appearance in the Senior Bowl, expect his draft status to fluctuate wildly pending the results of his combine/pro day workouts. Regardless, expect the Lions to have a watchful eye on him, particularly because of his pass coverage skills.

The Lions need back seven players who can cover the pass like the Bengals need back seven players who can stay out of prison.

James Carpenter (OT/OG, Alabama)

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 16: Marcell Dareus #57 and James Carpenter #77 of the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Ole Miss Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

James Carpenter played offensive tackle at Alabama, which is good.

Then he went to the Senior Bowl, kicked inside to guard and started flattening people. And that was better.

Carpenter would have had a fine Senior Bowl at tackle, but he went one step further and showed his versatility by playing at every position on the line except center.

That should be very attractive to a Lions team that needs both upgrades and the versatility to deal with frequent injuries on the offensive line.

Carpenter's projected fourth-round price tag helps as well, but his performance last week is firing him up on draft boards as if out of a cannon. The Lions should be interested, but where his stock ends up will likely determine whether they take him.

Before the Senior Bowl, Carpenter was seen as roughly a fourth or fifth rounder. Now it appears he may move up to the third or even second. If he does, he might be too high for the Lions to justify taking him.

The Lions have a lot of big contracts to wait out on the offensive line before they start taking high-round guys to replace them.

Especially in a year where defense is projected to be the focus, Carpenter would have to be a steal to end up in Detroit.

Kind of sad, when you consider his strong outing at the Senior Bowl made him both attractive to the Lions and possibly out of reach at the same time.