NFL Draft 2011: Detroit Lions Have To Get It Right and It Starts at the Combine

The 2011 NFL draft will be the most important draft that the Detroit Lions organization has ever had.

Mark my words.

Consequently, the 2011 NFL combine will be the most important combine that the Detroit Lions have ever taken part of.

They really need to get this one right, so they’ve really got to be paying attention.

In an offseason filled with so much uncertainty, perhaps the Detroit Lions are the team with the most to lose. 

I can say that with a clear conscience though; knowing that it’s because they have the most to gain.

I’m the biggest cynic of them all, but even I can’t deny the progress that this new regime has made in just a few years.

The leadership trio of Martin Mayhew, Tom Lewand and Jim Schwartz has done just about everything right up until this point.

The NFL draft, which has been a sore spot for years, has been uncharacteristically good for the Lions, and the football smarts of the guys up top should be applauded.

Matthew Stafford has not yet shown if he was worth the No. 1 overall pick, but you have to like the gusto that he has shown, and for all intents and purposes, the Lions have locked up a franchise quarterback.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions knocked one way out of the park when they drafted Ndamukong Suh. The stat lines and accolades in his first year speak for themselves.

Now, I’m writing this article under the assumption that we actually will have an NFL season next year, so keep that in mind.

Here’s the kicker for the Detroit Lions: Everything they have done up until this point means nothing.

Before you freak out on me, let me explain.

Yes, the organization has made all the right moves since Matt Millen skipped town. Be it in the draft, free agency or even on the sidelines.

The Lions actually look to be on the path that would lead them to respectability in the NFL, and it may even be a path that could lead them to the postseason.

But, it will all be for nothing if they don’t get it right in the 2011 NFL draft.

This team is right on the bubble of something great. The scary thing about bubbles though is that they either fly away, or they pop.

The window of opportunity for the Detroit Lions is very small, and it will shut before they even realize it, so this draft and the combine leading up to it have become incredibly crucial.

There are holes to fill in just about every facet of the game, and even once those are filled, where is the depth that a NFL team needs in order to survive any given season?

They have a quarterback with a history of major injuries to worry about. They need to determine the best way to protect him.

They could focus on drafting a lineman or two to put in front of him, but then what about the glaring needs in the defensive backfield?

The Lions defense has been drastically improved thanks to the work they have put in on the front four, but you would be kidding yourself if you were satisfied with the players they have in the secondary.

This draft is so important for the Lions because they could lose it all if they make the wrong choice.

Calvin Johnson has made it clear that he wasn’t content while the team was losing, and if he doesn’t see a reasonable chance at success, I can all but guarantee he will be playing for another team when his contract runs out.

That would be a doomsday scenario for Detroit, but unfortunately it’s not the only thing they need to address this offseason.

With a team that is on the rise like the Lions, momentum becomes key.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that momentum can carry over season to season, but starting off on the right foot could do wonders for this young team.

If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. Imagine what this team could be like if they had the proper confidence and winning percentage to back up their swagger.

It all comes down to this draft though.

The Lions need to be paying close attention at the combine, and they need to make sure that they take meticulous notes.

Like I stated earlier, they have tons of holes to fill, but they have to determine what to address first and what to prioritize.

It’s a case of pick your poison for the Detroit Lions.

Choose wisely.