NFL Draft 2011: Detroit Lions Full Mock Draft

The Detroit Lions only have five picks in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Four of the Lions' picks in 2011 were traded away last year as part of trades that brought some integral pieces to the team.

Their No. 2 pick in the seventh round was forfeited as part of a punishment for tampering charges.

Because the Lions have the least amount of draft picks in the NFL this year, each pick that they make is going to be very important.

The value and production they get out of the players is going to have to be legitimate.

At this point in the growth process, the Lions have the ability to take a few chances here and there. But they are also going to have to fill some very glaring needs on a roster that still has many holes and questions.

Here is my full mock draft for the 2011 Detroit Lions:

Tyron Smith: USC Left Tackle

Jeff Golden/Getty Images

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 7: Tyron Smith #70 of the USC Trojans stretches before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 7, 2009 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. USC won 14-9. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images)

Round 1, Pick No. 13. Overall Pick No. 13.

Scouting Report: Smith is a natural left tackle. He possesses great lateral quickness that allows him to stay in front of defenders.

He also has very long arms and good hands that allow him to effectively block any kind of rush attempt once he gets into position.

Smith is a very effective run blocker mainly due to his quick first step. He has great flexibility in his knees, which gives him good leverage on a defender, and he has shown the ability to block the second level.

He is also a very good blocker in space while running, and knows how to make adjustments that cater to the ball carrier.

He would benefit greatly from some time learning the ropes from the veteran linemen because he has the natural skills and ability to be great.

Reasoning: You have probably heard people talking and writing about how the Lions need to make it a priority to protect Matthew Stafford more than a million times this offseason.

Well, I’m here to tell you the reason you are hearing it so much is because it is 100 percent true.

The progress and future of the Detroit Lions rides solely on the much-maligned shoulder of the young quarterback.

He has had problems taking hits in the past, so the more protection you can get him in the future, the better his chances are.

At this point of the building process, the Lions do not have the luxury of drafting a “sexy pick” or a fan favorite. They need to make a smart, fundamental move here.

I believe that all the big-name “skill players”  will be taken before No. 13, so the Lions should focus on their needs at this point.

It is said that the game is won in the trenches. They went out last year and got their franchise guy on the defensive side of the ball, and now it’s time to balance him out on the offensive depth chart.

Aaron Williams: Texas Cornerback

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 25: Cornerback Aaron Williams #4 of the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 25, 2010 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Round 2, Pick No. 12. Overall Pick No. 44

Scouting Report: Williams is extremely effective when playing zone coverage. He gets great reads on the quarterback and can flow with the offensive movement.

He can get better at recognizing routes, though, because it seems that he has the tendency to jump a route and get burned.

He shows great vertical ability when going up for the ball, and has good hand-eye coordination as well as timing when it comes to deflecting passes and getting his hands on the ball.

Williams is above average in the run game. He is a very fundamental tackler and knows how to wrap up.

He has no problem taking down bigger opponents.

Reasoning: Lions fans are dreaming of a second round in which Colorado’s Jimmy Smith will fall right into their laps, but I think in reality he is going to get snatched up in the late first or real early second round.

It would be great, but realistically, he has too much talent to pass up.

The Lions need to continue improving their defense, and obviously the defensive backfield has had its share of problems throughout the years.

I have a feeling Williams is going to be on the board and he will be the best cornerback to go in the second round.

Detroit has had trouble wrapping up at times, and Williams is an extremely fundamental tackler.

I feel that the Lions will essentially be getting late first-round talent in a second-round pick.

Greg Little: UNC Wide Receiver

David Cannon/Getty Images

WINSTON SALEM, NC - OCTOBER 27: Wide receiver Greg Little #8 of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels during the ACC game at the Groves Stadium, on October 27, 2007 in Winston Salem,North Carolina. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Round 3, Pick No. 11. Overall Pick No. 75

Scouting Report: Little is unusually big and thick for a wide receiver. He possesses good speed for his size, though, which makes him an extremely dangerous weapon on the field.

He has good body control and knows how to use his size to create space.

Naturally, he has very strong hands and can bring in tough throws without using his body.

He is not the quickest guy on the field, but he has extremely good vision with and without the ball. When he picks up a head of steam, he can make some very explosive runs after the catch.

Character issues are the one thing hindering his stock. He was ineligible all of the 2010 NCAA season for being found guilty of receiving improper benefits from an agent.

Reasoning: Greg Little lost all of 2010 to a suspension, so character issues and that loss of time on the field will really affect his stock.

He’s going to drop like a stone, so this is the perfect time for the Lions to put on the blinders and realize the talent that will be available.

Little has displayed that he has first-round talent when on the field.

It seems like whenever drafting a wide receiver is mentioned in the same sentence as the Detroit Lions, people start getting really defensive, and sure, there has been good reason.

This is not the Matt Millen regime though, and the risk is definitely worth the reward.

After Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson, there is no wide receiver on the Lions depth chart that an opposing defense has to even think twice about.

With Little as your third option, it would really open up space for Nate Burleson to be more effective, and Johnson would be afforded more room to make plays.

Defenses won’t have the luxury of just keying in on one or two guys anymore.

Greg Jones: Michigan State Inside Linebacker

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

EVANSTON, IL - OCTOBER 23: Greg Jones #53 of the Michigan State Spartans awaits the start of play against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 23, 2010 in Evanston, Illinois. Michigan State defeated Northwestern 35-27. (Photo by Jonathan Dan

Round 4, Pick No. 10. Overall Pick No. 107

Scouting Report: Jones has a knack for making the play at or behind the line of scrimmage.

He has a downhill style of attack, and if he learns how to stay in his gaps consistently, he can make a lot of important stops for you.

Jones is not afraid to meet the ball carrier at the point of attack. He seems to play with an edge about him that can be intimidating at times.

He has good speed, which allows him to have good range sideline to sideline.

It also gives him the ability to play well in pass coverage or in pursuit.

Jones is a very fundamental tackler and is an above-average pass rusher. When sent on the blitz, he has a variety of moves using his hands and his feet and the quickness to close in on the ball.

Reasoning: Everybody loves the hometown pick, and I could see the Lions doing this purely for public relations' sake.

The pick does make football sense, though.

Greg Jones’ stock has been falling like the sky since he stepped off the field for the last time as a Spartan.

Many people have questioned his size, but I also think many people are forgetting he was considered one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten during his time at Michigan State.

He may be undersized for a middle linebacker, but he possess more raw talent and ability than most of their linebackers right now.

With that in mind, I don’t see him struggling too much at middle linebacker. I think he could use his speed and quickness to his advantage.

He is also a good-quality guy that will buy into the system and into the city, which is a very important to the Lions.

Ross Homan: Ohio State Outside Linebacker

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 18: Ross Homan #51 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in action against the Ohio Bobcats at Ohio Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Round 5, Pick No. 23. Overall Pick No. 154

Scouting Report: Ross Homan is an extremely fundamental linebacker. He was a three-year starter at Ohio State and shows his experience and football instincts in the way that he plays.

He has above-average recognition skills of where the quarterback or ball carrier is intending to go, especially on misdirection plays.

He is very quick sideline-to-sideline and is a great wrap-up tackler. He plays well in pass coverage and is an asset when it comes to defending on third downs.

Reasoning: If the Lions can snag Homan in the fifth round, I think it would be a steal.

I would consider Homan to be a third- or fourth-round talent, and the toughness and motor that he displays are invaluable in a linebacker.

Now, it may seem strange that I have the Lions taking two of the same positions in the same draft, but there are lots of holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball.

The depth at linebacker was tested last season, and I’m not sure if the results brought any sort of confidence in the players currently on the roster.

Getting younger, faster and tougher at linebacker will really help a Lions defense that is starting to take on a fast and intimidating identity.

Homan wouldn’t be a starter right off the bat, but I think in time you could groom him into a solid NFL linebacker.

He would be an absolute steal.

Conclusion

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

DETROIT - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Jim Schwartz of the Detroit Lions reacts on a play near the goal line while playing the New England Patriots on November 25, 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Like I said before, the Lions don’t have too many picks in this draft, so they are going to have to make the most of them.

Obviously, as with any mock, this is only based on scenarios in which I think certain players will be off the board and other would be available.

But I think that if the Lions did draft these players, it would be extremely beneficial for the organization.

With these five picks, they would be filling some major needs on the roster and keeping it fundamental, but also would have the guts to take some risks.

I guess that’s the beauty of the draft, though.

The line you walk is very thin and one bad pick could put your organization back for years to come. But it could also be that missing piece that puts you over the top.

All we can do now is wait and see.

Follow Andrew on Twitter: @AKonSports