Detroit Lions 2011 NFL Draft: Delayed Thoughts on Nick Fairley and Company

Nick Fairley instead of Prince Amukamara. Mikel Leshoure over Brandon Harris. These are the reasons why I have maintained radio silence since the draft. In the heat of the moment, I could not understand why the Lions would overlook such pressing needs and select a defensive tackle in the first round, and a running back in the second.

That trade, which destroyed my hopes of the Lions selecting Curtis Marsh or K.J. Wright in the fourth round, drove me further toward depression. I spent the next day wallowing in despair (that may be a slight exaggeration).

However, almost one week on from the most important day in the football year, I am a convert. And in the remainder of this article, I hope to help any others struggling with the picks get enthused for the 2011 season, and a great year for Detroit football.

Nick Fairley

While my first reaction to this pick was, "Did they forget that Amukamara was on the board?" there is an unmistakable logic to this pick. Fairley has no medical red flags, and I doubt that his motor will be allowed to run hot and cold with Kyle Vanden Bosch mentoring the young man. The only other issue with Fairley is his strength, and after a season or two in the NFL, he will be as powerful as anyone.

As the best pass rusher in the draft, he was a definite steal at 13th overall. He was just as much of a reason for the success of Auburn last year as Cam Newton. He should develop into an even better pass rusher than Ndamukong Suh is in the NFL. He is faster off the snap, and more explosive in tight spaces.

What he will provide the Lions is amazing depth on the defensive line. On passing downs, the combination of Cliff Avril, Suh, Fairley and Vanden Bosch will be a nightmare for even the best offensive lines, and Schwartz could even play both Suh and Fairley at end on rushing downs to create a run stuffing line.

The addition of another All-Pro tackle also allows Schwartz to run a similar defensive line rotation to what he used in Tennessee. Suh played almost 1,000 snaps last season, and Schwartz would like to bring that down to about 650.

All in all, this was in fact a great pick. Fairley will see almost no double teams all season, and may very well be the Lions' second consecutive defensive rookie of the year.

Titus Young

I always liked this pick. Before the draft I thought that Young was the clear-cut third best wide receiver in the draft, who may even be a better pro than Julio Jones. He has quick-step speed, which translates to the football field far better than Jones' sprinters gait, and possesses safe hands and great route running skills.

The Lions could play him in the slot as a Wes Welker clone who can take the small catches and pick up yards after the catch, or they could play him outside the hash marks as a fast, deep threat player much like the Philadelphia Eagles use DeSean Jackson.

Mikel Leshoure

This is the worst pick in my mind. While I do not doubt that Leshoure will be a good pro back who combines power with acceleration and agility, the loss of the fourth-round pick was questionable in my mind. It was a deep draft for cornerbacks and linebackers, and the Lions could have drafted a potential Day 1 starter on the third day.

However, if Leshoure becomes a quality pro who can deal with the tough yards and provide the Lions with a 1,000-yard rusher, then the pick cannot really be criticized. This would allow Jahvid Best to become a wild card player who could be lined up as a receiver or at running back, much like how Reggie Bush has been used by the New Orleans Saints.

Day 3

The Day 3 selections finally started to hit home on some of the serious defensive pre-draft needs of the Lions. While I question why they did not get a cornerback, as they have the least depth there, the selections of Doug Houge and Johnny Culbreath.

Both are athletic players who, with some coaching, could develop into starters down the road. Houge is athletic, strong and shows his only uncoachable weakness in blitzing, something the Lions linebackers rarely did last year, and will do even less with the addition of Fairley. Culbreath is a big body who could potentially play left tackle if it works out perfectly, but at the least should be a solid tackle backup.

Conclusion

Overall, the draft was actually a great one. The Lions now have all the offensive skill players they need, and one of the best defensive lines, at least on paper. It will turn from great to amazing if free agency starts and Mayhew can land either or both of Stephen Tulloch, Johnathan Joseph or any other good free-agent cornerbacks or linebackers.

I know that a draft cannot really be graded for three or four years, but since everyone is doing it, I would give the Lions draft an A-minus grade. Although they did not fix many of their needs, they draft great players who should all be first day contributors. The best pick was undoubtedly Fairley, and the worst was Leshoure, solely because of the trade.