2012 Detroit Lions NFL Draft: Target Offensive Line Prospects at Every Position

With the Detroit Lions playing so well this season, the days of Top 10 draft picks, or even Top 15, appear to be over. However, the Lions still need to revamp their offensive line, which has been failing to protect Matthew Stafford or open up running lanes inside.

The Lions have also avoided adding talent to this positional group in recent drafts, passing on Russell Okung in 2010 and Nate Solder, Anthony Castonzo and Stefen Wisniewski last year.

With this in mind, it means that the Lions will have to spend most of the early rounds of the 2012 draft selecting offensive linemen.

Therefore, this article will focus on the prospects available to the Lions. Note that I have not included Jonathan Martin or Matt Kalil, as they will both be gone within the first 15 picks.

This article will highlight a first- and second-choice player that the Lions could draft in the first two days for every position on the offensive line.

Enjoy! 

Left Tackle: Bobby Massie (Ole Miss)

While Jeff Backus has not been as bad as advertised this season, he is over the hill and needs to be replaced with a young protege. That could definitely be Bobby Massie, the Ole Miss stud offensive tackle.

Massie has been playing right tackle for Ole Miss this season, possibly because of his 6'6" and 320 lbs frame. He is also blessed with long arms and the athleticism to be a blind side protector. Massie is a good drive blocker in the run game and has the balance and quick feet to keep his quarterback clean as a pass protector.

It is fair to say that I have fallen in love with Massie as a prospect.

It all began one sunny afternoon while watching the Alabama-Ole Miss game. While I had tuned in to watch D.J. Fluker, the most impressive tackle of the day was undoubtedly Massie.

He was nearly perfect in pass protection, even when going against NFL first-round prospects like Courtney Upshaw. He also made his presence felt in the running game. Best of all, because of the lesser coverage he has received, he will probably be a second-round pick at the earliest if he declares for the draft.

This would allow the Lions to pick up a blue chip offensive guard or right tackle in the first before addressing their issues at left tackle.

The one downside with Bobby—he is a little green to start from day one at left tackle in a pass-heavy offense. However, Backus is still serviceable, and Massie could be given the reins at right tackle for a season before being thrown into the fire against the elite pass rushers.

Second Option: Mike Adams (Ohio State)

Mike Adams actually has a far higher ceiling than Bobby Massie, and could turn out to be the second best offensive tackle in the 2012 Draft.

Not bad for someone likely to be a second-round pick.

However, his bust potential is also quite high. He has been criticized for his lack of work ethic and lazy technique. As this is a position that the Lions cannot miss on in the draft, they would be better served going with Massie, a player more likely to become a viable starter at left tackle.

But if the 6'8" Adams bulked up and shored up his technique, he would be a monster. He has the long arms and quick feet to let him control elite rushers like DeMarcus Ware off the edge and stonewall power players like Justin Smith at the line of scrimmage. 

Left Guard: Cordy Glenn (Georgia)

This is the position of the Lions line the least in need of an upgrade, as Rob Sims is both young and a solid performer. Nevertheless, the Lions could do with more young talent on the interior of the offensive line, and Cordy Glenn would provide starter-quality potential in the second round at either guard spot.

Glenn was a hyped guard last year, but the move to left tackle has not helped his draft stock.

Nevertheless, as a guard he has the tools to be an All-Pro. He is surprisingly athletic for a 6'5", 350 lbs man, and this has allowed him to play (albeit not that well) at left tackle in college. He is long-armed and slides well. Also, with all the weight behind him, he rarely gets driven back off the snap.

He is also a bear of a run blocker who can engulf his opponent and push him off the line. He is not so proficient on the move when trapping or pulling, but if he drops his weight to a more reasonable 330 lbs he should improve his mobility.

Glenn could step in and start from day one at either guard position and provide the sort of mauling presence that the Lions running backs must be desperate for without sacrificing pass protection. If he drops to the early second round, the Lions would be mad not to make a move for him.

Second Option: Lucas Nix (Pittsburgh)

Nix does not have the bulk or athleticism of Glenn, and because of this will be more of a third- or fourth-round pick at this stage.

This does not mean that he could not mature into a viable starter down the road.  

He is not the same brick wall that Glenn is in pass protection and has had his share of struggles pulling at the second level, but he is a powerful in-line blocker who can hold up against power in pass protection and make running lanes. This in itself would intrigue the Lions' front office.

Center: Peter Konz (Wisconsin)

Konz is possibly the best center prospect to enter the draft since Nick Mangold, and if history is anything to go by, he should be available late in the first round when the Lions are making their first selection. While Mike Pouncey may have been taken 15th overall last year, with the talented interior offensive linemen in the draft, it is unlikely he could go that early.

Konz comes from the great production line of offensive line talent that is Wisconsin and has been a starter since his freshman season. Now, as a 22-year-old kid with 28 starts to his name, he headlines a deep center class.

Konz is a big player at 6'5", 312 lbs, yet is still athletic enough to be a top-class pulling blocker in the run game. While this and his skill blocking at the second level are his great strengths, he also has the power to deal with nose tackles in the run game. This would be a welcome relief after the recent struggles of Dominic Raiola.

In the passing game Konz is solid but still has some technical improvements to make. However, he has the anchor to not get driven back by defensive linemen and the length and quick feet to consistently block athletic three-technique tackles like Nick Fairley.

Konz would be able to step up to be a day one starter for the Lions at centre. While there may be a few growing pains with his snap placement out of the shotgun and his line calls, it would be a small price to pay for his blocking prowess.

Second Option: Mike Brewster (Ohio State)

While not the same talent as Konz, Brewster is another tall center at 6'5", 305 lbs. His body will probably continue to fill out more. Although he will never have the same bulk as Konz, he should be a large center when all is said and done.

Brewster does not have the power or pulling athleticism of Konz in the run game but is still one of the better run blocking centers in the draft. He has enough strength to hold the biggest defensive tackles in college to the line of scrimmage and does a great job at maneuvering to create running lanes even when overpowered.

In contrast, Brewster is by far the better pass protector.

He is a wall who can consistently stop pass rushers in their tracks and is adept at reading blitzes and picking up his man. Brewster has also shown a better understanding of line calls than his Wisconsin rival, although this could be due to his extra starting experience. 

In reality, either player would be a day one starter who would fix the Lions woes at centre. It really comes down to what the Lions want at the position and how the cards fall on draft day. In all, a late second-round pick on Brewster may be a better move than a late first rounder on Konz. 

Right Guard: David DeCastro (Stanford)

DeCastro is probably most Lions fans' dream first-round selection. He is a blue chip prospect who is the best interior offensive lineman to hit the draft since Nick Mangold. With this in mind, it could conspire that the Lions will be unable to select him unless they trade up because of the increased value of interior offensive linemen.

Yet since hope persists, I will put him on the list.

The main reason why he could fall to the late first round is because of the other talented and more athletic interior offensive linemen like Kelechi Osemele, Cordy Glenn, and Peter Konz. These large players are favored by zone blocking teams, and they could force the smaller DeCastro into the welcoming arms of the Lions' front office.

DeCastro is a star in both the running game and the passing game, and his success comes down to his technique and smarts.

He constantly wins the leverage battle when run blocking and is also as good as anyone in the draft when blocking on the move. He is more agile than his 6'5", 310-lbs frame would suggest and is able to consistently create running lanes inside with a combination of his power and intelligence.

While DeCastro is a great run blocker, he is even better in pass protection. He has a great anchor which stops him from being driven back by defensive tackles and also is very quick off the snap. He can redirect with his long and quick arms, and he has the awareness to pick up secondary targets when he has dealt with one.

DeCastro would be invaluable to the Lions in making a playoff run. He would provide solidity in a weak right guard position and improve the Lions' ability to run inside the tackles and keep the pressure from coming up the gut.

Second Option: Senio Kelemete (Washington)

Kelemete is the exact opposite of DeCastro. While the later is a plug-and-play prospect, Kelemete is likely to need a year of seasoning before he is ready to be an every down starter.

However, for what is likely to be a third- or fourth-round pick, he offers tremendous upside.

While he is raw after being a defensive player in high school and a tackle this season, he is an immensely powerful player who is quick off the snap, quick footed in pass protection, and very good blocking on the move and at the second level. With this skill set he could mature into a Pro Bowl starter.

Right Tackle: Kelechi Osemele (Iowa State)

Although most of the draftniks out there are promoting Osemele as a guard prospect, his performance as a left tackle for the Cyclones has intrigued me in his potential as a right tackle. If he could play the position in the NFL he could provide amazing run blocking on the right side of the line, which would be welcome after the inconsistent performances of Gosder Cherilus.

Osemele has started more than 30 games in college and has out-of-this-world potential at guard or right tackle, mainly because of his impressive athleticism despite his 6'5", 340-lbs bulk.

He has played well at left tackle in college, and this is testament to his quick feet and ability to mirror edge rushers in pass protection. While he lacks great technique, this should improve in time. He is also hugely strong, which allows him to easily absorb college bull rushes.

In the run game, it is not surprising that Osemele is dominant as an in-line blocker. His size and strength allow him to have his way with defensive ends and create plenty to space to run outside him. This would be invaluable if Jahvid Best gets back on the field for the Lions, as he does the majority of his damage on outside runs where he can highlight his speed and agility.

The selection of Osemele, which is likely to be in the first round, could also bring the best out of former first-round pick and bust Gosder Cherilus. Making another first-round selection in his position may make him work harder and pay out on his immense potential.

This would effectively fill two positions, as Osemele could then be a standout right guard and replacement for Peterman.

This has been proven in the past—for example, the drastic improvement in Drew Brees' performances once the San Diego Chargers picked Phillip Rivers. If this happened, it would also lessen the risk of Osemele busting as a tackle, which is significant.

Second Option: Zebrie Sanders (Florida State)

Sanders is a tackle with more finesse than Osemele and will make his money with good pass protection and decent run blocking.

He rarely overpowers defenders but is quick off the snap, gets in good position to wall off defenders, and is very good blocking at the second level. There is also a slight chance that he may mature into someone capable of manning the left tackle position. He is far less of a boom or bust prospect than Osemele but is unlikely to ever be a pro bowl-caliber player, merely a solid one.