Detroit Lions 2010 NFL Draft Grade
DETROIT
1.2 Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Suh is a beast and was the right call over Okung considering the difference in their overall abilities. I was in the Okung camp early on, but I just think the chasm between their ceilings is too vast to pass on a guy this special. He’ll immediately make the defensive ends better, and though he does need some coaching, he’ll be an incredible player for a long, long time. GRADE: A
1.30 Jahvid Best, RB, California
The aggressive move for Best was a one that will instantly add a dynamic dimension to this offense and a great backfield duo with Kevin Smith. St. Louis wanted him, and the Lions had to move up considering the questions surrounding whether or not Smith will be ready. Just worried about the injuries. GRADE: B+
3.66 Amari Spievey, CB, Iowa
Spievey was one of the most underrated players in the draft. He’ll start for Detroit soon. His open-field tackling prowess is a vastly underrated quality and they really needed corner help. This was a steal if you ask me, even though he comes with some off-field issues. GRADE: A-
3ROUND GRADE: A+
4.128 Jason Fox, OT, Miami
Again, Detroit is picking a talented player with major injury red flags. Fox has everything you need to be a talented protector up front, but his polish is lacking after missing so much time on the sidelines. If he’s healthy, he’s a good pick in the fourth. GRADE: B
7.213 Willie Young, DE, NC State
I’ve never been high on young. I think he’s strictly a pass rusher, and he may not be good enough there to make an impact in the NFL. Nothing wrong with taking a chance here, but I think there were better overall ends in the draft, especially since they already have Cliff Avril. GRADE: D
7.255 Tim Toone, WR, Weber State
The 2010 Mr. Irrelevant is an interesting pick. He won’t contribute as anything more than a return man in my opinion, but with the last pick of the draft, it’s nice to have a little fun drafting a guy that probably didn’t think he’d hear his name called. GRADE: C
Best Pick: Ndamukong Suh
Worst Pick: Willie Young
Sleeper Pick: Amari Spievey
FINAL ANALYSIS
I love the Detroit draft. I think they should have looked to shore up the offensive tackle spot a little earlier, but this O line is better than advertised, even if it’s not there yet. Suh is a once-in-a-lifetime talent that will energize and revitalize this defense and this team. He’s the kind of player you just don’t pass on when you’re already set at quarterback. Suddenly this D line is pretty decent. Best is an electrifying back that this team hasn’t had since a guy who I won’t even name in the same sentence until the Cal rookie has proven himself. But he was the right call for a team in need of a ball-carrier. I think Spievey was one of the most underrated players in the entire draft, and he fills a major need at corner. Watch for him to get on the field very early.
Getting at least some offensive line help earlier than the seventh round, unlike last year, was a good thing. And Fox won’t be rushed onto the field; he’ll be given time to ferment and get healthy. He could be a mild steal in the fourth. Tim Toone is a pick I won’t rag on too much, though I thought it was pretty harsh for the fans to boo the old guy announcing the pick. Mr. Irrelevant should be someone no one’s heard of before. Really not high on Willie Young, and I think he’s too frail to develop into a real player, but his value is pretty high in the seventh.
People will complain about ignoring the issues on the O line yet again, but Rob Sims makes this line much better in pass pro, and that’s going to help. Having Jahvid Best on offense will add a completely new dimension to this unit, and the Lions are getting close to dangerous. Really interested to see what kind of impact Suh can have on the entire defense. This team got better this offseason in a big way, but there’s some real risk involved with Best, Spievey, and Fox.
FINAL GRADE: A-
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