It truly makes me sad that I even have to share this piece to you. After all, whether you like it or not, Matthew Stafford is and will be the Detroit Lions quarterback for the foreseeable future, as he should be.
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Did Stafford struggle in 2018? Absolutely, but guess what? Put any quarterback in the league on the Lions offense in 2018 and the results would not have been much better.
Anyways, the Lions finished 6-10 last season and the Stafford haters have once again emerged in full force and they have begun recruiting others to their cult.
Many of those haters insist the Lions trade Stafford immediately (completely moronic idea considering the cap implications) and draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Now, hopefully, you are educated enough to realize just how counterproductive it would be select a quarterback in the first round when there are PLENTY of bigger needs, but if not, Kent Lee Platte (The Math Bomb) of POD took the time to publish a 7-round mock draft which includes the Lions selecting a QB at No. 8.
Note: Kent is not advocating for the Lions to select a QB, he is simply proving to the Lions community that doing so would be a big mistake.
Here is who Platte envisions the draft playing out if the Lions were to select a QB at No. 8.
1 – Dwayne Haskins (QB) Ohio State
2 – Amani Oruwariye (CB) Penn State
3 – Kahale Warring (TE) San Diego State
4- Damien Harris (RB) Alabama
5 – Darius Slayton (WR) Auburn
6 – Anthony Nelson (DE) Iowa
6 – Miles Boykin (WR) Notre Dame
7 – Sione Takitaki (LB) BYU
7 – Hjalte Froholdt (OG) Arkansas
As you can see, if the Lions were to take a QB at No. 8, it could pretty much destroy their draft. Granted, it probably would not look quite as bad as what it looks like above.
If you want to read Platte’s entire piece (I highly recommend it if you think the Lions should draft a QB in round 1) please click here.
To see what the perfect Detroit Lions mock draft would look like, check out the Bonus Content below!
BONUS CONTENT:
Full Detroit Lions 2019 ‘Perfect’ NFL Mock Draft Vol. 2
The 2019 NFL Scouting Combine is just about in the books, the prospect measurables are in, and it’s time to put together another mock draft based on the Detroit Lions current roster situation.
You are going to see a ton of mock drafts out there but it is ultra-important to remember that free agency has not even started and that will largely determine how NFL teams attack the NFL Draft.
That being said, the Lions biggest needs as we speak (in my opinion) rank as follows.
- Edge Rusher
- Cornerback
- Tight End
- Wide Receiver
- Running Back
Round 1, Pick 8
Ed Oliver (DL) Houston
I have said for a long time that I would absolutely love for the Lions to take Michigan DL Rashan Gary with their first round pick but I honestly do not see him falling to No 8.
That being said, there are a plethora of talented players at the top of this draft and if the Lions can land Ed Oliver out of Houston, they will have done well for themselves.
From The Draft Network:
CONS: Cheats his assignment at times. Gets upfield in a hurry and can sometimes widen his gap as a result. Doesn’t have great length and will get chest-to-chest with opponents at times. Repertoire of moves could be deeper. Wins more with athletic ability and raw power than refined hand usage. Will spin to get off blocks at times, turning his back to the line of scrimmage. Rumors are he plays at sub-280, which could concern teams projecting him out against better/bigger competition.
Round 2, Pick 11 (43 overall)
Irv Smith Jr. (TE) Alabama
The Detroit Lions absolutely must take a tight end early in the 2019 NFL draft but they absolutely should not use their No. 8 pick in the first round on one. What they should do is hold off into the second round and grab Irv Smith Jr. out of Alabama.
From The Draft Network:
Not many tight ends in college football can hold a candle to what Irv Smith did this season for Alabama. 710 yards, seven touchdowns and an average of 16.3 yards per catch are all eye-popping numbers which led to Smith wisely bolting for the NFL following the National Championship Game. There his athleticism, smooth routes and strong blocking skills should translate quickly into a versatile starting tight end.
While Smith may lack elite explosiveness, he still has the speed to win vertically as a flexed receiver while being one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft. The risk of drafting him is minimal, especially if he tests as well as expected. Smith may never be a top 2-3 tight end in the NFL, but he’s fully capable of being among the best in the next tier.
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