'New is Always Better' Mock

[Honalulufan20]

As very few of you may have noticed I havn't posted in upwards of a week because of a high school Model UN trip to Germany. While being there i thankfully missed the Lions MNF loss to the Bears as well as Game 1 of the World Series, but was just in time to see USC get upset, which was nice and Michigan stall out, not so nice.

As my Welcome Back gift to you all here is a mock draft

Free agency-
Sign TE Dustin Keller to 3 year 9 million
Sign WR Josh Cribbs to 2 year 5 million
Sign OG Andy Levitre to 4 year 24 million
Resign Gosder Cherilus to 3 year 6 million
Resign DeAncre Levy to 4 year 20 million
Resign Louis Delmas to 4 year 15 million
Resign Christ Houston to 3 year 9 million
Resign SLH to 3 year 6 million
Resign Joique Bell to 2 year 1.5 million

Cut Dominic Riolia - saves 4M
Cut KVB- saves 3M
Jeff Backus retires
Nate Burleson Retires
Jahvid Best Retires

Trade Cliff Avril to JAX for 2nd
Trade Brandon Pettigrew for a 4th

Draft- Lions finish 6-10
1- Xavier Rhodes CB FSU- Lockdown corner who has good size at almost 6-2 and is a willing tackler. Shut down Michael Floyd in ND-FSU bowl game to just 3 catches in the first 3 quarters before exiting the game.

2- TJ McDonald S USC- Monstrous and athletic safety who delivers jarring hits to receivers and running backs alike. Great cover safety with good range.

2- Chase Thomas OLB Stanford- Smart, athletic linebacker who can rush the passer and is a decent cover-linebacker. Played well against elite competition against USC making a critical sack late in that game against Matt Barkley.

3- De'Anthony Thomas RB/WR/KR Oregon- Playmaker. That's really all I have to say. Devin Hester in the return game, Jahvid Best out of the backfield, and a good pass catcher as well. Homerun hitter who ran the fastest 200M dash in the nation and the Oregon track coach recommended the Olympics to him. Questions of his durability arise from being small statured but with Leshoure, Joique Bell and another RB later in this draft, Thomas would receive no more than 12 touches a game between offense and special teams, and I can't see that wearing down on him throughout the season.

*Trade*
2014 3rd and 2013 7th
3- Brandon Jenkins DE FSU- An elite pass rusher from the Seminole defense and could easily replace Avril. He's a senior who missed his last year, sadly, with a season ending foot injury and will likely fall towards the end of the 2nd day of the draft.

4- William Gholston DE MSU- Big DE who had a great season just a year ago but hasn't quite lived up to that standard, despite the fact he has been affective. Falls to the fourth as he does have a reputation as being a "dirty" player.

4- Marcus Davis WR Virginia Tech- 6-4 235 and runs a 4.48 forty, a truly remarkable athlete with great size and has experience as a #1 WR with the Hokies and would have much better production with better, more consistent QB play. Could play on the outside as a #2 in a few years and be an affective weapon lining up as a tight end or being a solid redzone threat.

5- Marcus Lattimore RB South Carolina- The best runningback in college football falls to the 5th with elite size and good speed. super strong and has hands as well. But he falls because of the gruesome knee injury just yesterday as well as his injury on his other knee last year. With two bad knees Lattimore falls all the way to the 5th.

6- Damion Square DT/DE Alabama- A contributor to the 'NFL' caliber defense at Alabama. Has the versatility to play DT or DE and has drawn comparisons to Jason Jones.

The theme of this draft is clearly playmakers on offense and defensive corner stones and depth. We added another power/short yardage back in Lattimore late, an explosive player in Thomas in the 3rd and then a #2 physical wide receiver in Davis in the 4th.
On Defense, a true #1 shutdown corner was added, which is critical, a high caliber safety to pair with Delmas was added and the a Durant replacement who could easily exceed his play was also added. 3 defensive lineman, all of whom can rush the passer were needed to replace the 3 we lost and are considerable upgrades. Jenkins has potential to be as good as Avril, but don't count on that, Gholston will likely be better than Vanden Bosch is this year, and then Square is a developmental guy, but with SLH stepping up and us already having Fairley and Suh, that's not a problem.

With this offseason having added 4 playmakers on offense, two playmakers on special teams (Cribbs and Thomas) and then 6 defensive players, 5 of whom could have an instant impact, as well as getting a sure handed tight end and a potential pro bowl guard, this offseason puts us right back in the midst of chasing the NFC North division title.
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[DetroitSpirit]

Why does every draft have to remind me that we probably won't get Xavier Rhodes? :/

[Dwight_Schrute]

I'm a fan of the draft, though skeptical of Gholston. He has shown me nothing this year. There is less risk in the 4th though.

The only complaint I have is trading away Pettigrew for a 4th round pick. Dude has proven to be more valuable than that. I'd hate to downgrade at the position.

[Sllim Pickens]

Well Deanthony Thomas is a true sophomore so he can't be drafted. I doubt Gholston comes out after the year he has had, and Lattimore is a waste of a pick at this point. The gruesome knee injury will make him lucky to walk again, let alone run and cut. We don't need to waste picks on guys with major injury concerns. Also, in the 1st, I think we will have a shot at Milliner or Banks and would prefer either of them over Rhodes.
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Adopt-A-Lion - Riley Reiff, OT/TE/FB

[TheROARisBACK]

It was a dislocated knee, not sure how serious it will be longterm, but I remember reading he is eligible for a redshirt. So I doubt he'll leave.
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[X_Factor_40]

[Lions017]

I don't agree with trading Pettigrew. I know that he's not perfect, but he's worth having on the roster. The only reason to trade him would be to clear up salary, and I don't think that what he's making will break the bank.
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Signature by Speed Blue.

[IDOG_det]

[X_Factor_40]

[Whiffleballtony]

That is, IMO, terrible value for Grew. He is far more valuable to this team IMO even as a #2 TE.

[DrRay11]

[bigc421]

Why do people always have us making all of these trades for picks in there mocks? Just for the purpose if them having more picks to play with? Its not realistic. I dont even know if we have the rights to trade avril at this point but even if we do know one is giving up a 2ndharden rd pick for a player without a contract whom is known to want a contract that exceeds his worth.

Also some of those contracts are plain ridiculous. The lions will not be picking in the top10 for anyone who thinks othere wise....the writing is on the wall for at least 1 nfc wildcard team to get in at 9 wins and the lions look to have as good a chance as any at this point..nfc north has very good chance at gettin both wc spots

[DrRay11]

[skatebeanz]

[mijags]

id be for mayhew trading alot to move up and get dee milliner.......this is the draft where we solidify the secondary.