On the wake of the 2013 NFL Draft there are still a lot of unanswered questions. The Detroit Lions have the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft and who they will pick is still a mystery. In recent drafts the first overall pick is signed before the draft begins so that the team may solidify their pick. However this year is a complete toss-up.
This year the draft isn’t loaded with star athletes who will be the face of a franchise but the surrounding pieces necessary to be successful. With the top 10 picks circulating mock picks no one really knows who will be going number or for that matter picking number one.
The Lions have one of the biggest question marks for this draft. Whether they will choose an offensive lineman, defensive lineman, cornerback, linebacker or trade up or down is still a mystery. Even experts don’t know exactly what is going to happen. A likely pick for the Lions would be an offensive tackle such as Luke Joeckel out of Texas A&M, Eric Fisher from CMU or Lane Johnson from Oklahoma. With the retirement of long time starter, Jeff Backus and the loss of starting right tackle Gosder Cherilus to the Indianapolis Colts, offensive line would make a lot of since for the Kitty Cats.
Offensive line has been a need for Detroit for the past decade if not longer. The Lions picked up Riley Reiff in last season’s draft and it appears he could be a solid lineman. If the Lions could get their hands on one of the top three offensive tackles in this year’s draft, Detroit could potentially solidify part of their line for the next 10 years or so.
Another position experts say the Lions could be looking at is defensive end. In the past three years, the Lions have picked two defensive linemen in the first round. Detroit is known for drafting the same positions in consecutive years with their continuous drafting of unproductive wide receivers (omitting Calvin Johnson). The prospects that some have the Lions picking up with the fifth pick are Ziggy Ansah from BYU, Dion Jordan from Oregon who isn’t likely to still be available, or they could trade for a later draft pick and draft Barkevious Mingo from LSU.
Those picks are believed to be the most probable if the Lions stay at the number five pick. However players like cornerback Dee Milliner from Alabama or linebacker Jarvis Jones from Georgia could spark the interest of the Felines.
Recent reports by the Detroit Free Press say the Lions are looking to move down in the draft. This would add a whole new group of prospects for the Lions and an addition pick or player as compensation for the fifth pick. Whether Detroit picks fifth or 15, this draft could have major impacts on this franchise and their future.
