Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers did a great job with their first two picks.  Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short were great draft picks that will help add depth to their defensive line.  It will also help their linebackers make plays and keep the offensive lineman from making it to the second level of the defense and it will allow Charles Johnson to make more plays from the defensive end position.  The idea of Luke Kuechly, Jon Beason and Thomas Davis being unblocked is a scary thought.

Unfortunately that’s where the good part of this draft ends.  They didn’t help out their secondary at all, they didn’t find a receiver to line up opposite Steve Smith and they didn’t find a right tackle.  Drafting Edmund Kugbila adds depth, but taking him over Barrett Jones is ridiculous.  Instead of adding a wide receiver, they drafted a Kenjon Barner, who is a very good player, but they already have a crowded backfield.  With Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, two former first round picks, how are they going to get Barner the ball?  They could have taken a wide receiver earlier, which would have boosted a receiving core that consists of Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn, and Dominik Hixon.  That’s a group that doesn’t exactly scare anyone.  The biggest issue though is definitely in the secondary, they don’t have a good starting safety at either spot and Captain Munnerlyn and Josh Norman are now their starting cornerbacks.  Woof.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns did a good job setting themselves up for next year by trading a 4th round pick for a 2014 3rd rounder and a 5th round pick for a 2014 4th rounder.  Only problem is this means that they aren’t filling needs for this year during their rebuilding process.  Rather than using those picks to get players to develop now, they will have to draft and develop more players next year.  Barkevious Mingo will be a starter from day one on their defense, and Leon McFadden might start opposite of Joe Haden from day one as well.  Unfortunately the rest of their draft is brutal.  Having two picks in the first 5 rounds will not cut it and this team will be in contention for the number one overall pick next year, without a doubt.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t have a bad draft in the sense that they weren’t filling needs, they were just reaching on their draft picks and could have done better.  They drafted for depth and addressed needs later when they should have been doing it the other way around.  First off, they only received a 3rd round pick to drop from #18 to #31, huge whiff.  They could have taken any number of players to fill needs, such as Sharrif Floyd, Matt Elam or Jonathan Cyprien.  If they were going to trade down like they did, they needed to get more than they got.

At #31 they could have taken Jonathan Cyprien or Elam and then waited until the second round to draft Travis Frederick.  Yes, they do need a center because they had multiple players start at center last year, but they could have improved at another position or two before drafting Frederick.  Gavin Escobar was a decent pick, but again, he doesn’t fill a major need.  Jason Witten is getting older, but they still need starters to help out their secondary.  Terrance Williams will be a great third wide receiver, but J.J. Wilcox or B.W. Webb will need some seasoning before they can actually start.  Had they taken a safety earlier they could have completed their secondary and then added a third receiver later.  Bottom line, the Cowboys didn’t get a bad draft rating for drafting bad players, they just didn’t get good value for the picks and drafted for depth over starters at need positions.

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts had one of the best drafts last year and at first it didn’t seem that great, so I’m somewhat inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt here.  That being said, they run a 3-4 defense and Bjoern Werner is a 4-3 defensive end.  There’s no telling if he will be able to stand up and be an outside pass rusher, but he certainly can’t play defensive end in the 3-4.  Hugh Thornton and Khaled Holmes were good picks and will add depth to the offensive line, and Holmes is destined to be the starting center in the future if he can stay healthy.  The Colts should have added a cornerback to go along with Vontae Davis and Greg Toler, as well as a running back to go with Vick Ballard, because Donald Brown is garbage.  Rather than add any linebackers, they chose to see if they can move Werner upright and didn’t bother to get any solid depth players in the back seven on defense.  Werner is a good player, but I don’t see him fitting in very well.

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders did a good job trading down from the #3 spot to #12 but should have tried to get more than just a 2nd round pick, especially since they were planning on taking D.J. Hayden the whole time.  Maybe they tried and failed, but either way, to drop outside the top ten from that spot requires more than just a 2nd rounder.

D.J. Hayden has a ton of talent/potential, but he suffered a ridiculous injury last year and almost died.  The doctors said the injury he suffered was often seen in car accidents, not from football.  He’s not going to be ready to start or play right away and is going to need time to readjust to playing football again; he is a huge risk.  Getting Menelik Watson in the 2nd round was a very solid pick, especially because they need offensive line help, but again he’s a player that needs time to develop.

Sio Moore is a solid linebacker and Tyler Wilson will be able to add quarterback depth behind Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor, but they didn’t fill enough needs.  They didn’t address the defensive line until late and they are in dire need of a starting defensive tackle, even two, as well as another starting defensive end.  Nick Kasa can help at tight end, but they still could have used a starter earlier and they don’t have much wide receiver depth.  Juron Criner is an intriguing second year guy, but Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore are going to have to carry the load again which could be problematic.  The Raiders, like the Browns, are a team with a ton of needs and didn’t come close to filling them all.  They will likely be picking in the top three again next year barring a miracle.

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After the NFL Draft, people are inclined to give out grades and I think it’s tough to grade a draft when you haven’t even seen anyone play in the NFL yet.  The best way to go about it is to crown a few winners and losers, based on which drafts you like the best and who filled needs.  It takes a good 3-5 years to amply grade a draft, not 3-5 days.  There were a lot of good teams that drafted very well that didn’t quite make the cut; these are the five drafts that I liked the most in alphabetical order:

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens had a rough offseason, losing three of the starting four in their secondary, as well as three linebackers.  To revamp the defense they signed Michael Huff, Elvis Dumervil and Rolando McClain.   McClain was recently arrested and there is a chance his contract with the Ravens will be terminated.  In order to fill some of these holes, the Ravens targeted defensive draft picks and a lot of them.  The Ravens needed a safety to replace Bernard Pollard and Matt Elam will step into the strong safety role.  Like Pollard, Elam is a hard hitter and will make receivers that come across the middle pay, he’s not great in coverage, but he’s a great tackler.

Next up they moved up in the 2nd round to take Arthur Brown a very skilled linebacker that could have gone in the first round.  Picking Brandon Williams will give them more depth at nose tackle, just like drafting John Simon and Kapron Lewis-Moore will help on the outside.  Simon will probably stand up and play rush outside linebacker in the 3-4.  Ricky Wagner was another good pick to help out the offensive line depth, and could be a potential starter down the road.  The only improvement they could have made was draft a receiver to replace Anquan Boldin earlier, but they did a fantastic job revamping the defense.

Green Bay Packers

I always hate when a Lions inner-division rival drafts well and this is exactly what the Packers did.  They needed big defensive end to play in the 3-4 defense and Datone Jones is going to do just that.  Jones will help take pressure off their pass rushers, i.e. Clay Matthews and Nick Perry, and will allow them to make more plays, something that should scare opposing quarterbacks.

Another big need the Packers had was at runningback, so what did they do?  Picked up two of the top five running backs in the entire draft class.  Eddie Lacy fell to them because of injury concerns and then they added Johnathan Franklin, a highly underrated back, as insurance.  Lacy was thought of as the best running back in the draft and discussed as a first round pick during a good portion of the draft process.  David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter adds depth to their offensive line which has struggled with injuries, and Micah Hyde is another underrated cornerback who will add depth.

An intriguing pick is Charles Johnson, a wide receiver out of Grand Valley.  Johnson is a raw physical specimen who ran a 4.35 40-yard-dash at 6’2″ and has a 39 1/2″ vertical leap.  Johnson will have plenty of time to develop with the Packers current receiving core and he could turn out to be a steal.

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings had a highly successful draft, which again is unfortunate for the Detroit Lions.  Yes, they took a huge risk trading a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th for the Patriots 1st rounder to draft Cordarrelle Patterson, but it was worth it.  Sharrif Floyd fell down the draft boards into their laps and allows them to get some youth infused into their aging defensive line.  Floyd will great on their defensive line next to Jared Allen and he will be a disruptive force in the middle.

Xavier Rhodes is the taller type of cornerback that they like and he will be able to replace Antoine Winfield and will start immediately.  Cordarrelle Patterson is going to need some time to develop into a better route runner, but he will have an instant impact in the return game and can stretch the field on the outside.  Patterson may not be able to run a lot of routes, but him running in a straight line with his speed will be enough to back the safeties off the line of scrimmage.  This will keep the safeties out of the box and give Adrian Peterson more room to run, a very scary thought.

Then they drafted two solid linebackers in Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti, to help shore up the depth, and Hodges could even start in the middle.  Drafting a punter in the 5th round almost made me knock this draft into the honorable mention part of the post, but they at least took the best punter available in the draft and filled their four most important needs with their first four picks.  When you’re a playoff team with three first round picks and you fill your four needs with your first four picks, you can afford to waste an earlier pick on the best punter in the draft…I guess.

San Francisco 49ers

When a team like the 49ers had a ton of draft picks, you know they will make moves and make successful ones.  The 49ers may have taken Eric Reid earlier than most teams would have, but they had the picks and could afford to trade up and ensure they got the guy they wanted.  Reid will be used to replace Dashon Goldson at the free safety spot.

After Reid, the 49ers got a steal by taking Tank Carradine in the second round.  Carradine would have been a first round pick if he didn’t tear his ACL up so close to the end of the season.  Carradine will stand up as 3-4 outside linebacker and was a great value pick, and the same goes for Corey Lemonier.  Both Carradine and Lemonier will be great situational pass rushers and will certainly provide depth to their front seven.  Vance McDonald will replace Delanie Walker and will be the second tight end behind Vernon Davis.  McDonald is a very good blocker and will be a crucial part of the running game, even if he doesn’t have a huge impact in the passing game to start the season.

The 49ers then stepped up their game even more and continued to get good value with their picks of Quinton Patton, Marcus Lattimore and Quinton Dial.  Quinton Patton was thought of as a 2nd round prospect who fell, and his hard work will make him a Harbaugh favorite.  Patton isn’t an elite athlete, but he is a great route runner that can get separation.  I figured a great team would get Lattimore, because they would have the ammunition to take the risk.  The 49ers don’t have a need at running back, but they can let him have a full year to heal and not rush him back.  They essentially got the best runningback in the entire draft for a 4th round pick, provided Lattimore can come back from this injury.  Dial will add great depth to their defensive line and will help spell Justin Smith, who was a key part of the 49ers defense last season.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams had my favorite draft of the whole weekend.  They got the most explosive playmaker in the draft with Tavon Austin  and then helped their linebacking core by taking a calculated risk on Alec Ogletree.  Should they be worried about Ogletree?  Not after they kept Janoris Jenkins in line (mostly) and he was up for defensive rookie of the year.  Ogletree is one of the best coverage middle linebackers in the entire draft who can make a lot of plays on the field if he can stay out of trouble off the field.  Austin will give Sam Bradford an offensive weapon to work with and he will line up in a ton of different places on the field.

The Rams then added TJ McDonald, an underrated safety out of USC and Austin’s teammate Stedman Bailey in the third round.  I love that they got both West Virginia receivers, both are studs and they both know how to pay together.  The instant chemistry they will have is going to pay serious dividends for the Rams.  The only reason Stedman didn’t get drafted higher is because he doesn’t have elite measurables.  Bailey is 5’10″ and ran a 4.52 40-yard-dash, so many think he’s not tall enough for his speed or fast enough for his height to be drafted early.  They completely ignored his production, route running and his hands, all of which are crucial to evaluating a wide receiver and show Bailey is better than just a 3rd round pick.

Adding Barrett Jones in the 4th was another clutch pick.  Jones can play any position on the line and won a National Championship with Alabama at tackle, guard and center.  His stock fell because he had surgery on his lisfranc injury, an injury that has ended many players careers.  Zac Stacy will give them some more depth at running back, and Stacy was definitely one of the more underrated running backs in the draft.  I’m not saying Stacy will be the next Alfred Morris, but don’t be shocked if he contributes next year.  After all, Stacy did average 5.5 yards per carry playing for Vanderbilt against the college football elite in the SEC.

Honorable Mention: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans

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Unlike the Western Conference predictions these are on time, albeit barely.  This is one of the few years where I love all of the matchups and short of the Edmonton Oilers making the playoffs in the West or the Philadelphia Flyers in the East, it worked out fantastically.  The East is more balanced this year than it has been in years, which is probably partially due to the shortened season, but it is still great to see.  The Eastern Conference has been too top heavy for far too long.

Quarterfinals

#1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 New York Islanders

The Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders have some serious history.  Almost every time these two teams meet up, something crazy happens.  Sidney Crosby took a puck to the face against the Islanders, and who can forget this ridiculous fight night or the goalie fight between DiPietro and Johnson?  This series has a chance to be an instant classic, despite the fact that the Penguins are the far better team.  John Tavares has played well this year and so has Matt Moulson, but outside of these two the Islanders will struggle for goals.  Evgeni Nabakov has been very solid in net and is one of the key reasons that the Islanders even made it this far.  The only issue is, their defenseman aren’t good enough to stop the ridiculous attack of Jarome Iginla, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Chris Kunitz, Brandon Sutter and Sidney Crosby (when he is healthy again).  Penguins GM Ray Shero dumped a lot of future prospects and draft picks in order to make this Stanley Cup run and the Penguins are ready for it.  They were only missing grit and so they added Iginla, Brendan Morrow and Douglas Murray at the trade deadline.  As long as Marc-Andre Fleury doesn’t blow it, this Penguins team is going to be a runaway freight train. Penguins in 5

#2 Montreal Canadiens vs. #7 Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators would have likely gotten a top 4 seed if they had been healthy all year, but they have had major injury issues.  Jason Spezza has been out the whole year, Erik Karlsson sliced his Achilles and miraculously returned after two months and Craig Anderson has been battling some injury issues as well.  If Anderson is healthy enough to carry the load, then the Senators could be a force during the playoffs and could knock off the Canadiens.  The Montreal Canadiens may seem like a team that struggles to score goals without any marquee names on the roster but they were tied for third highest scoring offense with the Washington Capitals, only behind the Penguins and Blackhawks.  The Senators have struggled for goals and with Carey Price playing well in net for the Canadiens and Anderson’s health a question mark, the Sens will have to wait until next year to make their cup run.  Canadiens in 5

#3 Washington Capitals vs. #6 New York Rangers

The Washington Capitals got hot at the right time and they are led by their Captain and Hart Trophy Candidate Alexander Ovechkin.  Ovechkin struggled mightily to start the year and was shredded by Mike Milbury, but since March 17th he has scored 22 goals and led the NHL in goals with 32 to capture his third Rocket Richard Trophy.

Alex Ovechkin has twice as many goals as any other NHL player since March 17

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 23, 2013

MOST GOALS SINCE MARCH 17Ovechkin20Troy Brouwer10Rick Nash10Taylor Hall9Derek Stepan9John Tavares9

— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) April 23, 2013

Yes, those stats are from before the final games of the season, the Capitals played two games after that.  The important part though, is that Ovechkin has been on an absolute tear, and so has his teammate Troy Brouwer, the Caps have posted an 8-1-1 record the last 10 games.  The Capitals have been weak on the road posting a 12-10-2 record and have given up a fair amount of goals this year.  Their defense isn’t very deep and they have had issues in net.  Meanwhile, the Rangers have one of the best goalies in the planet with Henrik Ludqvist and retooled their roster at the deadline.  The Rangers have a solid balance with their forwards and defenseman skill wise, and don’t have one group that is better than the other.  Rick Nash will bring loads of excitement to the playoffs and I expect Lundqvist to be rock solid.  The Caps will have to cool off sometime and Lundqvist is the man for the job.  Rangers in 7

#4 Boston Bruins vs. #5 Toronto Maple Leafs

This series won’t have the same nastiness that a Bruins-Canadiens or Leafs-Canadiens playoff series would have had, but don’t think for a second that these teams aren’t major rivals.

Nasty tilt on the street outside TD Garden. Bruins fans likely hoping for the same feistiness inside for game 1.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 1, 2013

A fight in the streets before game 1?  Yeah, these fan bases hate each other, which makes their trade history with each other bizarre.  The Bruins traded Andrew Raycroft to the Leafs for Tuukka Rask, when he was a prospect and when the Bruins traded Phil Kessel, they used the picks to draft Tyler Sequin and Dougie Hamilton…pretty weird.  Onto the games though.  The Maple Leafs go around intimidating teams, though they are weak on the blue line and in net.  They have scored a lot of goals and have quite a bit of grit on the front end.  Unfortunately that grit isn’t going to help them with the Boston Bruins who have a fantastic roster and added Jaromir Jagr at the deadline.  The Bruins have been ice cold in their last ten games but matchup well with the Leafs.  Their defenseman are capable of shutting down any offense in the league and they’ll start off by quieting Phil Kessel and the Leafs.  Bruins in 6

Semifinals

#1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #6 New York Rangers

This would make for one of the better playoff series in a long time and most would have predicted this as an Eastern Conference Final matchup before the season started.   The Rangers have strong goaltending, good forwards up front and a solid back end, but unfortunately the Penguins do too.  The Penguins goaltending may be weaker, but assuming that Sidney Crosby is back, having one of the best players in the world healthy will help you win games.  Unless Marc Staal gets healthy and is able to play, the Rangers will have a tough time controlling the Penguins depth with just Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh.  The Penguins scoring depth will help lead them through this one, but it won’t be a cake walk.  Penguins in 7

#2 Montreal Canadiens vs. #4 Boston Bruins

This would make for an absolutely epic playoff series and the Eastern Conference Semifinals would be pure gold with these two series.  The Montreal Canadiens don’t have enough depth or strength on defense to contain the Bruins forwards.  P.K. Subban is great and Andre Markov is good when healthy, but that is not nearly enough to contain Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic, Jaromir Jagr, David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron…you get the point.  Unless Carey Price magically turns into the best goalie in the world, the Canadiens will not only struggle to score goals on Rask, but they will struggle to keep them out of their own net.  Montreal may have won the regular season series 3-1, but I don’t see Rask playing as badly during the playoffs as he did in those games.  Bruins in 7

Conference Finals

#1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #4 Boston Bruins

This would be a marquee matchup and the Bruins fans would have a little extra hate in store for the Penguins after they practically stole Jarome Iginla from them.  Marc-Andre Fleury has been known for his wildly inconsistent playoff series and I see this coming into play here.  Only once has Fleury had higher than a .908 save percentage in the playoffs and that was the lone year that the Penguins won the playoffs.  The Bruins are very deep on the blue line and if Tuukka Rask can play well, I see the Bruins matching up with the Penguins very nicely.  They have the depth on offense to stay with the Penguins and the depth on the blue line can keep Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at bay.  Zdeno Chara, Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg and Dougie Hamilton will help keep pucks out of the net while guys like Marchand and Bergeron make life hell for the Penguins.  Bruins in 7

Stanley Cup Finals

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #4 Boston Bruins

This would be the type of situation where I think the Bruins also matchup well with the Blackhawks and could beat them, except that they will run out of gas.  Their playoff run will be long if they are going to make it the Stanley Cup Finals and the Blackhawks could make quick work of a tired Bruins team.  Just like I said with Pittsburgh, Chara, Ference, and the rest matchup well with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, but the difference will be in goaltending and exhaustion.  I think Corey Crawford has been one of the best goalies in the league this year, how I’m not quite sure, and if he plays as well as he did during the regular season, I don’t see anyone beating the Hawks.  Toews, Kane, Marian Hossa and Brandon Saad will be too much on the front end, while Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Nick Leddy lock down the opposing forwards.  Another long series and the Bruins exhaustion coupled with the Blackhawks relentlessness will be too much for them and their run will be cut short.  Blackhawks in 6

Yes, this is a day late, but it’s still worth reading because a series is not decided after one game.  The shortened season made the regular season like a sprint and now they have rolled right over into the playoffs without much time off to stop and think.  Nothing better than some Stanley Cup Playoff hockey though.

Quarterfinals

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #8 Minnesota Wild

Game one was much closer than anticipated especially with Josh Harding taking over for Nicklas Backstrom who was injured in warm ups.  That being said, the Chicago Blackhawks are still the best team in the league.  Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa will be far too much up front for the weak Minnesota Wild defensive core led by Norris Trophy Candidate Ryan Suter.  As long as Corey Crawford doesn’t choke and blow it for the Blackhawks, this one will be over quickly.  Blackhawks in 5

#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #7 Detroit Red Wings

The Anaheim Ducks have had the second best goaltending duo this year with Viktor Fasth and Jonas Hiller.  Hiller will be the go-to guy in the playoffs, though I’m not sure it will be enough.  Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Bobby Ryan will have to lead the offense as usual and hope for more extra help from Teemu Selanne.  The defensive core is led by Norris Trophy Candidate Francois Beauchemin and Cam Fowler.  I’m not sure that they will be enough to keep Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in check though.  The Red Wings defense has been mediocre at best all year, but with the emergence of Danny DeKeyser and Brendan Smith, as well as the elevated play of Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson, they have a shot.  Jimmy Howard will have to be at his best if the Wings want to advance and their ability to win at home will help them pull off this upset, albeit barely. Red Wings in 7

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks finally don’t have any pressure on them and Antti Niemi has been hot all year.  The Sharks could string together a few wins thanks to the rotating door in net in Vancouver.  Roberto Luongo will get the start in game 1, but who knows if he will stay there the whole time.  Daniel and Henrik Sedin have had solid years, but the Canucks have been fighting injuries throughout the season, important players too.  The health questions of Kevin Bieksa and Ryan Kesler raise some huge red flags for the Canucks.  Meanwhile, the Sharks are healthy and ready to go.  Logan Couture has been a force all year and his elevated play has helped Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski.  Both teams have solid blue lines, but I think the difference will be in net, where the Sharks are hottest right now.  Sharks in 6

#4 St. Louis Blues vs. #5 Los Angeles Kings

You would expect the Los Angeles Kings to be the favorites in this series and you would be correct.  The defending Stanley Cup Champions had little roster turnover from last year and going into Tuesday’s game had won eight straight against the Blues.  The Blues have had issues in net all year, with Brian Elliott coming on strong as of late.  The Blues will struggle to score goals, especially with T.J. Oshie coming off an ankle injury.  The Blues blue line is deep, but the Los Angeles Kings forwards are deeper.  The skill from the Kings up front with Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown will be enough to overwhelm the Blues.  Kings in 6

Semifinals

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Detroit Red Wings

This matchup would mark the last time that the Red Wings and Blackhawks would ever play each other before the Stanley Cup Finals.  The Red Wings moving to the Eastern Conference is bad for this rivalry, but good for the Wings and I would love to see these two play one last time.  I think the Red Wings could matchup well with the Blackhawks, but they need to get Todd Bertuzzi back.  Not only that, but after a long series with Anaheim, they would be mostly out of gas.  The Red Wings have been leaning heavily on Jimmy Howard this year, and unless they start scoring they will be in trouble quickly.  The Blackhawks forwards up front are going to be too much for the Red Wings defensive core, which needs to be completely remade in the offseason.  Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook would lockdown Datsyuk and Zetterberg if no secondary scorers emerge and call this series a day.  Blackhawks in 6

#5 Los Angeles Kings vs. #6 San Jose Sharks

Again, the Kings are the deepest team in the NHL outside of the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins.  The only reason they are a 5 seed is because of their slow start due to a Stanley Cup hangover.  They’ve had ample time to get their stuff together and eventually Antti Niemi will run out of luck/gas.  Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the show and he will be able to put the team on his back again.  The Kings scored 131 goals in 48 games while the Sharks only put up 116 and the scoring depth will be the back breaker here.  Kings in 6

Conference Finals

#1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Los Angeles Kings

The Chicago Blackhawks have been the best team in the NHL all year and I don’t see a reason to believe that this won’t continue.  Chicago is one of the few teams that can match the Kings scoring depth (they had 155 goals in 48 games) and the tandem of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery has been the best in the league.  The Kings will run out of gas here, because they can only lean on Quick for so long.  Too often when they can’t score their defense breaks down and he has to bail them out.  Quick faced 889 shots in 37 games this year and eventually he is going to wear down, especially under the relentless attack from the Blackhawks forwards.  It will be a close series though, both teams matchup very well and have very similar make ups.  Blackhawks in 6

Drafting a punter in the 5th round is just a lazy pick.  They took a punter over Kenjon Barner and Andre Ellington and then drafted Theo Riddick.  There is a 0% chance that someone would have taken that punter if they didn’t take him right then and if someone does draft him, who cares.  It was that pick that showed the Lions organization doesn’t actually draft by best player available, even though they claim they do.  They actually don’t have any sort of logical draft strategy.  Once Denard Robinson got picked, they clearly didn’t know what to do, traded down and then realized they didn’t have a plan B and panicked.

The biggest issue is that in order for teams to be successful, you must be able to draft well late.  Hitting on 1st and 2nd rounders is how you stay out of the Top 5 (usually) but drafting well in the 4-7 rounds is how you win championships.  Just look at the Packers, Patriots, Giants, 49ers and Ravens.  Look at any organization that isn’t as inept at drafting as the Detroit Lions.  There were numerous players the Lions could have taken instead of a punter.  Jesse Williams from Alabama, would have added depth at defensive tackle.  Ricky Wagner an offensive tackle from Wisconsin to help add depth to the offensive line.  David Quessenberry, Cornelius Washington, Bacarri Rambo, the list just goes on.

Only TWO punters were drafted and when you have limited picks, it’s ignorant to draft a punter.  You can get steals in the last rounds and something tells me that this dude isn’t going to be the next Ray Guy.  And even if he is, I don’t care, I’d rather find the next Terrell Davis or Alfred Morris.  If the Lions had 15 picks and they used one of their compensatory 7th round picks on a punter, I wouldn’t care.  Hell, even if they used a compensatory 7th round pick on a punter this year I wouldn’t have cared.  But a 5th round pick is still a viable round to pick players that can contribute in some sort of fashion.  Sure Nick Harris sucked last year, but he only punted the ball 67 times.  Oh and this kid, Sam Martin, has never held for a left footed kicker before which is what we have with David Akers. Ridiculous.  This pick greatly frustrates me, not because punters are unimportant, but because the Lions need other players at other positions.  It’s almost the type of ineptness that makes me wish the Lions miss the playoffs and then they clean house. Almost.

Now onto the important stuff.

1st Round, 5th overall: Ezekial Ansah, DE, BYU

He was the one player I didn’t want the Lions to take with their first selection.  As a team that needs players that can help now Ziggy isn’t one of them.  Sure, three years from now he could be the best player to come out of this draft.  But he could also be back in Ghana working as a teacher if he doesn’t pan out.  He’s a project and has only started NINE football games in his career, let that sink in for a second.  Sure his measurables are off the chart and he has some serious potential, but you don’t use Top 5 picks on guys with potential.  Not when Dee Milliner and Barkevious Mingo, two proven players, are sitting there.  I get that Ansah fits the wide 9 and that they fell in love with him at the Senior Bowl, but I’ve never seen a player have such a meteoric rise based on two weeks.  If it weren’t for the Combine and the Senior Bowl, Ansah wouldn’t be getting drafted in the first three rounds, that’s just a fact. I’m not saying Ziggy is going to be garbage, but for a Top 5 pick, I have very low expectations for him next year.  I’ll just be happy if he is starting to be quite honest.

If you’re wondering who the defensive end that lined up opposite of Ansah and completely overshadowed him the whole game it was Cornelius Washington.  The Lions could have had both of them if they didn’t draft a punter.  Just saying.

2nd Round, 36th overall: Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State

Some people were surprised that Slay was selected ahead of his teammate Johnthan Banks, who won the Thorpe Award for best college defensive back.  Unfortunately for Banks, the NFL doesn’t care about college awards, they care about measurables.  Slay ran the fastest 40-time at the Combine, posting a 4.36 while checking in at 5’11 7/8″ and 192 lbs.  The Lions like their cornerbacks to be fast, typically those that run anything sub-4.4, which is why they stayed away from guys like Jonthan Banks and Jordan Poyer.  Which is too bad because taking Poyer in the 7th round would have been a solid value pick.  Slay is very good in man coverage and does a good job creating turnovers.  His only negative is that he is a JUCO Transfer and so most of his experience is against lesser competition, but he was dominant in the SEC last year.  I think that Slay will start opposite Chris Houston starting from day one and Bill Bentley or Jonte Green will play in the nickel spot.

3rd Round, 65th overall: Larry Warford, G, Kentucky

This was an absolutely fantastic pick.  Warford and Slay were my two favorite picks of this draft and the only reasons why I wouldn’t call this draft a complete and utter failure (slight exaggeration).  Warford is massive (6’3″ 332 lbs) and is a road grader with solid strength, putting up 28 reps on the bench at the Combine.  Warford will be the starting right guard next year.  The Lions appear confident enough in Riley Reiff to start at left tackle and that’s why they opted to take an offensive guard.  Obviously given his size, Warford isn’t extremely athletic, but he’s a very good blocker and is good in tight spaces.  He is a mauler and will be a beast up front and help open holes for Reggie Bush, while giving Matt Stafford more time to throw.

This is why Warford & interior OL is so critical. Stafford has to throw sidearm & cant step up due to inside pressure twitter.com/JamesALight/st…

— James Light (@JamesALight) April 28, 2013

4th Round, 132nd overall: Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina

This pick will always bother me, especially if Taylor doesn’t pan out.  I was begging for the Lions to take Denard Robinson here, and if Taylor doesn’t become a good pro, I’ll be furious.  There was no reason to think that Devin Taylor wouldn’t have been there at the top of the 5th round.  Taylor may be big (6’7″ 266 lbs) but he has an inconsistent motor.  He has long arms and is good at run blocking, but the fact that he only had 27 tackles and 3 sacks while lining up opposite Jadeveon Clowney is a problem for me.  Clowney commanded a double-team nearly every down and you’re telling me that Taylor wasn’t good enough to get more than 3 sacks?  Yes, the Lions did need another defensive end, especially with a serious lack of depth on the strong side.  I just think they could have taken Denard here and then five picks later taken Devin Taylor, rather than trade down.  Taylor had decent measurables, except for his strength.  He ran a 4.72 40-yard-dash, had a 35″ vertical and put up 14 reps on the bench.  Taylor will need to add some weight and strength this offseason.

5th Round, 165th overall: Sam Martin, P, Appalachian State

See above rant for my feelings about this pick.  All I know is Mel Kiper had this guy ranked as the 21st best punter in the draft and the only other punter that was drafted Mel had ranked #1.  Say what you want about Kiper, but I doubt that he was that far off when rating the punters in the draft.

6th Round, 171st overall: Corey Fuller, WR, Virginia Tech

Corey Fuller is an intriguing pick, but he is a bit of a raw prospect.  He’s a former track athlete who transferred from Kansas and then played two years of football at Virginia Tech.  He has pretty good size (6’2″ 204 lbs) and Fuller’s slowest reported 40-time was a 4.45, with his fastest being a 4.28, he put up 12 reps on the bench and has a 31 1/2″ vertical.  All very solid numbers for a wide receiver.  He put up respectable stats last year catching 43 passes for 815 yards with 6 touchdowns in eight games.  Fuller can play in the slot and on the outside, and my guess is that he is the eventual replacement for Nate Burleson.  He’s likely to start out as the 4th receiver, with Mike Thomas and Burleson ahead of him, and will shift to the 5th receiver spot once Ryan Broyles is healthy.

6th Round, 199th overall: Theo Riddick, RB, Notre Dame

This is the type of pick that irritates me.  It has nothing to do with him going to Notre Dame, I actually think Riddick is a decent player.  But is he better than Kenjon Barner or Andre Ellington?  No way.  If they don’t take Sam Martin then they could take Barner or Ellington and then draft the punter here.  It just doesn’t make sense, there is no way that the punter was that high on their board.

Riddick is probably the best pass catching runningback in the draft, because he used to be a wide receiver but the problem is he is slow.  I mean really slow.  He ran a 4.68 40-yard-dash.  Sure you don’t run in a straight line that often, but I mean that is one slow freaking runningback.  Riddick will be used as insurance for Reggie Bush and I wouldn’t anticipate him getting any significant amount of carries.  I see him as a player that will also motion out into the slot and catch some passes.  Riddick is a slower, less dynamic version of what Denard Robinson could have been with the Lions.  Riddick meanwhile, has better hands and is a more polished route runner…for now.

7th Round, 211th overall: Michael Williams, TE, Alabama

Michael Williams was a great pick by the Lions this late.  Tony Scheffler and Brandon Pettigrew are both free agents at the end of this season, and there is no guarantee that they will be able to keep both.  And in Pettigrew’s case, they may not want to keep him unless he comes cheap.  Williams is not going to be an elite pass catching tight end, but he is a fantastic blocker and is probably the best blocking tight end in the whole draft.  He’s a big body (6’5 3/4″ 269 lbs) and has solid hands, but not elite hands.  He’s not a game breaker speed-wise and will mostly have his impact felt as a blocker in the run game.  He could provide a red zone option, but don’t expect much, last year he only had 24 catches for 183 yards and four touchdowns.  This is another player, along with Ansah and Warford, that the Lions got to know at the Senior Bowl.

7th Round, 245th Overall: Brandon Hepburn, MLB, Florida A&M

I had hoped the Lions would take Chase Thomas the linebacker out of Stanford with this pick, but they decided to address the depth at middle linebacker instead.  I’m not even going to pretend like I know what this guy is like on the field, but here is what ESPN had to say about him:

Hepburn has a great frame and thick trunk, providing him with strong point-of-attack skills. However, he lacks ideal instincts and fluidity in space. He can provide depth, but will need to excel on special teams to stick around.

I’ve got no problem with this pick, Hepburn has decent size at 6’2″ 240 lbs and it fills a need.  Hepburn ran a 4.68 40-yard-dash, had a 32″ vertical and put up 21 reps on the bench at the Combine, so he is pretty athletic.  Looking for depth on defense and a special teams player is about all you can ask for when you have a compensatory 7th round selection.  Or you know, you could have taken a middle linebacker in the 5th round instead of a punter and then taken a punter here.  But I digress…

In case you were curious, Michael Williams and Sam Martin were the only Lions draft choices that were not invited to the NFL Combine and seven punters were invited.

I don’t really like to do Draft Grades because you can’t truly grade a draft until 3-5 years down the road, but my grade as of right now is a B-.  Could have been much better and could have been worse, barely above mediocre.

The Lions also signed a bunch of undrafted free agents and I was quite disappointed with who they signed except for Joseph Fauria.  Fauria was the starting tight end at UCLA and went to the NFL Combine.  I guarantee that he will make the team and the Lions will carry four tight ends, especially since they let Will Heller walk.  Fauria is 6’7″ 259 lbs, and had 46 catches for 637 yards and 12 touchdowns, a very productive season for a tight end.  Despite his size, Fauria isn’t a great blocker and will be more of a pass catching tight end in the NFL and he has pretty solid athleticism, posting a 4.77 40-yard-dash.

The rest of the Lions undrafted free agent signings are here:

Austin Holtz, OT, Ball State
Cody Wilson, WR, Central Michigan
Steven Miller, RB, Appalachian State
Michael Brooks, DL, East Carolina
Skyler Allen, C, Ohio
Alex Carder, QB, Western Michigan
LaAdrian Waddle, OT, Texas Tech
Jon Morgan, LB, Albany
Martavius Neloms, CB, Kentucky
Alex Elkins, LB, Oklahoma State

I would love for the Lions to draft Eric Fisher, I think he’s the best player in the draft.  He would be a stalwart on the left side for the next 10 years and would provide great insurance to protect Matt Stafford.  But, it really all depends on how they want to set their offensive line and who is available.  Adding Fisher would allow them to put Riley Reiff at right tackle to replace Gosder Cherilus or put Reiff at right guard.  I see the offensive line setting up something like this:

LT Eric Fisher LG Rob Sims C Dominic Raiola RG Riley Reiff RT Corey Hilliard

Reiff has great versatility and can play any position on the line except center so he is a huge asset.  Drafting Fisher would solidify the offensive line and allow them to target a defensive end or a cornerback in the 2^nd and 3^rd rounds.  If Fisher gets taken by Jacksonville or Oakland, the Lions could take Lane Johnson, the left tackle out of Oklahoma.  Johnson isn’t as pro ready as Joeckel or Fisher, but he would still be a great draft pick.  Johnson has rare athleticism for his size, but needs to develop more.

If the Lions can’t get Fisher and choose to pass on Johnson, my guess is they would look at defensive end and hope that Dion Jordan is still there (he won’t be) or Ziggy Ansah.  It’s a very real possibility that the Lions could pass on Johnson to draft Ansah, who Schwartz and co. coached at the Senior Bowl.  Ansah has a high ceiling, but unfortunately he is a developmental prospect and is basically the definition of a one-year wonder.  There are plenty conflicting reports about their interest in Ansah, but coaching him at the Senior Bowl was all they needed to know what they would be getting.

. @albertbreer linked #Lions and Ziggy Ansah at 5. I hear they love him. So, how much contact has he had with them? “None,” Ziggy said. Oh.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2013

Drafting a DE in the 1^st round would mean they need to look at guard or cornerback in the 2^nd and 3^rd round.  Passing on Fisher or Johnson if they are there would ultimately guarantee that they are comfortable with Reiff and Hilliard at the tackle positions and they could look at a guy like Larry Warford out of Kentucky in the 2^nd round or perhaps Justin Pugh from Syracuse to put at guard.  Pugh played left tackle in college, but is better suited for guard.

Cornerbacks they could look at in the 2^nd round, if they choose to pass on a guard, would be Jonthan Banks out of Mississippi State, Jordan Poyer out of Oregon State, or DJ Hayden out of Houston.  Banks saw his draft stock slide after a poor 40 time, but pairing him with Chris Houston would be a great combination of size and speed.  Banks is 6’2” and would be perfect to combat the bigger receivers in the league.  They could also target David Amerson out of NC State in the 3^rd round, who saw his stock slide after a poor season this past year.

Martin Mayhew has said many times that cornerback isn’t a priority, so should the Lions pass on Milliner then there is a slim chance they would look to draft a cornerback in the 2^nd round.  Then again this is the NFL Draft, there are smokescreens and lies being spread everywhere and I think that Mayhew is lying about how good he thinks the Lions corners are…at least I hope he is.

Obviously there are a multitude of possibilities for the draft but the crucial aspect is that they use their first three picks to fill the holes at defensive end, guard or tackle and cornerback.  Wide Receiver is another position of need, but it is a deep draft at receiver.  There isn’t a ton of high-end talent and probably a maximum of three receivers will go in the first round, but once you start getting down to the third and fourth round there will be plenty of options.  Terrance Williams, Denard Robinson, Da’Rick Rodgers, Kenny Stills and Ace Sanders would all be fantastic options from the 3^rd round and on.

With Tony Scheffler and Brandon Pettigrew becoming free agents after the 2013-2014 seasons, they will probably look to target a tight end towards the end of the draft, and Levine Toilolo out of Stanford or Phillip Lutzenkirchen out of Auburn would be solid choices.

The Lions also have issues at outside linebacker, but they seem to be content letting Ashlee Palmer, Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy be the starters.  Michael Mauti out of Penn State will be available later in the draft and he would be a good selection to add depth along with Tahir Whitehead and Travis Lewis, two of their draft picks from last year, though Mauti plays mostly in the middle.  Jelani Jenkins, a linebacker out of Florida, would be another great piece to help out the linebackers, but he will likely be gone before the 4^th round is over.

The retirement of Jason Hanson opens a massive hole at kicker.  Hanson has been extremely reliable during his prolific 21-year career when he became the NFL’s 3^rd overall leading scorer, among other records.  The Lions signed David Akers, but there’s no reason to think that he won’t have any competition in training camp.  They could decide to draft a kicker with a late pick and could look at Dustin Hopkins out of Florida State or Caleb Sturgis out of Florida, but I think that the signing of Akers makes this highly unlikely.  It’s too bad that Hanson is retiring and it will be strange to see someone else kicking full-time for the Lions now.

The Lions picks are a 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, compensatory 4^th, 5^th,6^th, 7^th, and a compensatory 7^th.  Eight draft picks for their needs at offensive line (guard or tackle), cornerback, defensive end, wide receiver, outside linebacker, and tight end.  I know the Lions don’t draft on need and draft based on best player available, but being able to fill those six needs, along with their free agent signings could be enough to take this team back to the playoffs.

It’s obviously impossible to predict the draft, but if I could, I’d want the Lions to go 1^st: Eric Fisher, then 2^nd round CB/DE, 3^rd round CB/DE, 4^th round OLB, 5^th round WR, 6^th round TE and then anyone they want with their two 7^th round picks.  Obviously with them drafting by best player available, this sequence is highly unlikely, but one can dream can’t they?

My 7 Round Mock Draft for the Lions is a pipe dream, but here it is anyways:

1st Round: Eric Fisher, LT, Central Michigan
2nd Round: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
3rd Round: David Amerson, CB, NC State
4th Round: Jelani Jenkins, OLB, Florida
5th Round: Ace Sanders, WR, South Carolina
6th Round: Omoregie Uzzi, OG, Georgia Tech
7th Round: Michael Mauti, ILB, Penn State
7th Round: Levine Toilolo, TE, Stanford

This draft is huge for Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz, another season of missing the playoffs could end both of their tenures in Detroit.  This team is far too talented on the offensive side of the ball, especially with the addition of Reggie Bush, to not make the playoffs.

Related: NFL Scouting Combine Recap Day 1: Offensive Linemen, Tight Ends, Special Teamers
Related: Denard Robinson’s NFL Scouting Combine Recap
Related: NFL Scouting Combine Recap Day 2: Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, Running Backs
Related: NFL Scouting Combine Recap Day 3: Defensive Linemen and Linebackers
Related: NFL Scouting Combine Recap Day 4: Defensive Backs
Related: The Losers of the NFL Scouting Combine
Related: The Winners of the NFL Scouting Combine

[Photos via: Philly.com, USA Today, ESPN]

The turning point in the game was either when Mitch McGary got his 4th foul with 9:11 left or when Trey Burke has one of the cleanest blocks in the world called a foul, which was his 3rd with 5:09 left.  Take your pick.

The referees were dog shit.  You could say horrible, brutal, or pathetic, but it still isn’t quite the right adjective.  They were just simply dog shit.

This journey through the tournament will still be a memorable one, and is absolutely something to be proud of.  But this team will always be remembered as a team that came up just short.  I’m not faulting them or saying that this season was a total loss, this team went further then I ever could have dreamed.  I thought they always had potential but there were still question marks about how successful they could be.  They struggled on the road and lost to a horrific Penn State team, but come tournament time there was a huge change.  Obviously the major catalyst for the change was the play of Mitch McGary.  His enthusiasm and dominance in the post was evident and he developed over the last three weeks more quickly than anyone I have ever seen in my entire life.  Trey Burke was terrific for most of the tournament, and played well when he needed too, save for the Syracuse game.  Spike Albrecht took over for Nik Stauskas and shot the lights out of the gym during the National Championship game and it looks like Derrick Walton won’t be starting as soon as people may have thought.  It was an impressive development on all aspects and yet, they still came up short.

This trip for me will always be a memorable one.  The scene in Atlanta was simply incredible and their setup was phenomenal.  Bracket Town was solid and the free concerts in Centennial Park were great.  I’ll always remember checking out the Zach Brown Band, Macklemore and Flo-Rida, as well as going to the World of Coca-Cola and the Aquarium, but something will always be missing.  The trip will always be remembered as a good one, but never a great one.  

There are quite a few sports related items on my bucket list and seeing Michigan basketball win a National Championship in person is one of them.  To see your alma mater cutting down the nets and celebrating with the trophy must be magical.  There are always moments that are better when experienced in person and this is one of those moments.

What else is on my sports-related bucket list you ask?

• See Michigan hockey win a National Championship in person
• See Michigan football win a National Championship in person
• See the Detroit Lions win a Super Bowl in person
• See the Detroit Red Wings win a Stanley Cup in person
• See a no hitter in person
• See a perfect game in person

You get the idea.

Sure there are other things on the list that aren’t sports-related and seemingly more attainable than witnessing a perfect game, but they’re not as exciting or satisfying.  Not in the long run anyways.  I’ve already been skydiving and while it was pretty insane and exhilarating to jump out of a perfectly fine airplane, it still isn’t the same as seeing your team win it all.  When I went skydiving I wore all Michigan apparel and my last action before jumping out of the airplane was screaming “Let’s Go Blue” at the top of my lungs.  It’s how I was born and bred to be.

Perhaps it’s because Michigan basketball went through such dark times that I wanted this so badly.  I remember my first basketball game in Crisler, November 26th, 1996.  My Papa had four season tickets that were given to him because Fritz Crisler owed him a favor and they were right in front of Bo Schembechler’s seats.  Michigan was playing Ball State and Robert “Tractor” Traylor (RIP) shattered the backboard right by our section.  It’s my first memory of Michigan basketball and I’ll never forget it, I’ve loved this team ever since.

I remember the Steve Fisher days.

I remember when the Ed Martin scandal broke.  Some of my favorite players legacies were tarnished.  To this day Louis Bullock and Tractor Traylor are two of my favorite players to ever don the Michigan uniform.

I remember the Brian Ellerbe and Tommy Amaker days too.

I remember cheering on Louis Bullock, Tractor Traylor, Maurice Taylor, Maceo Baston, Leon Jones, Jamal Crawford, LaVell Blanchard, Bernard Robinson Jr, Lester Abram, Brent Petway, Daniel Horton and Dion Harris.

I remember going to Michigan basketball games when Crisler was only 1/3 full and everyone was completely disinterested.  The student section was sparse, and the Alumni couldn’t have cared less.  The idea of a practice facility and Crisler no longer looking like a pit were a dream.  The days of camping out for games to sit in the student section seemed to be a fantasy.

John Beilein rebuilt this program and I will be forever thankful; so should the rest of you.  This team has restored some of my childhood that was taken away because of Ed Martin.  That 1998 Big Ten Tournament Championship has been vacated and it’s the only one that Michigan has won in my lifetime.

Right now it sucks.  It hurts.  I started writing this as we were driving back from Atlanta at 2:00 AM because we couldn’t stand to stay there any longer.  It’s awful to think that they came so close and yet were so far away.  Soul crushing is the best way to put it.

But at the same time, this team gives you hope for the future.  Beilein at the helm with an immense amount of talent makes me excited.  This team could be great again next year, maybe even win a Big Ten Tournament Championship that has been so elusive.  The team this year brought the Fab Five back together and even got all of them in the same building to watch a game, even if it wasn’t all together.  A Fab Five reunion was needed and this team made it happen through their improbable run.  You could say that this team marked the end of the healing of the Michigan basketball family.  It was broken and it has been a slow process putting it back together.  But I think we can finally say that the relationships have been fixed, and the family is back together.

I just hope that this means there will be a championship in the future and I really hope that I’m fortunate enough to be there when it happens.  I will always bleed maize and blue until I die.  Sports may affect my life and emotions more than they should, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.  What’s the point in watching if you aren’t going to fully invest yourself?  Sticking with your team through the ups and downs is the only way to do it.  You shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy the good times if you can’t put up with the bad.  Plus, dealing with the bad just makes the good that much sweeter.

No matter what the future holds, Forever Go Blue.

Reppin’ Michigan twitter.com/realchriswebbe…

— Chris Webber (@realchriswebber) April 9, 2013

twitter.com/realchriswebbe…

— Chris Webber (@realchriswebber) April 9, 2013

Some other great reads about the game:

USA Today

Grantland

Martin Mayhew confirmed that the Lions are probably done with the big name contracts in free agency. No big surprise there.

— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) March 18, 2013

The Lions made a huge splash in free agency and have set themselves up pretty nicely for the 2013-2014 season.

Signings/Re-Signings:

Reggie Bush- Bush was the major signing that the Lions desperately needed.  Bush will serve as a replacement for Jahvid Best and will be an excellent addition to the passing game.  Bush won’t be expected to be an every down running back or get 25 carries a game, but if you give Bush 15 touches per game he will be extremely effective.  Rather than running a draw behind a slow offensive line with a slow runningback, the Lions will have another burner in the backfield.  With safeties playing deep trying to cover Calvin over the top, there will be fewer players in the box and allow him to have more open running room.  Bush can catch very well out of the backfield, and finally adds a difference-maker at runningback that they have been missing since Best was concussed.

Reggie Bush’s 4-year, $16M deal has a $4M signing bonus. His ’13 cap number is $2M.

— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) March 13, 2013

Glover Quin- Quin was a huge pickup in the secondary.  He was a 4th round pick out of New Mexico in 2009 and he started playing some corner when he came into the league.  He can also play free safety and strong safety.  His versatility and play-making ability is going to be great for the Lions, especially now that they re-signed Louis Delmas who will stay at free safety.  Quin is very good in coverage, a solid tackler and a very welcome addition to an atrocious secondary.

Glover Quin’s contract with the Lions was for five years, $23.5M for a $4.7M a year average. He got $5.25 M signing bonus. #Texans

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 14, 2013

Jason Jones- Jones is a local guy from Detroit and went to Eastern Michigan.  Coming home seemed like a no-brainer for Jones and the Lions were highly interested from the start.  Jones can play both defensive tackle and defensive end.  He was drafted in the 2nd round by the Tennessee Titans and so he is familiar with the defense that the Lions will be running under Schwartz.  The Lions lost Sammie Lee Hill (interestingly enough to the Titans) and haven’t signed Corey Williams, so I’m guessing he’s going to be playing a lot of defensive tackle.  The good news is he can play anywhere on the line and is going to see a lot of playing time this year.

According to sources, Jason Jones deal with the Lions is for 3 years, $9.5 mil #FreeAgency

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 13, 2013

Louis Delmas- Re-signing Louis Delmas was a solid move, especially given the fact that they can’t use the draft to fill all of their needs.  When Delmas is healthy he is the heart and soul of the defense, even if he does miss a lot of tackles.  If Delmas can play more in control and make more tackles, while staying healthy, the Lions will have an excellent pair of young safeties.

Two years, $9.465 million for S Louis Delmas in Detroit wp.me/p14QSB-7CLD

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 15, 2013

Losses:

I don’t really count Gosder Cherilus or Sammie Lee Hill as losses per se, merely just players that open up more roster spots that the Lions need to fill.  Teams way overpaid for Cherilus and Hill and will regret their massive contracts a few years from now.  The same can be said about Cliff Avril because I don’t want a rush defensive end that thinks he is worth $10 million and only gets 10 sacks a year.  I’m glad the Lions did the prudent thing and saved money by letting all three players walk.

Meanwhile, Jeff Backus retiring all but convinces me that the Lions will be drafting Eric Fisher at #5, the left tackle out of Central Michigan.  Then they could put Riley Reiff at RT or RG and Corey Hilliard or Jason Fox at RT.  It would help them solidify their offensive line for the future and despite their need for a rush defensive end, a #1 corner and a starting outside linebacker, protecting Matt Stafford is key.  Without protecting Stafford the Lions offense will not be able to run the way it is supposed to and more importantly it won’t keep him healthy.  They can find a solid corner in the top of the 2nd round of the draft and the same goes for defensive end.  Defensive end is an extremely deep group this year and while Dee Milliner may be the only elite cornerback there are plenty of other solid players to take.  This free agent class has set them up nicely for the draft and for the upcoming season.

Ziggy Ansah (DE/OLB, BYU):  It came out after the Combine that Ziggy Ansah didn’t actually train for the NFL Combine at all, and he only went to class and worked out.  His first vertical jump and 40-yard-dash time ever were done at the NFL Combine, which is simply unbelievable and definitely unheard of.  Ansah’s only experience in football came in college and so he is an extremely raw prospect.  His performances at the Senior Bowl and the Combine were nothing short of impressive and he showed fantastic quickness.  Ansah tested off the charts, clocking a 4.63 40-yard-dash, 34.5″ vertical, and 21 reps on the bench, all at 6’5″ 271 lbs.  Ansah will go very early in the draft based on potential alone, even if he needs more time to gain experience.  He has the chance to be another Jason Pierre-Paul, although he isn’t as polished as JPP was entering the NFL.

Terron Armstead (LT, Arkansas Pine-Bluff):  Armstead was a little heard of prospect coming into the Senior Bowl and the Combine, but he changed that with one simple workout.  At 6’5″ 306 lbs, Armstead ran a blazing 4.71 40-yard-dash, put up 31 reps on the bench and had a 34.5″ vertical.  When he was running I thought he should cut about 20-30 lbs and become a tight end, and apparently on his Pro Day there are teams that want him to work out at tight end too.  You can’t teach the kind of athleticism Armstead displayed, and he showed that he has a rare set of athletic skills at the Combine.

Tyler Bray (QB, Tennessee):  Tyler Bray had a sub-par season at Tennessee and personally I thought he should stay in school for another year; it wasn’t like things could get worse for him in my mind.  After getting past the legal trouble though, Bray threw at the Combine and threw well.  With the exception of Geno Smith and EJ Manuel, I thought he threw the best of anyone at the Combine.  His measurables were nothing special, but the fact that he showed off his arm strength and did a great job of displaying accuracy and touch completely trumps all of that.  He had very smooth mechanics and besides, it’s not like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning are burners.

Knile Davis (RB, Arkansas):  Two years ago Knile Davis was talked about as an up and coming star running back.  Then he blew out his ankle in fall practice and missed a full season.  This past year was one of the worst season’s in Arkansas history, and Davis did nothing to jump off the page.  It seemed as though his ankle injury claimed his athleticism and ruined his potential…and then he showed up to the NFL Combine.  Davis was one of the biggest freaks the whole week, posting a 4.37 40-yard-dash, 31 reps on the bench and a 33.5″ vertical leap, which is incredible for a running back.  He weighed in at 5’10″ 227 lbs and looked very quick in and out of the drills.  Not only that, he was very smooth catching the football, which is almost a requirement now for NFL running backs.  His ankle didn’t hamper him at all, and his athleticism was on full display for all to see.

Eric Fisher (LT, Central Michigan):  Eric Fisher has had a meteoric rise since the Senior Bowl, where he completely dominated every competitor that came his way.  At the Combine, he did nothing except continue to challenge Luke Joeckel’s hold on the title of being the best left tackle in the NFL Draft.  Fisher was very smooth in drills and looked more athletic than he had on tape.  Fisher ran a 5.05 40-yard-dash, 27 reps on the bench, and a 28.5″ vertical, all at a massive 6’7″ 306 lbs.  I’m a big Fisher fan, and have trouble seeing him falling out of the Top 5 right now.

Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida):  Floyd has been a stud for the past year and in my mind, I see him as the best defensive tackle in the draft; especially now that Star Lotulelei has been diagnosed with a heart condition.  Floyd weighed in at 6’3″ 297 lbs, ran a 4.92 40-yard-dash and posted a 30″ vertical.  He was extremely quick off the ball and did a good job of keeping his hips low during drills.  Since he chose not to bench press, I will be interested to see how he does during his Pro Day, though I don’t think a bad number would hurt his draft stock.

Margus Hunt (DE, SMU):  Other than Ziggy Ansah, Margus Hunt was the most talked about player at the NFL Combine.  Hunt weighed in at 6’8″ 277 lbs and that already drew the interest of the NFL.  Then he got on the field and was unbelievable.  He ran a 4.6 40-yard-dash, had a 34.5″ vertical, 121″ broad jump and then put up 38 reps on the bench.  Clearly, Hunt is on another level when it comes to size and athleticism.  He showed that he was quick off the snap and clearly was strong, but he is a bit raw.  A lot of times he stands up too tall and loses leverage, but this is something that is correctable.  His Combine performance has vaulted him into 1st round consideration.

Lane Johnson (LT, Oklahoma):  Johnson showed up at the Senior Bowl and was very good. He wasn’t as good as Eric Fisher and has some work left to do, but with his athleticism, it is possible that if he pans out he could be the best left tackle to come out of the 2013 NFL Draft.  He showed up at the Combine, and like many others on this list, he wowed scouts with his size and athleticism.  At 6’6″ 303 lbs, he ran a 4.72 40-yard-dash, put up 28 reps on the bench and had a 34″ vertical.  Johnson had an unorthodox road to becoming a left tackle.  He started off as a junior college quarterback, then transferred to Oklahoma to play tight end, who eventually moved him to left tackle.  While he lacks experience at left tackle, his athleticism bails him out of a lot of situations and makes him a lock to be a first round pick.

Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon):  There were concerns about Jordan’s weight prior to the Combine, since it was reported that he played most of the year at Oregon at 225 lbs, which is a very small defensive end.  He showed up to the Combine and clearly spent a lot of time in the gym because he weighed in at 6’6″ 248 lbs, and alleviated any concerns about his size.  Jordan, to his benefit, didn’t lose any athleticism when adding the weight either; running a 4.6 40-yard-dash, posting a 32.5″ vertical leap and a 122″ broad jump.  He didn’t bench press, so his strength is still a bit of a question, but as I’ve said many times, you can’t teach speed.  He also has tremendously long arms, measuring at 33 7/8 inches.  You can have Jordan hit the weight room, but you can’t guarantee that someone will get quicker off the ball.  Jordan could end up playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense like Aldon Smith, but you can bank on Jordan’s athleticism getting him picked high in the draft.

Tyrann Mathieu (CB, LSU):  Next to Manti Te’o, Tyrann Mathieu was the prospect that was under the microscope the most at the NFL Combine.  After getting kicked off the LSU football team, entering rehab and then getting arrested for another marijuana issue in the fall, Mathieu had questions to answer.  During interviews, Mathieu said that he no longer wants to be referred to as the “Honey Badger” because that part of his life is behind him, and he seemed genuine about wanting to change.  It seems as though the most recent arrest made him realize that he needed to clean up his act.  Mathieu is obviously a smaller player, weighing in at 5’9″ 186 lbs, and will be a nickel corner in the NFL.  Mathieu ran well, posting a 4.5 40-yard-dash, and as always been known for being quick rather than fast.  He had a 34″ vertical, showing that he can still cover ground against taller receivers and had the best ball skills during the Combine drills.  He didn’t drop a single ball that was thrown to him and did a great job high-pointing the ball.  But another area of concern for Mathieu was his bench press, where he only posted 4 reps.  Which raises the question, what had Mathieu been doing in the weight room for the past year?  Despite this though, Mathieu still raised his stock a great deal and did pretty much everything he needed to do to ensure a team will take a chance on him.

Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama):  Dee Milliner was already the consensus best cornerback going into the Combine.  The only concern was his speed and he ran a 4.37 40-yard-dash and then added a 36″ vertical leap.  Add in the fact that he is 6′ 201 lbs and teams were salivating to say the least.  Although he dropped some balls during the defensive back pass catching drills, you can chalk that up to his torn labrum.  It was a very good Combine for Milliner who was fluid in his drills and showed off his athleticism.  The only thing he has left to do is have successful surgery on his labrum.

Denard Robinson (WR, Michigan): Rather than rehash everything Denard did, who had a very good day, check out my massive post recapping his day at the Combine.

Ryan Swope (WR, Texas A&M):  Swope had a very productive career at Texas A&M and it was thought that he could be a great slot receiver, but his Combine performance proved it.  Swope weighed in at 6′ 205 lbs and then posted a blazing 4.34 40-yard-dash with a 37″ vertical, 125″ broad jump and 16 reps on the bench.  All of which are fantastic numbers for a wide receiver.  Swope did a great job catching the ball in drills and showed his quickness and fluidity running routes.  Swope’s athleticism has teams thinking that he could be the next Wes Welker, only taller.

Honorable Mention: Desmond Trufant (CB, Washington), Cornelius Washington (LB, Georgia), Tavon Austin (WR, WVU), Matt Elam (S, Florida), Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame), DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson), Robert Woods (WR, USC).

All of these players have secured themselves spots in the draft and their impressive Combine numbers were a huge part of this and made them the “winners” of the NFL Combine.  All of these players showed off their rare athleticism, and while this draft may not have a clear cut Top 5, this draft has depth that hasn’t been seen in a while.

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Johnthan Banks (CB, Mississippi State):  Banks won the Jim Thorpe Award last season for being the nation’s best defensive back.  Banks had a good year and was good on film.  He’s a bigger corner, but unfortunately for him, he showed up to the Combine and ran a horrible 40-yard-dash.  Putting up a 4.6 40-yard-dash as a cornerback is a huge issue, because it raises questions of whether or not he can keep up with opposing wide receivers.  Banks then added only 10 reps on the bench and a 34″ vertical, which only raised more questions about his strength and athleticism.  He’s going to need a solid Pro Day to repair the damage he did to his stock at the Combine.

Collin Klein (QB, Kansas State):  Klein was asked by the NFL to workout with the Tight Ends and with the Quarterbacks, but unlike Denard Robinson, he doesn’t see his quarterback career ending in college.  Klein elected to throw at the Combine and showed off brutal mechanics and sub-par arm strength.  Klein was penciled in to be a late round pick but after refusing to switch positions and then performing poorly, I’m not sure if the Kansas State star will even get picked at all.  He ran a 4.78 40-yard-dash and is 6’5″ 226 lbs, so a position switch to tight end is the only way to save his NFL career.  Time for Klein to get a reality check and save his future.

Sam Montgomery (DE, LSU):  Montgomery performed very well during the drills, but it was his interviews that hurt him.  During his press conference, he admitted to taking plays off against lesser competition which was a terribly stupid thing to do.  Teams don’t want to hear about the times you took plays off and they want you giving 100% at all times.  Montgomery taking plays off obviously makes sense given the list that was posted by an LSU Administrator’s office though.

Montgomery ran a 4.81 40-yard-dash at 6’3″ 262 lbs, and was very fluid going through his drills and showed good quickness of the snap.  His stock shouldn’t be hurt too terribly, but teams will be concerned about his attitude and potential to be a bust because he takes plays off.

Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M):  My guess is Damontre Moore would like to go back in time and re-do his week at the NFL Combine.  Moore never showed that he was a speedy player on film, but posting a 4.95 40-yard-dash time was bad for him.  Almost as bad as putting up a measly 12 reps on the bench press.  He showed some quickness during drills, but was very stiff in his movements.  The play that he showed on film did not show up at the Combine and that is going to raise questions about his abilities.

Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia): Alec Ogletree is a freak on tape and in the weight room.  The only thing that is holding him back is his legal issues.  Unfortunately for him, he added a DUI to his resume just prior to the Combine, and this will undoubtedly hurt his stock.  If he can stay out of trouble he will be in great shape.  He’s essentially this year’s Janoris Jenkins, a guy that could win rookie of the year if he can keep his act together.  Ogletree performed well on the field, running a 4.7 40-yard-dash and put up 20 reps on the bench, but showed that he needs to improve his coverage ability.

Stepfan Taylor (RB, Stanford):  Taylor was a very productive runningback in college, but at the Combine he showed off that being a college runningback could be all that he is going to do in his career.  Taylor weighed in at 5’9″ 214 lbs, posted a 4.76 40-yard-dash and posted 17 reps on the bench.  His vertical was 30 inches which raised more questions about his athleticism.  He had trouble catching the football in drills and obviously had a serious lack of quickness.  Taylor will be limited as a powerback that plays in short yardage situations and it will be tough for him to do more than just share carries.

Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame):  Te’o started off the week very well.  It began with his press conference where he faced the media in person for the first time and handled all of his questions very well.  He seemed to be open and honest with the reporters.  Unfortunately for him, once he got on the field, it was all down hill.  He weighed in at 15 less pounds than he was listed at during the season, meaning that he cut weight to run a better 40-yard-dash time.  He didn’t do so, and posted a very slow 4.82 time.  He didn’t lift at the Combine, and it was likely because he was cutting weight to run faster and knew that if he benched he wouldn’t be as strong.  During drills he looked very stiff and slow, and then was the only player at the Combine that offered an excuse saying the pressure got to him and that’s why he was slow.  You mean to tell me only one player of the 330+ that were invited complained?  It makes me wonder if he is mentally tough enough for the NFL.

Chase Thomas (LB, Stanford):  Thomas is a very good linebacker on tape.  He makes a lot of plays and is certainly a good player.  Unfortunately for him he was very slow 4.91 and overall an unathletic linebacker.  He posted 18 reps on the bench, and a 32″ vertical at 6’3″ 244 lbs is troubling.  He struggled in the coverage drills and didn’t show very good quickness during the drills.  Thomas will still get drafted because of what he put on film but he has some ground to make up and needs to perform better at his Pro Day.

There were some other players that were losers at the NFL Combine, but more so because of injury/health issues than poor workouts.  I almost included Matt Barkley in this group, but apparently he’s thrown very well since the Combine and had great interviews all week, so he didn’t really fit the bill of hurting his stock.

Jarvis Jones (OLB, Georgia):  Jones health was flagged medically for his Spinal Stenosis which is essentially a narrowing of the spinal column.  He didn’t work out during any of the drills, and there are some teams that are worried about whether or not he will last in the NFL.  Spinal stenosis has ended many players careers, most recently Marcus McNeill, who was a Pro Bowl left tackle for the San Diego Chargers prior to being forced into retirement.  It will be interesting to see how his Pro Day goes and how concerned teams are with his long-term health.

Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah):  During his medical exams Lotulelei showed that he has a heart condition where his left ventricle only pumps at 44% power.  How he was able to play football this past year with this condition is utterly beyond me, and the NFL wouldn’t let him work out at the Combine once the condition showed up during their tests.  Lotulelei draft status is completely up in the air until the results from meeting with a specialist become public.  I hope for his sake he gets cleared medically and is able to pursue his NFL dream.

As always, the NFL and the media puts too much stock into players measurables and a bad Combine isn’t necessarily the end of the world.  That being said, all of these players had bad weeks and could use a very good Pro Day to make up for it.