Prior to the start of the 2011 NFL Draft, there was a lot of talk about the Lions defensive needs — most notably in their secondary. So after they took defensive tackle Nick Fairley in the first round, I was hopeful — and almost certain — that day two of the draft would bring a promising cornerback or outside linebacker to the Motor City.

Well, I was wrong … again.

With the 44th overall pick in the draft, the Lions selected wide receiver Titus Young out of Boise State. Young will be the Lions 3rd receiver behind my husband … errr … Calvin Johnson, and Nate Burleson.

Apart from Prince Amukamara, I didn’t have my sights set too high on any one prospect, so I was sort of impartial to this pick. Though, admittedly, I didn’t know much about Young prior to the draft. He looks promising though.

Young possess good speed and great hands and though many have compared him to Eagles WR DeSean Jackson, my dad sees a lot of Marvin Harrison in him. And, well, there’s worse people you could be compared to. If he can live up to those expectations, I suspect the Lions will be pretty lethal down field.

During his time with the Broncos, Young caught 25 TD passes, more than half of which were from 40 yards or more out.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew on Young:

“The guy’s an explosive playmaker,” Mayhew said. “He’s a stick of dynamite. He’s got speed; he’s got great hands. Another guy who we were really happy to see on the board at our turn to pick. He’s got a role in our offense right now. He’s going to probably have an opportunity to step in as that third guy. We haven’t had great production from that spot the past couple years and we think Titus is the kind of player who can solve that problem for us.”

So that’s cool, we picked up a potentially very promising WR. Surely we’ll use our 3rd-round draft pick to address our glaring defensive needs. Oh, wait, no that’s wrong too. Instead, the Lions gave Seattle their third- and fourth-round picks and flipped slots in the fifth and seventh rounds to acquire the 57th overall pick. And with that pick they selected RB Mikel LeShoure from Illinois.

I like this pick — a lot actually. In my mock draft, I had Detroit taking him 44th, so I was happy to see him still around late in the 2nd. LeShoure brings some much needed depth to the Lions run game. Jahvid Best is good, but he’s small, and likely has the potential to get injured easily. LeShoure is 6-foot, 227 pounds and will bring some much needed size and aggression to the running back spot.

“This a guy we had targeted at No. 44, and he was just on the board for way too long and we needed to make a move,” Schwartz said. “We need two running backs and we got two. I think we’ve put some really significant pieces in place. I wouldn’t want to be a defensive coordinator having to match up against a lot of those playmakers.”

And unlike Reggie Bush, Best is excited to have someone to complement his run game. On Best’s Twitter account he said: “I got a partner in crime. Let’s go. We need a nickname.” Take note, Reggie.

So despite their defensive needs, the Lions have decided talent trumps fillings gaping holes. Can’t say I necessarily agree with that decision, but I suspect they know a little more about what their doing than I do.

“Yeah, I’m concerned about those spots at corner and linebacker, but I’m not concerned about taking the best player we could find and guys who have a very defined role on our football team,” Mayhew said. “As I told you a week ago, we’re going to draft the best football players that we can find. There will be some opportunities to fill some gaps later on.”

At least he’s honest. And I have to say I like the approach. The Lions want to win. I don’t think I’ve seen this organization this excited about the prospect OF winning in a very long time. And it’s certainly rubbing off. I’m ready for the 2011 season to start. Let’s hope Goddell and the justice system let it happen.

The Lions have two more draft picks later today, in the fifth- and seventh-round. Coverage of the draft beings at 12 p.m. ET.  We’ll see what direction the Lions choose to go today.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

By Executive Office of the President via Wikimedia Commons

You don’t have to watch Mark Ingram play football to know he’s special. He doesn’t have exceptional speed. He’s not going to wow you with his size or ability to juke out defenders. But what he does have is an innate ability to read the field. He has intelligence, lots and lots of intelligence. And what he lacks in size, he makes up for in raw aggression.

Oh, and his smile. My God, that smile.

Lucky for the New Orleans Saints, they were the only ones to realize the true potential of a remarkably special guy.

Waiting in the Green Room for what seemed like an eternity, Mark Ingram appeared cool, calm, and somewhat collected. He wasn’t wearing a frown, though one can imagine he was disappointed. He didn’t act bitter, though teammates Julio Jones and James Carpenter were both called before him. He was every bit the supportive teammate and every bit deserving of an earlier draft pick.

But the chips fell where they did and considering the story that goes with it, I imagine those chips were meant to fall there.

After being named the 28th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, ESPN Reporter Suzy Kolber read Ingram an email live on the air from his jailed father. Ingram’s father was sentenced to seven years in prison for laundering and bank fraud. And to make matters worse, in 2010, Mark Ingram Sr. had 27 additional months tacked on to his sentence for jumping bail to watch his son play in the Sugar Bowl the year before. Mark Sr. never got to see his son play that day, he was arrested at his hotel room before the game even started.

So you can imagine the emotional weight that message carried. It read like this:

“Son, first of all, I’d like to congratulate you for being a great person and accomplishing your dream of being drafted and having the opportunity of playing professional football. You have made me a proud father. I am so proud of the young man you have become.”

If that’s not enough, Mark Ingram Sr. was also drafted 28th overall by the New York Giants in 1987. Stories like that simply can’t be made up. When asked what he would like to say to his dad, he replied:

“I just want to tell him that I love him. And that I miss you, dog. You’ve been a positive influence on my life for my whole entire life. So I just want to thank you and let you know that I love you, man. And we did it.”

Watching that moment live was one of the most touching things I’ve ever witnessed in professional sports. So, if you haven’t seen it, here’s the video. And if I might make a suggestion: grab some tissues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4byGkN9nK8&feature=related

But the thing about this draft pick is not just the story it created, it’s the fact that what the Saints got in Ingram is a franchise player. Someone they can look to not just on the field, but off. A player who has the heart, determination, and potential to be dependable for a very long time.

Long enough, we hope, that in several years, when Mark Ingram Sr. is released from jail, he’ll finally get to attend the game he missed back in 2009 — the game of football he helped teach his son to play.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Who’s afraid of the big, bad … Lions’ defensive line? Well most of the NFL should be after the Lions selected defensive tackle Nick Fairley of Auburn. Christian Ponder is shaking in his boots right now. I can sense it.

Fairley was the defensive leader on last season’s BCS championship team and won the Lombardi Trophy as the nation’s best lineman. The Mobile, Ala., native had 60 tackles last season and led the Tigers with 24 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

I’ll be honest, Fairley wasn’t my first choice and he wasn’t who I thought the Lions would pick. I was pulling hard for Prince Amukamara. And while I’m still upset we passed on him, there’s absolutely no way a Lions fan can be disappointed with Fairley. And I firmly believe the Lions will have the best defensive line in the NFL next season.

“The idea is, we’re drafting to our strength,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. “Being good up front is what drives our defense.”

The secondary is still a need for the Lions, but Jim Schwartz and co. are adamant that you have to have a lot a talent on the line in order to be successful. And he has a point. If our line is constantly rushing the opposing team’s QB, then they essentially lose the most important part of their offense. You don’t need a stellar CB if you have seven lineman who are constantly creating pressure on the quarterback.

If Fairley can put to rest the rumors of a supposedly “bad work ethic,” he could have the potential to make the same kind of impact to the Lions defense that Suh did last season.

When asked on ESPN Radio what it would be like to play with Suh, Fairley said:

“Nasty,” Fairley said. “For me to play next to Ndamukong Suh is going to be a blessing.”

A blessing indeed, my friend.

And if you care to see just how powerful a force these two blessings will be on the o-line, let’s take a look at how these two compared statistically their senior seasons in college.

2009: Suh, Nebraska

• In 14 games, Suh totaled 85 tackles, 20.5 of those for a loss. He averaged 6.07 tackles per game and 12 sacks on the season.

2010: Fairley, Auburn

• In 14 games, Fairley totaled 60 tackles, 24 of those for a loss. He averaged 4.29 tackles a game and 11.5 sacks on the season.

In their respective senior seasons, Suh on average had more tackles per game than Fairley, however, Fairley totaled 106 tackles for loss yards, while Suh had 93.

The moral of this story? You’re going to see two guys who compliment each other very, very well.

Fairley will wear number 98 for the Lions next season, despite wearing number 90 in college. It seems someone else on the Lions has that number. But I can’t for the life of me remember who. Hmm … he must not be very important. I think his name is Ndamukong Suh or something like that.

So Lions fans, how do you feel about their first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft? I’d love to hear your feedback. And don’t forget rounds 2 and 3 of the draft will start Friday at 6 p.m. ET.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MelissaHeyboer and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

We made it, folks! It’s draft day. And with the ruling late last night that Judge Susan Nelson denied the NFL’s request for a stay, it means …

…

… hmmm, shockingly, still nobody knows what it actually means. Other than the fact that the NFL will now take its appeal to the 8th Circuit Court. According to Nelson, the league is required to start operations immediately, and teams are obligated to open facilities and workout rooms to players. The question is whether they actually will. Draft day just got even more interesting. For more details on this story, check out our Patriot’s reporter Kristen Jane at The Foxhole.

For now, let’s get to the fun stuff. If you didn’t get a chance to check out the draft edition of the Aerys Huddle, I’ve included my first-, second- and third-round picks here for your convenience. If you want to read the picks for all our NFL Aerys teams, you can read the Huddle transcript, here and here.

And now to the draft:

First round: With the 13 pick in the 2011 draft, the Detroit Lions select Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska)

The Lions are in dire need of a game changer. Someone like Ndamukong Suh who’s going to make an impact early and often. And right now, the Lions’ secondary is in the most need — especially in a league like the NFC North with such dominate QBs. Because of that, the Lions need to draft a cornerback. If he’s still around at 13, the Lions should take Prince Amukamara of Nebraska.

They don’t have a solid CB right now, no go-to guy. They need that, and Amukarama is too good to pass up if he’s still around. He has size, speed, and raw instinct and talent — he’s a complete package in my opinion. He’s a steal by any standard and exactly what the Lions need. » Continue reading “Mocking the Draft”

The only thing better than a great workout, is an “epic” one. So, hats off to Lions QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson for accomplishing just that — and with Chad Ochocinco no less. Who can worry about lockouts, stays, or appeals when three awesome football players are sharing in the joyous wonders of bro bonding? I don’t have an answer.

Stafford tweeted this earlier today:

Stafford, who’s been rehabbing from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for much of the 2010 season, has been having various throwing sessions the past couple weeks, including at the University of Georgia’s spring game April 16.

But, this wouldn’t be a complete story without a message from our sponsors. Chad, over to you. (See picture caption for Ochocinco’s tweet)

Ochocinco’s tweet: “Training with @bigplaycj and @staff_9, today was Epic , Stafford is awesome and MegaTron is the shit,I’m the Lil b http://twitpic.com/4q7crj”

**We interrupt this regularly scheduled post to bring you this announcement: Calvin Johnson is dreamy**

So apparently this has created some hoppla about the possibility of Ochocinco joining the Lions in 2011. Please, no. I really don’t dislike him or anything, I just don’t want that much media attention. And Ochocinco is a media whore. And I don’t like whore’s — of any kind.

Well, I don’t.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Welcome back inside the Huddle, ladies and gentleman. The fabulous ladies of NFL Aerys reconvened yesterday to bring you a new edition of the Aerys Huddle — mock draft style.

We broke down the first three rounds of the draft and gave you our insight into who our respective teams should select. If you want to see who I picked for the Lions in the first round, and who was “drafted” around the rest of the league, check out our Philly Sports Muse site for the entire transcript.

To read the second and third round draft picks, click here. And, remember, we want to hear what you think, so let us know who your opinions –  who you think will be drafted and why!

Stay tuned to Aerys Sports for complete draft coverage starting on Thursday.

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Phew. It’s been a busy — and dramatic — past two days in NFL world. I, for one, am exhausted. And it’s only Tuesday. Yesterday the NFLPA (or you can call them the artist professional trade association formerly known as the NFLPA) received good news when Judge Susan Nelson ruled in favor of the players’ injunction request, which in turn lifted the lockout.

So that means there’s football, right? Wrong. There’s no doubt that the league will appeal the ruling. But I’m not so sure they stand much of a chance. They issued this statement following Monday’s ruling:

“We will promptly seek a stay from Judge Nelson pending an expedited appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. We believe that federal law bars injunctions in labor disputes. We are confident that the Eighth Circuit will agree. But we also believe that this dispute will inevitably end with a collective bargaining agreement, which would be in the best interests of players, clubs and fans. We can reach a fair agreement only if we continue negotiations toward that goal.”

And if the Eighth Circuit Court rules in favor of the league, it means we’re back to square one. And despite the lockout being lifted Monday, little changed around the NFL. Though teams were technically obligated to open their facilities to players as of today, it was unlikely whether weight rooms would be open, and if they were, whether players would actually show up.

For the Lions, the doors were open. The problem was, no one was walking though them. Team rep Kyle Vanden Bosch advised teammates Monday not to work out at the practice facilities regardless of what had happened. » Continue reading “All Quiet on the Lions’ Front”

The NFL has decided to invite a record number of prospects to Thursday’s Draft — 25 to be exact. Aside from the obvious — Cam Newton — who will undoubtedly be cheesin’ (much to my displeasure) to the camera a good 95 percent of the time, the entire list of prospects is as follows:

• Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara
• UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers
• Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn
• Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb
• Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
• Auburn DT Nick Fairley
• Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert
• Georgia receiver A.J. Green
• Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich
• Alabama running back Mark Ingram
• California defensive end Cameron Jordan
• Alabama WR Julio Jones
• Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan
• Illinois DT Corey Liuget
• Texas A&M LB Von Miller
• UCLA safety Rahim Moore
• Auburn QB Cam Newton
• LSU CB Patrick Peterson
• Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey
• Missouri DE Aldon Smith
• USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith
• Baylor DT Phil Taylor
• Baylor guard Danny Watkins
• Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt
• Virginia Tech RB Ryan Williams

So, just to make sure we’re on the same page, that’s 25 players (the previous record was 17 set last year). Twenty-five players NOT showing solidarity. » Continue reading “NFL Invites 25 Prospects to Draft”

4-3 Coverage: Your daily dish on Detroit news. Four Lions articles, three NFL articles — all in one place.

Lions headlines:

• Detroit Lions seek power runner in NFL draft to complement Jahvid Best. — Mlive.com, Tom Kowalski
• Detroit Lions: The Motor City Messiah? — Bleacher Report, Travis Moquin
• Three draft scenarios for the Detroit Lions. — Detroit Free Press, Dave Birtkett
• Analyst gives Lions high marks for recent draft picks, signings. — Detroit Free Press

NFL headlines:

• Player’s attitude, not NFL draft position, determines amount of success. — Press-Register, Tommy Hicks
• A big week ahead for the NFL as a key legal ruling is expected on the Lockout. — Business Insider, Dashiell Bennett
• Goodell expecting 25 players at draft. — Yahoo! Sports, Mark J. Miller

You can find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Aerys_Lions or www.twitter.com/thecornerblog and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barrysandersmemorialblog.

Brace yourself Lions fans, we’re just four days away from the draft. Granted, they might be the four longest days of my life, but I’ll somehow manage to get through. Here’s some brief Lions news to hold us over until then.

• The Lions have continued to host player visits in the days leading up to the draft. Most recently, the Lions hosted Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley and Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathon Baldwin. Fairley is not expected to fall to 13th in the draft, but the Lions want to be prepared for any situation. Several other players visited the Lions last week for visits and private workouts. And it’s just another reason I’m excited for Thursday. I’m incredibly bored with this pre-draft visit nonsense. It’s important, yes, but I’m sick of writing about it. So I shall move on to …

• Parties! The Lions will hold their draft party at the Detroit Hard Rock Cafe from 4-8 p.m April 28. Sounds like fun. If you, ya know, you live in Detroit. I will be having my own party at my apartment. Just me, ESPN, and … oh that’s right I don’t have cable either. Well crap.

After making their first round selection Thursday, April 28, the Lions plan to bring the drafted player to Detroit Friday and introduce him to the fans (pending flight schedule/availability).

Fans would also be on hand as the Lions make their second round selection. As it stands, Detroit holds the 12th selection in the second round and is expected to be on the clock sometime between 7-7:30 p.m. ET.

If you need to find me Thursday, I’ll be the loser watching ESPN at the bar by myself. In the meantime, I’m starting a “Melissa needs cable fundraiser.” Donations are appreciated. Be generous. » Continue reading “Lions’ Droppings: News, Notes and Nonsense”