Monday, April 28, 2008

Freedom is Priceless

I have to write this. As I was reading over the blogs, comments, and all-over grades on the Lions draft, I stumbled upon something that drove all thoughts of rating linemen, and detailing position groups from my mind.

As I looked at articles regarding Caleb Cambell, I saw the negative posts below them and couldn't believe my eyes. I literally wanted to scream in rage and puke on my computer.

You go where the army tells you to. You do what the army wants you to. Starting this year, the Army said if you can make it as a pro-football player, you can choose to go for it and recruit for at least two years, and then serve a minimum of 6 in the reserves (8 years versus the 5 years standard) should you so choose. But while in the NFL, you are also still in the army! So he answers to the Lions and Uncle Sam. He is serving as a great example to our youth that while we are all called to serve our country, we are called to serve in different ways. Some who would rather be leading their troops, will be called instead to use the spotlight that is on them to recruit more soldiers to follow -- to be sure that the Army has the troops it needs, so that when a soldier's time is done, he has the choice to come home because there are enough new soliders in the Army to replace his services.

Some of us had physical limitations that didn't allow us to serve, even though we wanted to -- so instead, we support those who go, and live our lives as free Americans respecting and honoring those who make that freedom possible! He is a young man who is doing what his country wants, and needs, him to do. Why does it matter if that also happens to be what he wants to do? Isn't that what freedom is all about? The chance to be and do what you dream -- that almost anything is possible -- if you make it so.


I have many cousins who have served in all branches of our armed forces. Many of the Men I graduated Northen Michigan University with were in the ROTC -- I graduated to a desk, selling insurance and raising my kids. They graduated to choppers and combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. They signed up before the War started -- but were ready to go when it did. I wanted to enter the service...but you have to be able to be counted on when your Men need you...be able to perform physically when it matters...see what you are doing...and if you fail those tests, you cannot. But you can appreciate every day that you are free because of the Men and Women in the armed forces who serve and protect our country, and our freedom. And you can encourage you children to have the Patriotism and Love of this country that will allow them to become involved in something beyond themselves, if that is how they may best serve our country. I protect people every day -- with contracts, and phone calls -- my customers see me regularly -- they know what it is I do for them, and what the cost is. They also are reminded by the flag on my wall that we are part of a great country -- and that we are all being protected by thousands of soldiers we do not see every day. And we will never know what it costs our country -- what the loss of their lives means; yet, protect us they do -- willingly, faithfully --- knowing that their sacrifice makes millions of lives safer and free.

I have lost friends to war; relatives to war; but what a college friend of mine told me before leaving for Afghanistan has always stuck out in my mind the most. It's not about me -- it's about you. You, and your neighbors, and your friends, people you've never met, and never will. We had nothing, no way to pay to get an education. But this country paid for our education. It paid for us to be able to sit in a safe college classroom, to study, to learn, to have fun, to start a family, to work a job, to be free. Now its time for us to pay our country back. You'll pay it back in dollars. I'll pay it back with sacrifice. You'll pay it voting, and paying taxes. I'll pay it voting, and using those taxes to protect it. We will both make sacrifices, but as long as you can talk to your customers, play with your kids, and drive to the store without worrying about bombs dropping on your head, or fanatics blowing up your office, or ruthless dictators telling you what you can and cannot believe, and say -- I can do my job and give my life --knowing that it makes you free to do yours...and that the sacrifices our Founding Fathers paid in blood to grant our freedom, and blood we must give to maintain it -- are worth giving for the value of the lives of all those who remain free and safe because of it.

God Bless America!!!

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a Viet Nam vet, I agree with all that you said. I wish all the soldiers come home in perfect health physically and mentally. God bless you and keep you safe.

hollyweed88

Anonymous said...

t's amazing how common all of us think on this site. My buddy is currently deployed in Iraq, and his family lives three houses down. His daughter is on or T-ball team, and I feel guilty most nights I can squeeze my kids and he can't. In sending e-mails, I never know how he takes them as it could 1) make him homesick 2) make him feel happy the community supports his family so much while his wife wears the apron strings and the "daddy" hat.

Either or, I try best to help suppor him whatever his mood, and the same with his kids. My two are the same ages as his two oldest, so we involve them in as much as we can.

Weed? as a guy who's lived it; which is best? Getting tastes of home? or being able to focus and keep on the game face?

nubs

Anonymous said...

This may be one of your best posts ever, I agree 100%. Our freedems, Country, and those that give of them selves are more importent than any game. And I'm sure that if for some reason Cambell does not make it in the NFL he will serve his country in any way that they with no regrets. Thes kid is a class act, and I wish him the best no matter what his future holds for him.

Anonymous said...

Let's look in the division

Da' Bears:
1st OT Chris Williams Vandy
Good tackle. Fills needs for Bears.

2nd RB Matt Forte Tulane
Good back. Fills need

(Both were thought to be Lions targets as well).

3rd WR Earl Bennett Vanderbuilt
DT Marcus Harrison Arkansas

Harrison slid (unknown why) thought to be a second rounder.

4th FS Craig Stelz LSU
Good sticker; plays run well, has problems with pass.

5th CB Zack Bowman Nebraska
TE Kellen Davis MSU
(Very good picks at this point in the draft. Both were expected to go higher.)

7th DE Ervin Baldwin MSU
OG Chester Adams Georgia
LB Joey LaRoque Oregon State
OT Kirk Barton Ohio State
WR Marcus Monk Arkansas

Barton and Monk were both thought to be higher picks as well.

All in all, this could be a very good draft for the Bears, who also get back Dan Bazuin from CMU who was injured in camp and spent teh whole year on I.R. I'd probably rate this draft a b+

-Nubs

Anonymous said...

nubs,

There was nothing more exciting than having the mail guy bring and distribute mail every day. Your day was made or broken by the fact if you received a letter, goodie box, or letter from someone through the USO. (I think I have that wrong, I forget the correct term)
If you want a friend for life, get your or borrow a camcorder. Show his children playing ball. Show his kids being taken to an ice cream place with you as you try to fill in for him until he returns. Send a photo in a stand up frame of his kids with a poster they made showing "we miss you daddy, please come home soon". Send that before Fathers day.
Bake some chocolate cookies with his kids and send them saying the kids made them.
Friends for life you will be.
p.s. You are doing your part to support the war already, by what I read.

hollyweed88

Anonymous said...

VikQueens

2nd FS Tyrell Johnson Arkansas State

Moved up to get him. Supposedly a kid that can lay the lumber. Kiper rated him as his second best safety in the draft. I never heard of the kid until draft day.

5th QB Jon David Booty USC
DT Letroy Guion FSU

Both come from big programs. Booty can run the ball-control west-coast very efficiently (maybe start). Guion is Flewelling's teammate (our 3rd), and both were solid.

6th C John O'Sullivan Notre Dame
WR Jaymar Johnson Jackson State

O'Sullivan is a very smart center, not teh biggest, but they have an aging Matt Birk. Again Johnson, never heard of him.

Minnesota gave up teh front half of their draft in the Jared Allen deal. The flying purple people eaters are going to start eating people again. This front four may be the best in football this year.

Draft C

-nobsnubber

Anonymous said...

Thanks weed

I've got some things planned for our T-Ball season, our opener is Saturday with a parade and first game.

Even though there are a few conflicting thoughts on this site from time to time, we all pretty much are teh same thread. I appreciate the comments and will use them. I specifically thank you for yours and appreciate it

Anonymous said...

Fudge Packers

2nd WR Jordy Nelson Kansas State
QB Brian Brohm Louisville
DB Patrick Lee Auburn

I'm really fine with the Packers draft here. They needed a backup QB, they lost Javon Walker, and who couldn't use a CB. Jordy Nelson wouldn't be my pick there, bt he adds to the return game. Patrick Lee can hit and cover.

3rd TE Jermichael Finley Texas

This kid may be the STUD of the TE class. This kid LOVES to work and watch tape. One I thought we may draft, but not this high and he didn't slip at all.

4th DE Jeremy Thompson Wake Forest
OT Josh Sitton Central Florida

Nothing. I got nothing. They must like them, but I had these guys as UFA's not getting drafted.

5th OT Gino Briacomini Louisville

A project. Former tight end 6'7" 305. B-baller, athletic, trying to transition to lineman and isn't bad. Could develope into a stud.

7th QB Matt Flynn LSU
WR Brett Swain San Diego State

Flynn ???? why take him. Swain isn't big, fast, or special....blah!

Packers drafted need at the top, then snagged a few developmental linemen. The back half looks like tackling dummies (7th).

Grade "C"
-nobsnubber

Mark said...

I wish nothing but the best for those who would fight for my freedom, but I can't for the life of me see how invading Iraq had anything to do with freedom. sorry.

CHIEFGER139 said...

im staying away from this one-
seems like even when you try to say something good someone takes it as being bad-i did say some things on m-live after they signed the guy and got attacked-the last thing i want to do is offend any of our servicemen or woman in anyway

JJLions20 said...

I'm with the Chief, I'm staying out of this one, except to say that Campbell is following the rules. He is doing nothing outside of taking the opportunities being provided to him by the US Army. Go for it. I'll root for him and I suspect a lot of the men oversees will also. I hope he makes it, and lets see what the troops say when we have our only nationally televised game on Thanksgiving day.

ClusterFox said...

Great Post Detfan 1979. Regardless of whether its right or wrong being where they are(applies to more than one war, occupation, battle,...) The armed forces do what is necessary, what they are ordered. They should be honored(all of them). We shouldn't question how much to honor them because we don't believe they should be where they're at. They don't make those decisions, they DO what the are ordered. If there is a problem with where our troops are or what they're doing. Talk to the Politicians on TV that have more than enough time to talk, talk , talk. I've pretty much given up on all of them. But I don't waver in my support of those Men and Women who serve. Please save the "thank goodness he won't have to go to Iraq", "Why doesn't he have to go to Iraq"," we shouldn't be in Iraq" debates for the people who think they know something. My understanding is that the troops spend more time on trying to accomplish the goal that was set before them and not so much in wondering why they should. Thank you hollyweed, and any others who are reading. There are many of us who are unwavering in our support of you. I wish you safe journey where ever the roads lead.

DetFan1979 said...

Weed, Nubber, Fox -- you totally caught what I was getting at.

Riley, et al --

Listen guys, this is a football blog, not a political blog. I was talking about teh respect and honor I often see lacking for our soliders, and about my feelings in supporting our troops, and our country. I referenced Afghanistan once, because that is where my friend was going to when we had that talk, just before graduation from college; It was to give context. I didn't mention Iraq, or Korea, or "Peacekeeping" or any other mission our troops our sent on becuase it was irrelevant to the topic I was trying to address -- nobsnubber brought it up because that is where his neighbor is serving, and it reaches into our lives, and theirs, whether we agree with it or not.

We all need to give back to our country and our community for the freedoms we have - whether it is by serving in the military, coaching kids or volunteer sports teams, or just being a conscientious citizen, who utilizes and appreciates the freedom they have, and what it costs to maintain it;

As Clusterfox said much better than I am, we leave the "missions" to the politicians, and if we don't like what they are doing, we vote for new ones or run for office ourselves. But our soliders are still serving, and still in danger, even during times of relative peace - something this country has had very little of for over half a century.

the biggest point is that to say he is "getting out of Iraq" is disrespectful to him, to those serving, and to the players drafted by the Detroit Lions and every other team -- they didn't pick him to "save him" from Iraq -- they picked him because he is a big hitting safety who will likely make one heck of a SLB -- and he is an excellent citizen, rolemodel, and hard worker.

I love our country, and it still hurts me at times to think of my friends who serve, when I was not able to. (My leg, which was injured a couple of times, wouldn't stand the stresses required, and my vision was too poor to get into the USAF.)

I don't often digress from purely football matters, but appreciate that you readers took this so well, and that it meant as much to most of you as it does to me.

As I said, please excuse if this isn't coming out totally right, but sometimes things aren't easy to say in words, and in ways that will come across right to all.

Go USA - Go Lions!

Anonymous said...

Yes the Caleb Campbell selection continues to resonate as the feel good story of the draft, and well it should. Here's a young man that lives in a country where there is freedom to choose, and he chose to serve his country. A standing ovation and a tip of the hat is the least to him. And for those that opine that he is dodging his service to his country let it be known that Caleb repeatedly said should he make the Lions he would complete his tour of duty upon football career end. Kudos Caleb!

But at the other end of the spectrum of emotions of the Lions draft is a story that proves that choosing freedom IS NOT priceless and that's the allegations against Pearson, freedom cost him $50K bond. Freedom is a choice which should be treasured and protected, not squandered, and it just amazes me how many NFL'ers with police records.

With far less hype, freedom has led to Landen Cohen being drafted out of little Ohio U., too, and personally hope he does well because like to see guys come out of smaller institutions, say Central Michigan or Ohio University, and make it into the big league.

One for this blog's suggestion box.

The Lions have 5 regional scouts. Dennis Gentry, Chad Henry, Silas McKinnie, Dave Sears, and Dave Uyrus. I know during last season their bio's were on the administration page of the Lions site, but now for some reason they aren't. I don't know what region which scout scouts, and would like to do a little project matching regional scout with collegian drafted and see if one scout is doing better than another. Sent Hondo an email, still waiting response. Does anyone here have that info?

6 of the 7 draftees were from colleges east of the Mississipi. 2 were from Florida institutions, 2 from the Carolinas, 1 each from Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, and NY. Only Dizon from Colorado, west of the Mississipi.

With 5 regional scouts, how does the scouting department find Landen Cohen? How does the scouting department get film of Cohen extensive enough so that coach can have enough on him to draft him with the 146th pick? How does Cohen even get on the Lions radar? Do the Lions 5 regional scouts have assistants?

When grading the draft aren't we in reality grading the scouting department? Maybe we could have a thread someday on the Lions scouting department?

Go Lions

5Bakerstreet

Anonymous said...

5 BakerStreet

Bake. We do this for fun. They get paid to watch football 40 hours a week.

One scout will now watch the waiver wires and see who gets cut. They will go back in their files and see if they are worth pursuing.

FILM - Colleges GLADLY give up all 12 games tapes of any player. Phone call; 3 day UPS. Most scouts will scan any starter on any team at any level in their area. This portion is stat driven, unless a well-known kid from the year before gets injured.

Once guys get picked and are under the NFL umbrella, it's very tough to get tape on people. Live scrimmages, exhibition games, or now-relying on the coaches that cut the player to give you background.

In the fall, these guys are scanning NFL teams to see who is getting injured/cut/waived/practice squadded, but they are also traveling to colleges to see these kids. Most of the kids drafted are in the East-West Game or the Senior Bowl (about 80-90 kids EACH game). Then you scan the DII playoffs to watch some more kids.

Personally, for the draft I made a list which started around the Senior Bowls. I listed all the kids that played in either game (Only a handful played in both). I added a few names on each position's top fifteen from walterfootball or other site.

I have a list of 334 names. Of those names; 223 got drafted. There are only 27 kids I didn't have names for, that came from outside the top "names". Most are DE's, WR's, and Safeties. And I didn't put much work into it. Maybe ten hours worth of research or so.

Now I do like to watch the Bowl games, and go back and watch game tape, but I only did that with people I thought the Lions might be interested in.

Long answer for--I have no idea how they spot a kid like Landon Cohen. I never heard of him.

Same with (BAL) Haruki Nakamura, (IND) Pierre Garcon, or (CAR) Mackensay Bernedeau. They could be on the PGA for all I know.

I still think Millen draws names out of a hat and listens to the bird, and this year the tape recording worked.

-nubs

Anonymous said...

I couldn't find anything on the scouts areas, but I did find a little on how they decide on which players to scout. Here is the list of scouts, and how they decide who.

Regional Scout Dennis Gentry
Regional Scout Chad Henry
The Lions leave no stone unturned in their search for top college talent.

“I’ve been to the top-of-the-line Division I schools like Miami, Florida State and Penn State,” Henry said. “I’ve been to Division II schools and this year I visited a Division III school. That’s set by the (scouting) combine.”

The Lions are one of a dozen teams that belong to the BLESTO scouting combine. While a team’s scouts are preparing for the next draft to be held on April 26-27, the combine scouts are compiling a list of players who will be draft-eligible in April of 2004.

“That gives us the list of schools we should go to and the list of players that we should look at,” Henry said. “That’s based on the combine’s scouts. Now, there may be a few guys who pop up during the course of the year that aren’t on the list in the spring, but the list determines where we visit.”

Midway through December, Henry had either visited or watched film on players from 80 schools, traveling the four corners from Massachusetts to Indiana to Louisiana to Florida. Multiply that times four and nearly every school that fields a football team has come under the scrutiny of the Lions’ personnel department.

“I even had a couple of NAIA schools on my list,” Henry said.


National Scout Lance Newmark
Scouting Coordinator/Advance Scout Rob Lohman
Regional Scout Silas McKinnie

Regional Scout Dave Sears
Regional Scout Dave Uyrus

Anonymous said...

Here is what the competition is doing. Detroit sure seems to be dipping their toe into the free agent market. I wonder if it's harder when you are a 2nd tier team to sign udfa's. the Browns have 29.....



Bears QB Nick Hill (Southern Illinois)
Bears QB Caleb Hanie (Colorado State)
Bears T Cody Balogh (Montana)
Bears DB Trey Brown (UCLA )
Bears DE Joe Clermond (Pittsburgh)
Bears DT David Faaeteete (Oregon)
Bears WR Curtis Hamilton (Western Kentucky)
Bears K Shane Longest (St. Xavier)
Bears DB Leslie Majors (Indiana)
Bears DE Nick Osborn (San Diego State)
Bears FB Russ Weil (Illinois) tryout

Packers TE Michael Peterson (Northwest Missouri State)
Packers LB Danny Lansanah (UConn)
Packers RB Kregg Lumpkin (Georgia)
Packers WR Taj Smith (Syracuse)
Packers LS J.J. Jansen (Notre Dame)
Packers P Ken Debauche (Wisconsin)
Packers RB Justin Beaver (UW-Whitewater)
Packers LB Marcus Riley (Fresno State)
Packers C Brennen Carvalho (Portland State)
Packers WR Jake Allen (Mississippi College)
Packers LB Durell Mapp (North Carolina)
Packers S Tierre Green (Nebraska)
Packers TE Joey Haynos (Maryland)
Packers DT Fred Bledsoe (Arkansas)*
Packers CB Kyle Ward (Louisiana-Lafayette)*
Packers C Adam Hill (Louisiana-Monroe)*
Packers OL Ryan Considine (Louisiana Tech)

Vikings S Husain Abdullah (Washington State)
Vikings DE Martail Burnett (Utah)
Vikings DT Leger Douzable (Central Florida)
Vikings S Marcus Griffin (Texas)
Vikings K Steven Hauschka (NC State)
Vikings LB Erin Henderson (Maryland)
Vikings WR Nate Jones (Texas)
Vikings CB Travis Key (Michigan State)
Vikings Jeremy "J" Leman (Illinois)
Vikings C Tim Mattran (Stanford)
Vikings T Drew Radovich (USC)
Vikings WR Darius Reynaud (West Virginia)
Vikings CB Brandon Sumrall (Southern Mississippi)
Vikings CB Marcus Walker (Oklahoma)
Vikings QB Kyle Wright (Miami)
Vikings RB Albert Young (Iowa)


Sorry if this isn't of interest to anyone.

Teebs

Anonymous said...

Did anyone catch sports center? One of the annalists was saying he thought the Lions had the best day 2 draft. All this waiting for the draft and now we wait again.

Teebs

Anonymous said...

It appears that teams using scouting organizations such as Blesto, National, or Quandra to assist them.

Somewhat dated articles:

http://www.theredzone.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=read_count&om=28&forum=DCForumID17

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Insider/2003/ScoutComp042103.htm

Go Lions

5 Bakerstreet

Anonymous said...

Guys

Good work. (I forgot the Combine, too). But, yeah, that's what a scout does. And a lot of teams are scanning other NFL rosters during the fall. I can't imagine all the travel these guys do just to sit and watch a kid in Iowa at a D III school.

I'd much rather plop my butt in front of the tube and watch the combine for 15-20 minutes one day with the boys until we all lose interest.

Minnesota and the Packers snagged some really nice names on the list of UDFA's

nubs

Anonymous said...

Hi all wanted to post this not sure how many will read it its from hondo good read.

his link below.

http://spartannation.com/?cat=12

2008 Lions Draft Evaluation:
By Hondo S. Carpenter Sr.
Four of my friends who are NFL scouts (or personnel people) agreed to give me their assessment of the Lions draft. They represent four different teams. I first put their list up several weeks ago about the top twenty players and then their mock drafts. This list is simply their thoughts and grades on the Lions 2008 draft.


I only had them evaluate the first five picks. Later than that very well may make the team, but the top five for any team to succeed have to make impact and to be respectful of their time we kept with those five young men.
I will keep each of their identities confidential as you can imagine that their respective teams wouldn’t appreciate their participation in this endeavor. All I asked from them was that they give me their thoughts and grades. I asked each of them to make give their opinion of the players and I will post one of their comments on each pick. I asked each of them to grade the pick based upon player talent and Lions needs. I also asked them to grade the overall draft based upon those first five picks.
This list is not my opinion. It is simply four men who get paid to do this for a living and who scouted these players and what they think. Here it is:


#1 17th Overall Gosder “GOZ” Cherilus OT Boston College
Scout 1: “This was a very solid pick of the Lions. When they made the trade with the Chiefs we called this in our war room. We looked hard at Gosder and we really liked him. He is a street fighter with a mean streak to match. We felt he was (behind Jake Long) the best zone blocking OT in this draft. We also loved his durability and that fact that he loves to practice. It was no secret that Lions had to address the T situation and when Long went #1 we felt that the Lions would go with this kid. He fits what they want to do big time. If I was a Lions employee the only player we could have gotten better for our needs would have been Jake (Long) and that wasn’t going to happen without giving away the farm and they had too many needs to do that. When you (Hondo) told me that they want to keep him at RT that made me laugh. As soon as he (GOZ) is ready, Backus will move. He is to good to keep on the right once he gets the NFL game. He certainly will be a major upgrade from Backus on the right ”


Grades:

Scout 1: A

Scout 2: B-

Scout 3: B

Scout 4: B+


#2 45th Overall Jordon Dyzon MLB Colorado
Scout 3: “We really liked him. We spent a lot of time with him. Everywhere we looked and everyone we talked to praised this kid for his love of the game and work ethic. I think one thing that has hurt the Lions in the past is that they had a lot of players with talent and very few with passion. That is changing and this is an immediate upgrade also. We had some concerns with his size, but we also felt that way about Ernie (Sims) and look how that worked out. With all of the tape we watched one thing we kept coming back to is that he never has bad technique. One Colorado football employee told us that they had to tell him to leave on more than one occasion because he eats and sleeps football. We had him on our board and would have taken him in the second, but the Lions got him. I think this pick has the most upside of the Lions picks.”


Grades:

Scout 1: B

Scout 2: C- “Way to early for this pick. If he works out it was the right move.”

Scout 3: B+

Scout 4: B+


#3 64th Overall Kevin Smith RB Central Florida
Scout 2: “We wanted to move up with Miami to get him, and the Lions pulled the trigger early. We liked how he did everything. We had some concerns with his durability. Not because he isn’t tough, but with his style how long can he absorbs that many hits? We were a little turned off with his ego, but do you want the guy carrying the rock to be timid? We thought he was a bottom half of the second round guy so where they got his was a great place. If he can stay healthy (and he has never shown that he can’t) playing the NFL game, the Lions got a very good back.”

Grades:

Scout 1: B+

Scout 2: B+

Scout 3: B

Scout 4: B+


#4 87th Overall Andre Fluellen DT Florida State
Scout 1: “The swearing in our war room would have made any sailor smile when the Lions took FLU. We loved this kid and we wanted him. I don’t think anyone spent more time on this kid then we did leading up. We had a guy that fell in the second round that really fit a need bad and we had to take him. We were sitting there and we figured if he got past the Leo’s we would move up and nail him. This kid was injured last year, but every test and DOC told us he was recovered. He isn’t fat like Rogers, but he has the heart and motor that he lacked also. His hands are what impressed us so much. He is able to shed those big OL meat hooks and get off the block so well. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was a starter for the Lions in 2008, but one thing I can tell you is that he loves to practice, lift and play and there is no way this kid stays out of the playing rotation.”

Grades:

Scout 1: B+

Scout 2: B

Scout 3: B

Scout 4: B



#5 92nd Overall Cliff Avril DE
Scout 4: “We thought he was an OLB prospect. We thought he was more of a5thround guy on our board. This was a reach to us. There were some other guys on the board at DE that we thought were better prospects. He has a high motor and likes to play the game, but just way too big of a reach for us in the 3rd. I think that he is a good player, but we felt his technique was better suited for an OLB. He has a great first step and we felt it was better standing than down. If he is able to make the move to DE and play at this level the Lions got a very good pick, player and person. I just think there were some other guys that were more solid and sure and drafting in the 3rd you want to limit your risk as much as possible.”

Grades:

Scout 1: C

Scout 2: C+

Scout 3: C

Scout 4: C-



I asked all four to grade the Lions overall draft as a total entity and here is what they gave them:


Scout 1 Total Draft Grade: B

Scout 2 Total Draft Grade: B-

Scout 3 Total Draft Grade: B-

Scout 4 Total Draft Grade: B-



Posted in All Stories, Detroit Lions, Hondo's Blog, NFL |

Deano the Great said...

Great article, Go USA, Go Lions!

DetFan1979 said...

Deano - Thanks!

Checked out your profile -- you would like David Eddings. Try the Belgariad/Mallorean (along with Belgarath and Polgara) as well as the Elenium/Tamuli -- he is an excellent writer, and once you read his stuff, it is hard to go back to tolkienesqe writing.

I think I've read every Ludlum book out there. Bourne was better by leaps and bounds in the books than the movies.