NFL Draft 2011: A Look At The Detroit Lions' Five Picks

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2011 Lions Draft Picks' Numbers Announced

Shortly after Nick Fairley became the first Detroit Lions draft pick of 2011, it was announced that he would wear the No. 98 jersey. His college number was No. 90, but that belongs to Ndamukong Suh here in Detroit. As a result, he took Julian Peterson's old number.

The other numbers weren't announced until Monday. Second-round picks Titus Young, a wide receiver from Boise State, and Mikel Leshoure, a running back from Illinois, will wear the No. 16 and No. 25 jerseys, respectively. Fifth-round pick Doug Hogue, a linebacker from Syracuse, will wear No. 52. Finally, Johnny Culbreath, an offensive tackle from South Carolina State, will be No. 72.

The Detroit Lions' online store already has Fairley jerseys for sale. Considering Young and Leshoure are both skill-position players, I'm sure their jerseys will be up for sale sometime soon as well.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft: Jim Schwartz Talks About Detroit Lions' Day 3 Picks

The Detroit Lions made two picks during day three of the 2011 NFL Draft, taking Syracuse LB Doug Hogue and South Carolina State OL Johnny Culbreath. After the picks were made, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz discussed the two newest players to join Detroit's 2011 draft class. Via the Lions, below are transcripts of each media session, one of which includes an appearance from linebackers coach Matt Burke.

On LB Doug Hogue

HEAD COACH JIM SCHWARTZ

Opening statement:
"Doug Hogue - linebacker from Syracuse; former running back; a little bit under six-foot-three, 235. He ran well at the combine; a 4.6 guy; has an NFL skill set. Inexperienced at the position, but he's got a lot of potential and he's shown a lot of things when he's played linebacker at Syracuse. A little bit of a work in progress, but we think a guy that we can work with that fits exactly what we're looking for in a linebacker and has a chance to really develop for us; can be a special teams player and has the possibility to develop into a linebacker role also."

On reports that he is extremely raw:
"I don't think he's extremely raw. You can watch him do just about everything that you need him to do playing linebacker. Is he consistent? Probably not, but everything that you need him to do, he can do and has done in the last couple years. We think a lot of him. In order to draft him in the fifth round, we think a lot of him."

On if this is more of a need:
"No, not really. We were still sitting on the board as we looked. We had a group of about two or three guys that we talked about and he was the guy that made the most sense for us. He matched the profile that we were looking for; had the skill set that we were looking for; had some plays on tape that we were looking for. We'd done a lot of work with this player and I think the opportunity matched up with his availability."

LINEBACKERS COACH MATT BURKE

On LB Doug Hogue:
"The biggest thing about Doug is that he fits our profile: size, weight, speed and all that stuff. He's a really athletic kid and he's only played linebacker for two years, he was a running back when he went to Syracuse, so we felt that transition... he's still a little bit raw, but that profile is exactly what we look for at that position and we feel that he can develop into a player for us. He's over 6-2, he's 235 and he can move. He plays in space a lot, he's walked in the slot, he covers ground, he can cover running backs and does all the sort of things that we look for in that position."

On whether he sees Hogue as a special teams guy first:
"I think that was another factor. I mean, I think we felt that he could come in and due to his athletic ability step in right away on (special) teams. Whether he develops sooner than that and helps us on defense or not, obviously remains to be seen. That's definitely a factor in bringing him in here."

On whether he still struggles with pass drops:
"No, he's a good space athlete actually. He's got a pretty good feel for some of the zone drops and as you're watching him on tape, as we were scouting him out, it was actually one of his strengths. He partly still needs to work on his physical play, again he just hasn't done a lot of that stuff. He played (strongside) for them his junior year and then switched to a (weakside)-type position where he's walked a lot at space this year; so he has a lot of work at that stuff, which again for the type of athlete we're looking for in that position, he actually fits pretty good."

On whether they worked him out:
"He worked (out) at the combine and I spent a lot of time with him there. In the unofficial interview I spent a lot of time with him, just talking football with him; so I got to know him a little bit that way."

On Hogue's weight:
"His combine weight I believe was 235. He's been maintaining that for much of the offseason, we've kind of been in touch with that. He played a little bit lighter - he was a running back and as he progressed he (increased weight). He worked out at the combine at 235 and literally ran a 4.60 at the combine."

On whether Hogue will play on the strong-side or weak-side:
"We play left and right, that's sort of our philosophy, partly because of looking for multi-dimensional players. If you train a guy who plays a SAM, and that's all he does, if something happens in a game - even tight ends shift in motion - now all of a sudden he has to play in that other spot.

"He has to practice a lot where it's probably a little bit harder initially because when you're playing right linebacker sometimes you're playing the SAM, sometimes you're playing the will, it depends on what formation comes at you, so it takes a little bit more learning early on in the process, but I think over the long haul it helps us out because the guys are a lot more diverse in terms of where they can play and what they can see. We don't have to worry about if one tight end flips and all of a sudden guys are running across the field. You've seen that we've had to deal with injuries over the years and had to plug guys in different spots, it helps our coaching and training a little bit."

On OL Johnny Culbreath

HEAD COACH JIM SCHWARTZ

On T Johnny Culbreath
"Johnny, four-year starter at South Carolina State, big man, good athlete, lower-level competition, but I spent a lot of time with him. Myself, Dave Sears our area scout, and Jeremiah Washburn our assistant o-line coach went down to South Carolina's workout. We happened to be able to see South Carolina State's also. It was raining so they came over to the indoor facility. They had a really, really good workout and his tape was good so we brought him in here to spend some time with our coaches. We like his size, we like his athletic ability, he's a little bit of a developmental project, but he has the tools. He's a guy that our coaches are very anxious to work with."

On whether he'll be an inside or outside player
"It's probably too early to say. He's played tackle, could play left and right; but there's a possibility to move him to guard. He's a good athlete, bends really well, again, four-year starter. I don't know if this is the gospel truth, but he committed to Florida State out of High School and didn't have the grades, so he ended up at South Carolina State. He's got a pretty good lineage. We didn't pick him because he supposedly committed to Florida State, we picked him based on his tape from South Carolina State, based on his size and based on the workout that he had and also for when we brought him in for a physical. He wasn't at the combine, so we needed to bring him here to get a physical."

On his athletic ability
"He's a little over 6-5, he was around 320. He ran really well. I don't want to go through and give you all the verticals and times and everything, but he ran really well and had a very, very good workout. Then you do a little more work and watch him on film and things like that. There was a lot to like about him."

On his background in wrestling
"You always like offensive and defensive linemen that have wrestling backgrounds with the balance and all that stuff. It's a very good... I don't want to say indicator, but I don't know the best way to put it, but it's good in your profile."

On anything that stands out in particular
"The guy has a good skill set. He bends well, he's a good athlete, there's a lot of different things with linemen. Some linemen are good technicians, but they're stiff. Everybody has a different skill set. This guy is a big, good athlete. That's what's interesting about him. Plus, like you said, he's not a one-year starter, he hasn't been bouncing around or one of those things. He went to South Carolina State, found a home and was a productive player there."

On his pass blocking
"He's a good pass blocker. We're not talking about a guy with the only thing they run is the wing-t and he can't pass block. They throw the ball, they move the ball around quite a bit. Everyone in college runs some version of that spread and like i said, he's a good athlete and can move."

On his feelings about the Lions' draft this year
"I think we had the discipline to stick with what we intended to do, which was stay with talent on the board. We combined talent on the board with a plan for that player and a fit in our scheme. We also took some opportunities to move up to take a player that we felt very strongly about, rather than sit out and wait on a player; we were very aggressive in what we did. We didn't end up with a lot of players, but I like the quality of what we came away with. We have players that can make an impact on our team and when you're doing that I think you feel good about it."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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Mel Kiper's 2011 Draft Grades: Detroit Lions Get A-

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NFL Draft 2011: Johnny Culbreath Speaks About Being Picked By Detroit Lions

Shortly after becoming the Detroit Lions' seventh-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, South Carolina State offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath had a conference call with the media. Via the Lions, you can check some quotes from that call below.

On his journey to the NFL
"I had committed to Florida State and ended up going to South Carolina State due to grades and GPA and test scores and stuff. I had a great career there; we were three-time MEAC Championships behind me and my great offensive linemen and great running back corps. and great guys we had there. I had a lot of great achievements there. I was two-time All American; I was also player of the year in our conference my junior year. I had a really great season there. This has all worked out for the better, I guess."

On how much of a setback it was originally
"At first it was a little setback - it was a disappointment. But I think it was a good step for me. It was a good road - a good path - because it was a real humbling experience for me. I had to get my mind together knowing I had to be a complete athlete with being a student and an athlete. I had to be an all-around guy - not just be an athlete. It was just a real humbling experience - it was good. A good road for me to the NFL."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft Grades 2011: Detroit Lions Given B By Fans

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NFL Draft 2011: Doug Hogue Speaks About Being Picked By Detroit Lions

Shortly after becoming the Detroit Lions' fifth-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft, Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue had a conference call with the media. Via the Lions, you can check out a transcript of that call below.

On his transition to linebacker from running back:
"Coming from running back to linebacker was a challenging thing, but I was lucky to have a good college linebacker coach who was one of the greats at Syracuse University - made it really smooth for me. It took me a little bit because I changed positions within two years; one year I played SAM linebacker, then this past year - my senior season - I played the other side. I played both sides: SAM and WILL. I excelled at it. Coach, he helped me out along the way. I spent time with him and he got me right."

On if he likes hitting people rather than being hit:
"Yeah, the funny thing about that: even when I was at running back, I was still running into people, so I really wasn't getting hit - I was always trying to do the hitting, regardless."

On what he knows about the Lions and how much they may need him:
"When I came in, I see at the linebacker position, they have some good players and whatnot, but they need help when it comes to special teams and things like that. I'm just ready to come in and contribute and work hard and earn everything I'm going to get."

On how much linebacker he played before the last two seasons:
"I've been playing football since I was seven years old. Those are the only two positions I ever played on both sides of the ball was running back and linebacker. All through high school I played linebacker - I played middle linebacker - so it wasn't really too far off from what I'm used to. But because of the different level, that's what made it different."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Picks: Detroit Lions Have 2 Selections Left

Going into the final day of the 2011 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have only two picks left in the final four rounds. They made three selections in the past two days, and one of those picks required a trade that saw them give up a selection in the third and fourth round.

Here are the 2011 NFL Draft picks the Lions have left:

Round 5, Pick 26 (157th overall) (From Baltimore via Seattle)

Round 7, Pick 6 (209th overall) (From Cleveland via Seattle)

The picks the Lions have already made are below:

Round 1, Pick 13 (13th overall): DT Nick Fairley (Auburn)

Round 2, Pick 12 (44th overall): WR Titus Young (Boise State)

Round 2, Pick 25 (57th overall) (From Seattle): RB Mikel Leshoure (Illinois)

Barring a trade, the Lions will finish the 2011 NFL Draft with only five total picks. They could always trade down to pick up an extra selection or two, or they could trade away a pick for a future selection in a higher round. That's what they did last year in the seventh round to get a sixth-round pick in this year's draft. Of course, that sixth-round pick was traded last year for a player, but it's possible the Lions could finish with less than five picks when all is said and done.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Results: Martin Mayhew, Jim Schwartz Talk Mikel Leshoure Pick

Detroit Lions GM Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz met with the media to talk about their decision to make a trade and pick Mikel Leshoure in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Their comments, via the Detroit Lions, are below.

GM MARTIN MAYHEW

Opening statement
"Mikel Leshoure - running back that we drafted. Real powerful runner. The guy has a lot of skill; 1,700 yards rushing this year. Again, another guy we have a defined role for - a guy that fits into our offense. I think he's going to have a great career here."

On drafting talent over a necessary need
"This is a definite need for us. In this business, you have to have two good running backs. I think this guy complements Jahvid really well - really, it's a need for us."

On how sure they were of him when they decided to trade up
"We were pretty sure to give up (a third- and fourth-round pick) - we'll get the terms to you later - but it was a big move for us. Like I talked about last week: if you have conviction and you trust your grades - and we do trust our grades - you can make a move, you can move up and draft a player. We feel good about this guy. He's one of the top guys on our board; he's the second running back on our board. He's right there with Ingram - we feel great about it."

On if he was wary of giving up a fourth-round pick considering the needs on the team
"We did talk about that. As I mentioned to you before: the draft is not the finish line for us as far as our personnel department. We have a lot of work to do, I told you that awhile back. We have a lot of areas where we can definitely improve and we'll continue to work at those things."

On why they graded him so well
"The guy's a great running back. He's got power, he can run - he broke some long runs; he uses speed. The guy's got agility. He runs guys over, he makes plays. He also complements the guy that we have very well. He'll be, probably - Jim will talk about his role - but he could be a four-minute back for us; he could be a short-yardage and goal-line back for us. He can do a lot of different things. He's very versatile."

On what caused them to pick Leshoure instead of another running back later in the draft
"We trust our grades. We trust our grades. We had the guy graded very high. In fact, we talked about him at the time that we drafted Titus. So we talked about him at that same time. We trust our grades on all of these guys.

"You guys are obviously looking for corners, for linebackers and that kind of thing - we trust our grades on these guys. We think our fans are really going to like these players when they see these players play."

"If I thought we didn't have any linebackers or corners, I'd be trying to acquire linebackers and corners. As I said before, this is not our finish line. When we wake up Sunday morning, we still have the opportunity to sign players - to acquire players. This is part of the process."

On how important it is to pick playmakers over the first three rounds
"I'm going to let Jim talk about that. That's a scenario for him to talk about. But all these guys - we've got some offensive weapons. That's the strength of our football team, which got stronger today. We've got a really solid defensive line, some great, young defensive linemen. That's a strength of our football team that got stronger yesterday. We're getting better. It's a process and this is just one part of the process."

HEAD COACH JIM SCHWARTZ

Opening statement
"One of the things we talked about over the last few months - you need to improve your team. You also need to build your team with your strengths in mind and also build for certain situations. I think one of those situations we talked about was Atlanta making the playoffs and then getting bounced quickly without enough firepower. If you want to build this team to last; if you want to build this team to be able to withstand a lot of different things, we need a lot of different playmakers.

"I think Mikel complements Jahvid Best very, very well. He averaged more than six yards a carry. He's 227 pounds and, like Martin said, this is a guy we had targeted at 44 and all of a sudden he was on the board for way too long. We needed to make a move. Maybe we benefitted from some of the depth at the running back position behind us. Maybe we benefitted from the quarterbacks that were taken getting some of our other players. But we're not going to apologize for that. We're not going to complain about it either.

"This is a guy that can play football. Didn't fumble at all. There's a lot to like about this guy. You start putting these pieces together on offense. You need two running backs. We got two - plus the guys who were already here: tight ends, wide receivers. I think we put some really significant pieces in place and I wouldn't want to be a defensive coordinator to have to match up against a lot of those playmakers."

On if they Jahvid Best and Leshoure will be on the field at the same time
"Yet to be seen. We did a little bit of that last year. That was one of things we worked on last year and it never really came because we could never really keep all our running backs healthy at the same time. There's definitely a possibility. They're multi-dimensional players and they can do a lot of different things. But this is a 227-pound back. I mean, he's not 210-pounds or anything like that. He's got a lot of size, he's got a lot of power, but he also has the ability to break a long run. You don't average 6.5 yards per carry, or whatever it is, unless you do."

On if he anticipates how many touches he wants to give each guy
"No, we're not going to 'Randy-ratio' those things. It might change from week to week. It might change due to injuries and player availability; it might change based on opponent. I think there's a lot of different things that happen in our division. We see a 4-3 team like the Chicago Bears; we see a 3-4 team like the Green Bay Packers. That's a different style of running back. They play 3-4 teams that are two-gapping, that are holding on - you need a big back who can run through some arm tackles. You want to get guys matched up on different teams, you need guys who can match up and beat linebackers and people that want to play man and trick coverage up for a certain player. Every one of these picks - they stand alone for their talent, but they weren't drafted just for their talent. They were drafted for how they fit in with what we want to do and with a very specific role in mind for them. But, again, not with an eye toward need. That isn't something that we've been talking about. We talk about players that fit and players that can make plays for us."

On if it is safe to say that the Lions' priority is to win the division
"Anybody's goal is to win the division first. You need to match up well with teams in your division. That plays a little bit into it. But, again, rather than worrying too much about how you match up with certain teams or worrying about your needs are, we look at it and say, 'what are our strengths and how can we best accentuate our strengths?' It's not just our division that plays 3-4. There's times that we're going to need to pick up one yard on third down-and-1 or coming out and you have a 227-pound back as opposed to a 200-pound back - that can assist you there."

On if he's comfortable with him catching the ball out of the backfield
"That's something he can do. I think he catches the ball very naturally. What I like about him is that he's a real still runner, meaning his upper body doesn't move a whole lot - his lower body does a lot of the work and usually those guys are good catching the ball. You can't just be a running back and put him in the game; it's going to be a run. He needs to be able to pass protect, he's pretty good at; he has the size to be able to do that. He's a multi-dimensional back - he's not a one-trick pony either."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Results: Martin Mayhew, Jim Schwartz Talk Titus Young Pick

Detroit Lions GM Martin Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz met with the media to talk about their decision to pick Titus Young in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Their comments, via the Detroit Lions, are below.

GM MARTIN MAYHEW

Opening statement
"Titus Young, the guy is an explosive playmaker; he's a stick of dynamite. He's got speed, he's got great hands, he's another guy we were really happy to see on the board at our turn to pick. He's got a role on offense right now, he's probably going to have the opportunity to step in as our third guy. We haven't had great production from that spot in the last couple of years and we feel that Titus is the guy that can step in and solve that problem for us."

On whether he's concerned about the spots at corner and linebacker
"I'm concerned about those spots at corner and linebacker. I'm not concerned about taking the best player that we can find and have a very defined role on our football team. What I told you a week ago, we're going to draft the best players that we can find. We feel like we've done a good job, especially last year, after the draft process, we think we'll do the same thing this year. There will be some opportunities to fill some gaps later on."

HEAD COACH JIM SCHWARTZ

Opening statement
"We're probably a little more tense on the board this time with these picks going off in the second round then we were in the first. There's a couple of players that we had a nice little target on and Titus Young was one of them. We knew it would probably be close, but just like Martin said, we have a very defined role for what he can do for this football team. He's an explosive player, by explosive I mean by 20-yard gains or more; natural catching the ball, probably one of the most natural receivers in this draft; skills to go out and create separation. He fits very well with the other pieces that we have on offense, so we were really excited to get him into this spot."

On where he'll fit into the current receiving corps
"Let me put it to you this way: how important was it for Atlanta to add a receiver to theirs? And look at what they had to pay. It's one thing to say you have different players at different positions, but you get into a playoff situation like Atlanta did last year and you need more fire power. Or, you get a player hurt; we had Calvin (Johnson) miss the last game of the season last year. There's so many things that can go on. I heard you guys mention what does it mean for other players? There's so much ground between now and the start of the regular season that you don't worry about stuff like that. It's the draft and you try to add good players that you have a good role for, that you have a specific thing in mind for him and this was a great opportunity for us."

On where he sees Young
"One of the things he does, and Nate can do that for us also, Nate can play in the slot, he can also play inside, and Titus does that also. He's also outstanding in the return game, that's another thing he can add to the equation. We have an outstanding returner, but again, you never know what's going to happen. You never know what's going to happen between now and the end of the season, what happens between now and the first game. Good players that can make plays, that can score touchdowns, are always valuable."

On whether he expects him to be in the mix in the return game
"Yeah, I mean, when we go out, if we have a rookie mini-camp, you'll see him out there catching punts and catching kicks, for sure."

On his ability to stretch the field
"Yeah, he's not just a one-trick pony though as far as a field stretcher. He's very, very quick. I though the quickest wide receiver in this draft. I don't know if you'd have a whole lot of argument when you compare him to some of the other guys. He was competing with some guys that are 6-3, 220 pounds and he's' not. He can create separation a lot of ways. He has deep speed, but he also has that quickness to drop his weight and separate. He's very, very difficult to press, not because he's big, but because he's so quick it's hard for people to get their hands on him. He's not as big as some of the other ones, but he makes a lot of those same kind of plays. He can do a lot of different things. He's explosive with the ball in his hands, they got him a lot of reverses last year. Put the ball in his hands, he can make a play."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011: Mikel Leshoure Speaks About Being Picked By Detroit Lions

Shortly after becoming the 57th overall selection of the 2011 NFL Draft, Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure had a conference call with the media. Via the Detroit Lions, you can check out a transcript of that call below.

On the draft process
"I'm just really happy - I'm really excited, I'm really privileged right now to have been selected by the Detroit Lions at whatever pick, whether it was first, second, third or whatever round. Like I said before, at this point everything was out of the players' control. We did what we had to do up to this point and it was just what team needed us and the best fit. I'm just so happy because the Detroit Lions gave me the opportunity to be a part of their organization."

On how he feels about the Lions moving back into the second round to draft him
"It makes me feel good - really good. I felt like when I took my visit to Detroit, I had a good connection with the coaching staff - especially the running backs coach. I liked the facilities and I liked everything that they were doing. To see that they feel the same way about me is just great and it just makes me feel good - I'm looking forward to the future."

On if they discussed how he and Best would split carries
"They definitely said they plan on getting us both the ball and splitting carries. Whether he's the starter, I'm the starter, whoever's the starter, I plan on coming in and working hard and playing my role - whatever role that may be."

On if he feels he is a good complement to Best
"Definitely. I watched Best a lot. He's a guy who's a smaller guy; he's a lot faster. He can hit the corner and hit the home run. I'm sure he can run in between the tackles as well, but to be a compliment to his running style will only make the running game a lot better in general."

On the offensive weapons in Detroit
"That makes me even more excited. They've already got a young quarterback that they're building on; they've got two big-time receivers; they just made a move defensively with Suh and another defensive lineman. They're a team to be reckoned with. It dates back to last year. There were five or six games where they were right in the loop and it could have gone either way and that could have affected their record. This team has always been fighting these last two years. They're right on the borderline and I hope I can be that extra help to push them over and get some wins this year."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011: Titus Young Speaks About Being Picked By Detroit Lions

Shortly after becoming the 44th overall selection of the 2011 NFL Draft, Boise State wide receiver Titus Young had a conference call with the media. Via the Detroit Lions, you can check out a transcript of that call below.

On his thoughts about being drafted by the Detroit Lions
"I just thought about how good God was, first and foremost. Just with all the hard work and everything and for it to finally pan out and actually seeing it and seeing is believing for me. When I see things I become a real firm believer. Like my mom says, 'You've got to see it in black and white for it to be true. So I feel like that I'm just very excited that Detroit picked me, the Detroit Lions. That's my mother's hometown; that's where my family is originally from. I'm just so excited."

On the opportunity to play alongside WRs Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson
"Calvin Johnson is extremely real already. They have to use a lot of people to guard him already. I feel like with me coming in and hopefully coming in and contributing early, if the Lord says the same, I feel like the sky is the limit for the Detroit Lions and the City of Detroit. I feel like when they come to the games, they're going to be able to come and have a lot of fun and a lot of entertainment."

On how long it's been since he's been in Detroit
"It's actually been a while... Actually it was my grandfather's funeral... Actually in 1998, that's when my grandfather passed and we went there for his funeral. That was the last time I was able to be there. It's a blessing to be able to get back there be there for good."

On what he thinks his grandfather would think of him playing for the Lions
"I know he would be very proud; I know my auntie would be very proud - my Auntie Valerie - she passed away.

On where all his emotion comes from
"It comes from family. My roots are in Detroit, like I said. Just the emotion of actually being able to be back in the family's town. Like, that's my home now; we'll take care of Detroit and I know they'll take care of me.

On how he would feel about being the third receiver in the Lions offense after being the primary receiver at Boise State
"That's fine. I feel like I'm going to fit my place and my role exactly the way I need to be. I don't need to do nothing extra. If they want me to come in for one play in the game, I'm going to come in for that one play and give them all I can. If they want me to play the whole game, I'm going to play that whole game and give them my all because this is what I love to do; this is what I've been loving to do and I've been doing it ever since I was two."

On where he was hoping to be drafted
"Like I told my parents the other day before the draft, I said, 'Mother, I'm going to be completely honest with you, I'm going to be a little upset automatically if I'm not chosen No. 1 just because I'm a competitor. That's just something that's always been about me, but that's not like the realistic gist of everything - I'm just a competitor. That's why I wore No. 1 my senior year because I believed I am No. 1 and I do everything to be No. 1 and I wanted to be on the No. 1 team and if my team is not No. 1, I want to make them to be able to get to No. 1. I know Barry Sanders, I know a lot about him. I know that he went to Detroit and he wanted to win and his whole thing was about winning and unfortunately he wasn't able to win as much as I believe that when I come in that we're going to be able to do, but I know that the whole thing is really just about winning. I feel like just being the winner that I am and coming around some more winners to sharpen me up, I feel like we're all going to be winners in Detroit. Not just me, but the community, the kids out there - they're going to know that the Detroit Lions are here to stay. We're not just anybody, we're coming to play."

On how much contact he had with the Lions before the draft
"I don't even remember talking to any of them. I just remember at the Senior Bowl, (Shawn Jefferson), I just remember him, and after the first day of practice I had at the Senior Bowl, he told me, 'Hey, you're dropping the ball because you're not getting your head around quicker; in this game, the ball is going to come quicker.' I just listened and I said, 'Oh, I've always loved a coach that actually watched me and told me what I'm doing wrong.' I've always loved for a coach to tell me when I'm doing something wrong. When he told me, and I took that coaching into the next day and guess what? I don't believe I had a dropped pass. But, I say that to say this: I knew that he saw something in me; when I looked him in his eyes through those glasses, I'm saying, 'This man wants me,' and I said I want to play for him because he already got me better in two seconds. Then, right after that, I saw him at the combine. So it was kind of like God was just moving and put him in a position to see me and be around me and get to know me and I got to know him and got to actually play for him. So hopefully we can just move forward and keep building our relationship."

On him having been referred to as a poor-man's DeSean Jackson
"I've never been another man's nothing. I've always known that I've been Titus Young from Day 1. My mother named me Titus Demetrius Young, she didn't name me nothing else and I know what I was. I know who I am and I know as people are going to compare you to people but God made me to be me and he made me to be Titus Demetrius Young. You can compare me all you want to, but I'm no man's poor man."

"My initials my whole life has been T.D. Young; so it's been Titus Demetrius Young - 'Touchdown' Young. So I just feel like football is just me ever since I was born and now I can go play some more football with Detroit."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011 Grades: Lions' Grades Drop On Day 2

The Detroit Lions' first-round selection of Nick Fairley was almost universally praised by NFL Draft analysts. The Lions received A grades left and right, and CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco even gave them an A+. He wasn't nearly as kind to their day two selections, however.

Prisco's 2011 NFL Draft grades for day two gave the Lions a B- and C- for their two picks. Taking Titus Young with the 44th overall pick was the B-, and drafting Mikel Leshoure 57th overall selection got them a C-.

The reason Prisco wasn't all that high on the Young pick is because of some off-field concerns about the former Boise State WR. Prisco does say he's a lot like DeSean Jackson with the concerns, but the Lions are hoping he will be like Jackson on the field and make plays for them. Either way, Prisco graded this pick as a B-.

The C- for the Leshoure selection was mainly because Prisco didn't think the Lions needed to spend this high of a pick on a running back just a year after taking Jahvid Best. They definitely had a need at RB, but evidently Prisco thinks it could have been addressed later on in the draft.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Results: Ex-Michigan QB Ryan Mallett Picked By Patriots

With the 74th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. Mallett slid down the board much farther than most expected due to a variety of character concerns. Considering the Patriots don't exactly have a need at quarterback, this was a luxury pick. If the Patriots find something in Mallett and he gets his head on straight, they could get value out of him down the road. If not, then they wasted nothing more than a third-round pick.

As you may or may not know, Mallett started his college career at Michigan. He transferred after one year, as Rich Rodriguez became the head coach and Mallett didn't want to play in Michigan's new offense. Mallett will now join former Michigan QB Tom Brady and former Michigan State QB Brian Hoyer in New England as the signal callers on the Patriots' roster. Obviously Brady is the starter, so Mallett and Hoyer will battle to be the backup in New England.

If you would have told me going into the draft that Jonas Mouton would be the first one-time Wolverine to be picked, I would have said you're crazy. As it turns out, though, Mouton was taken ahead of Mallett. I guess this just shows why you never doubt the possible craziness of the NFL Draft.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011 Grades: Praise All Around For Detroit Lions Picking Nick Fairley

Only one round is complete, but already some 2011 NFL Draft grades have been released. The final grades once all seven rounds are done could change, but for the first round specifically the Detroit Lions earned high marks for picking Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

SB Naton's NFL Draft grades gave the Lions an A for picking Fairley. The reasoning was simple: putting Fairley on a defensive line together with Ndamukong Suh could make for a "truly legendary DT combination." While DT wasn't a need for the Lions, they just made a strength about as strong as it can get. For that, SB Nation gave the Lions one of their only two A grades (the Saints got the other one).

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco is an even bigger fan of this pick than SB Nation. Prisco gave the Lions an A+ for taking Fairley, and he called the pick a "steal." What's more, Prisco wished good luck to future teams that have to play the Lions, because it won't be an easy task to handle both Fairley and Suh.

Lions fans on Pride of Detroit have not voted on a grade for the Fairley pick just yet, but in a poll immediately after the pick was made, 81 percent of the voters responded that they liked the pick. I have a feeling that as time goes by that percentage will go up even higher.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011 Results: Jim Schwartz, Martin Mayhew Discuss Picking Nick Fairley

After picking Nick Fairley with the 13th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and general manager Martin Mayhew met with the media to talk about their selection. Both discussed the thinking behind the pick and talked about how much they wanted Fairley. In fact, Mayhew called this a "dream scenario" for the Lions, which tells you how thrilled they were with being able to select Fairley.

Via the Detroit Lions, below is a transcript of what Schwartz and Mayhew had to say on Thursday night.

Head Coach Jim Schwartz

On the Fairley pick
"Obviously very excited to have him. There were a lot of scenarios - I think Martin just covered - a lot of scenarios that we went through, one of which was four quarterbacks going in the top 12. We needed something like that to happen to push a player like Nick Fairley to us. You saw, I guess it was a couple months ago, a lot of people had him at the top or near the top of a lot of mock drafts and there's a reason - because he's really good. The talent was so much that it didn't give us any hesitation to draft him."

On if there is room for three great defensive tackles
"Well, we play 130 defensive tackle snaps in a game. So, if we're rotating three guys through and they're playing 45 snaps apiece ... No. 1, there'll be a little bit of pressure. We can keep rolling waves and waves.

"We probably - even Ndamukong Suh - probably played a little too much for us last year. Not that he wore down, but it was too many snaps in there. You're taking on 700 pounds of man every time you take on a double team and things like that.

"The philosophy here was: we're drafting to our strength. Defensive line is a strength of what we do. We won our last four last year and you can have probably a quiz show to find out who our corners were in those games, but we were good up front. Being good up front is what drives our defense. We have players that could be an impact player for us at a position. We didn't worry too much about what his playtime was going to be. We knew where he was on the board for us, how much we liked him and he fit really well, so we didn't hesitate to make the pick."

On Fairley's dominant college career
"He's an impact player at an impact position. Dominated games at times; dominated a lot of games like Ndamukong Suh dominated. Turned that Texas game on last year and Ndamukong Suh was dominating the game - turned LSU game on this year. Turn the National Championship game on. The stakes are higher than any other college football game and this guy played the best on the field."

On if he plans to draft to some of their weaknesses in the later rounds
"We'll see. I mean, we'll see what players are there and how they shake out. You can worry about your weaknesses, you can find a way to put strengths on your team. It's maybe a little different way to look at it. We understand where we have spots on the team where we need to keep making progress. There's spots on the team that we need to address, but I also think you can make some mistakes this time of year if you worry too much about those."

On if he's concerned about why Fairley slipped from potentially No. 1 to No. 13
"Well, one of those scenarios was the situation at quarterback. I mean, how many people back then were putting four quarterbacks in the top 12. Probably zero. I think that was a real dynamic in this draft - teams that didn't have any that needed to get one and they didn't waste any time trying to get one. I think that might have added to it. I think another thing was the depth at the defensive line position. A player like Marcell Dareus got drafted up there very high and he's an outstanding player. Combine those things - I really can't explain why he was there, but we're very happy to have him."

GM Martin Mayhew

Opening statement
"Nick Fairley - outstanding player. In our mock draft yesterday, we went through some scenarios and we were hopeful that he would fall to us. We felt like the need for quarterbacks might push him down some. He was very high on our draft board and I think he really helps our defensive line - our defense as a whole. Very physical guy. He gives our defense a physical presence and we have a great tandem - actually three great defensive tackles with Corey Williams, Suh and Nick Fairley."

On where he will play those guys
"That's up to the coaches. They'll all play. I think it's great to have three of them because they can stay fresh. Ndamukong played over 950 plays last year, which is a lot of plays. But it helps our pass rush to have those guys be fresh. It helps our run game. It helps our defense as a whole to have three guys who can play that way."

On some teams complaining that Fairley didn't interview well
"He was an outstanding interview - great with us. I know his defensive line coach from Auburn - he and I played together, Tracy Rocker - Tracy speaks very highly of the young man. I spent a lot of time with him when he was here in the building and I think he's a good player and a good person. He's going to fit in here well. We've got great leadership in that room so I'm excited about working with him."

On him saying at the Combine that the defensive line fits with the defensive philosophy and if that's why they wanted to shore that up
"Right, absolutely. I mean, we're building our team that way. We've got some great players up front right now and to be able to add a player like Nick Fairley to that group - it really helps our defense."

On if they can ever have too many defensive linemen
"I don't think so. I don't think so. Pass rushers, defensive tackles, defensive ends - I think we all saw last season, late in the year, the impact that our defensive line had on our defense. It allowed us to win some games."

On if it was a unanimous decision in the room
"Absolutely and we talked about several other guys. But in our, sort of, dream scenario, it was Nick Fairley falling to us."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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Lions Draft Picks 2011: Nick Fairley Comments On Heading To Detroit

Detroit Lions draft pick Nick Fairley looked speechless when he was on the phone with his new team on Thursday night. That is probably partly because he didn't expect to fall to the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, but it's also probably partly because he didn't expect to join a team where he will line up next to rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh. Fairley is very excited to play next to Suh and learn from him, which is one of the things he discussed in a conference call with the media after being picked.

Via the Detroit Lions, you can check out a transcript of his conference call below.

On how he felt when the Detroit Lions drafted him
"Aww man, it was a great feeling. My dream finally came true; to finally play in the NFL, it's been a dream since I was eight-years old. Whoever picked me matters, but I always tell folks that whatever team I go to was going to be my No. 1 pick."

On how much he knows about the Lions' defensive line and the personnel on it
"I know a little bit about it. They have Ndamukong Suh and they've got a guy that's a defensive end that's a hard worker; I'm just looking to come in and work my butt off and contribute to the team."

On being projected in the top-5 and then slipping to 13
"I really didn't know where I was going to go coming into the draft; for Detroit to pick me, I'm very excited and I can't wait to get to the town and get this thing started."

On whether it concerns him that he'll be part of a three- or four-man rotation at defensive tackle
"Aww man, playing with Suh is going to be an honor. That guy was the defensive rookie of the year, so to be able to play next to him... I can't wait to get in and pick his brain for the things he did his rookie year."

On having a breakthrough season last year at Auburn
"We had a great season. We went out there and just did everything we had to do to come out with a win as a team. So basically I just tried to contribute to the team as much as I could."

On whether he'll carry a chip on his shoulder after slipping in the draft
"Not at all. It's just the way (draft) landed. It's been a great experience, it's a great moment and I'm blessed to be a part of the Detroit Lions now. I'm ready to go and ready to come in and get the work done."

On whether he feels pressure to live up to what DT Ndamukong Suh did as a rookie in 2010
"I'm just going to come in and work my butt off and try to earn everything I can and see what happens from there."

On what his meeting was like with Head Coach Jim Schwartz during his pre-draft visit
"My take from it was (that they're a) great group of guys, great group of coaches. I know they've got a game plan for the Detroit Lions and I'm happy to be part of it."

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Picks, Detroit Lions: Nick Fairley Selected In Round 1

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft took place on Thursday night, and the Detroit Lions walked away from it with some added weight. Specifically, they left with an additional 291 pounds, which is the weight of 13th overall pick Nick Fairley, a defensive tackle from Auburn.

As the first round was chugging along, it was becoming more and more evident that things were shaping up very well for the Lions. Lots of talent was remaining on the board as the picks got closer to Detroit, and once the Lions finally went on the clock they had their choice of Fairley, Robert Quinn, Prince Amukamara and many other talented players. In the end they opted to go with Fairley, making their defensive line quite possibly the most talented in all of the NFL.

With Fairley on board, the Lions have five picks left in the 2011 NFL Draft. Obviously that could change with a trade, but on day two they are scheduled to have the 44th and 75th overall selections. The 44th is a second-round pick and the 75th is in the third round.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011: Nick Fairley Will Wear Jersey No. 98 With Lions

No. 90 at Auburn, Nick Fairley was Fairley nasty; an absolute beast, actually. But he won't be wearing No. 90 with the Detroit Lions. As you should all know, that number already belongs to last year's Rookie of the Year Ndamukong Suh, and will be spoken for for as long as Suh wants it. So, yeah, Fairley, we're ecstatic to have you, but you'll need to find a new number. Oh ... 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, and 99 are also taken.

With that, Fairley has decided on wearing No. 98 with the Lions for at least the next season. Stitch your draft jerseys accordingly, or just wait for it to be released at the team store.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft: Jim Schwartz Comments On Lions' Pick Of Nick Fairley

Not many people expected Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley to slip all the way to the Detroit Lions at No. 13, but he did. One of those people was Lions head coach Jim Schwartz:

We did a lot of mock scenarios and Fairley falling to us was one of our ideals, though we thought it unlikely.

There have been many surprises so far in the draft, notably the Minnesota Vikings’ puzzling pick of Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder at No. 12. Many had the Lions tabbed to draft a cornerback; Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara and Colorado’s Jimmy Smith were both still available. But no one predicted the Lions being able to grab Fairley at 13.

Fairley was at one point the top player on most people’s boards, but there appeared to be some character concerns that scared teams off. Terry Foster of the Detroit News believes that Fairley can be successful in Detroit because his new linemate Ndamukong Suh won’t allow him to slack off:

If he does not play hard he will get an earful from Ndamukong Suh, who is a no-nonsense second-year man who wants to win. Fairley might fail elsewhere. He might get off to a slow start with the Lions, but he won’t fail because the Lions dressing room is strong enough to handle him.

SB Nation has full coverage of the 2011 NFL Draft at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Order: Which Picks Do The Detroit Lions Have?

The 2011 NFL Draft order currently includes the Detroit Lions six times. This is because they have six picks in the 2011 NFL Draft, which begins Thursday night at 8 p.m.

Detroit will go into the first round with only one pick. Each of the last two years, however, they ended up having two selections in the opening round. They went into the 2009 NFL Draft already having two first-round picks, and last year they traded back into the first round to take Jahvid Best. Perhaps they could make some trades and wind up with an extra first-round pick yet again this year.

In the other six rounds, the Lions own five picks. Three of them are their original picks -- the ones in the second, third and fourth rounds. Their fifth-round pick originally belonged to Kansas City, as the Lions had to swap fifth-round selections with the Chiefs as part of their punishment for tampering. The Lions do not own a sixth-round pick, and their seventh-rounder came from the Denver Broncos as part of a trade that sent Alphonso Smith to Detroit last September.

Here is a full rundown of the Lions' 2011 NFL Draft picks:

• Round 1, pick No. 13, overall pick No. 13
• Round 2, pick No. 12, overall pick No. 44
• Round 3, pick No. 11, overall pick No. 75
• Round 4, pick No. 10, overall pick No. 107
• Round 5, pick No. 23, overall pick No. 154 (originally had pick No. 9 in the fifth round -- the 140th overall pick -- but that now belongs to Kansas City as part of the swap of fifth-round selections)
• Round 7, pick No. 2, overall pick No. 205 (acquired from Denver as part of Alphonso Smith deal)

SB Nation can get you ready for the 2011 NFL Draft with NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL Draft schedule and more. SB Nation will also have full coverage during the event at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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2011 NFL Draft Start Time, Schedule

Just a couple years ago, the NFL Draft schedule was pretty straightforward. The first few rounds took place on a Saturday with a start time of noon, and the rest of the draft was held all day long on Sunday. Since moving to primetime on a Thursday in 2010, things are a bit more complicated, not only for the schedule, but also for the NFL Draft start time.

In order to keep things in order and make sure you don't miss a second of the action, here is a look at the schedule and start times for the 2011 NFL Draft (all times Eastern):

Thursday, April 28, 8 p.m. - Round 1

Friday, April 29, 6 p.m. - Rounds 2-3

Saturday, April 30, 12 p.m. - Rounds 4-7

NFL Network and ESPN will have coverage for all three days and all seven rounds of the draft. You can also find coverage online at SB Nation's NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For coverage of the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011: Who Have The Detroit Lions Hosted For Visits?

In the months leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft, every NFL team got to host up to 30 players for visits. The visits usually consist of additional interviews with players, as well as a physical so teams can check up on the health of guys they might end up drafting.

This year, the Detroit Lions were very open about which players they hosted for visits. Not every single visit was reported by the team's official site, but most were, and the articles even included interviews with the visiting players.

Over at Pride of Detroit, I have been compiling a list of all the players the Lions have hosted for visits. Also on the list are players that have reportedly privately worked out with the Lions. The list is by no means comprehensive, as there are bound to be some visits and workouts that slipped through the cracks. Also, players that visit are by no means more or less likely to be picked. Last year, for example, Jahvid Best was selected by the Lions after having little to no contact with the team in the months leading up to the draft.

Whatever the case, it's always interesting to get a look at which players have stopped by the Allen Park facility for a visit or have worked out with the Lions. You can check out the full list, which includes 31 players, over at Pride of Detroit.

SB Nation will get you ready for the 2011 NFL Draft in the days leading up to it with NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL Draft schedule and more. SB Nation will also have full coverage during the event at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.

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NFL Draft 2011: Draft Week Has Arrived

This offseason for the NFL has been one of the strangest that I can remember. Due to the NFL lockout, there has been no free agency and no trades, causing player movement to come to a standstill. There is still some hope that this conflict will be resolved during the summer so free agency can actually happen at some point, but the 2011 NFL Draft is set to take place this week. This means that, barring a miracle that ends the lockout, free agency will not happen until after the NFL Draft, likely changing the strategy of how teams approach the event this week.

Regardless of what happens with the CBA and the lockout, football fans finally have an event to get amped up about. This offseason has sort of dragged on without there being much news not related to the lockout/CBA. On Thursday, fans can finally put that type of stuff on the back burner and focus squarely on the NFL Draft. The first round is set to take place on Thursday at 8 p.m. (ET) in New York City. Rounds two and three will take place on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. (ET). Finally, the NFL Draft will conclude on Saturday with the final four rounds. Coverage for day three will begin at noon.

The Detroit Lions will pick 13th overall in the first round barring a trade. Martin Mayhew has been known to move around with deals, so one on Thursday can't be written off. In the other rounds, the Lions have five picks -- one in every round except the sixth. I would also expect there to be quite a bit of movement in the later rounds, especially since Detroit has only six picks this year. My prediction is for them to do some maneuvering to acquire more picks, as there is a lot of talent in the 2011 NFL Draft.

SB Nation will get you ready for the 2011 NFL Draft in the days leading up to it with NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL Draft schedule and more. SB Nation will also have full coverage during the event at its NFL Draft hub and NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the Detroit Lions, make sure to check out Pride Of Detroit and SB Nation Detroit's NFL Draft StoryStream.