2012 NFL Draft: Detroit Lions Sign Several Draft Picks

On Friday afternoon, the Detroit Lions and third-round draft choice Dwight Bentley agreed to terms on a four-year deal, according to Tim Twentyman.

Lions third-round pick CB Bill Bentley has agreed to term on a four-year deal, according to league source

— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) May 11, 2012

Bentley, who goes by the name "Bill," was selected with the 85th overall selection by the Lions in the 2012 draft. An under-sized cornerback, Bentley stands at 5-10 and 182 pounds. The Lions are hopeful that Bentley is capable of playing above and beyond his little frame.

According to a report, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz has stated that Bentley has been putting on weight in the offseason and the team hopes he can put on some more muscle prior to the start of the 2012 season.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with their sixth-round pick, Jonte Green, according to a press release issued by the team. The terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Green was a cornerback at New Mexico State last season. He was the 196th pick of the draft. He had two interceptions last season.

The Lions, who have been looking to upgrade their secondary all offseason, was the third cornerback selected by the Lions in the draft. The other two cornerbacks selected were Louisiana-Lafayette’s Dwight “Bill” Bentley in the third round and Albion’s Chris Greenwood in the fifth round. All three are expected to have a chance to compete for playing time.

He is 6 feet tall and weighs 191 pounds. At the combine he ran a 4.40 40-yard dash.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

The Detroit Lions are getting their rookies inked to contracts - something that has been made easier since a new collective bargaining agreement was put in place following an extended lockout in 2011. The rookie wage scale makes things nice and easy, with a hard cap on the ceiling for rookie deals being the deciding factor. Prior to Thursday, the Lions had already agreed with Ronnell Lewis and Travis Lewis.

Now, according to Tim Twentyman on Twitter, the Lions have come to terms with a few more. First off, the Lions agreed to terms on a four-year deal with wide receiver Ryan Broyles, who the Lions drafted in the second round. Broyles is set to wear No. 84 for the Lions this season.

In a follow-up Tweet, Twentyman went on to note that the team has also agreed to terms with linebacker Tahir Whitehead on a four-year deal and cornerback Chris Greenwood, also on a four-year deal. Both players were fifth-round selections by Detroit.

That leaves offensive tackle Riley Reigg, cornerback Dwight Bentley and defensive back Jonte Green unsigned, though a Tweet from Dive Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes that Green's deal is basically completed at this point.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

The Detroit Lions and Ronnell Lewis have agreed to a four-year deal, according to Fox Sports reporter Aaron Wilson.

Lions agreed to four-year deal with fourth-round DE Ronnell Lewis, according to his agent, Kelli Masters

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) May 10, 2012

Lewis, a University of Oklahoma product, joins seventh-round pick Travis Lewis as the second Oklahoma Sooner to sign in as many days. The Lions' third pick from OU, Ryan Broyles, has not yet signed.

Lewis, 6-2 and 253 pounds, had 59 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. Big 12 coaches voted him First Team All-Big 12, while media voted him to the second team. He missed the final two games because of a sprained knee.

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On Wednesday afternoon, reports started to surface that the Detroit Lions had come to terms with seventh-round draft pick Travis Lewis. Per Adam Caplan, the deal is for four years.

Source confirmed the #Lions agreed to a four-year deal with seventh-round pick LB Travis Lewis.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 9, 2012

Shortly after reporting on the length of the deal, Caplan tweeted out the specifics of the contract structure, noting that the deal was worth $2.16 million with an inclining pay scale.

Total value of the Travis Lewis deal with the Lions is $2.16 million. Minimum bases: 12-$390K; 13-$480K; 14-$570K; 15-$660K.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 9, 2012

On the heels of Caplan's report, Dave Birkett tweeted that Lewis had told him that he will officially be signing his contract on Thursday.

Travis Lewis said he'll officially sign tomorrow. "It was pain free...Just happy to sign an NFL contract & get paid to do something I love"

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 9, 2012

Lewis is the first member of the Lions' 2012 draft class to come to terms on a deal.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

The Detroit Lions have had mixed reviews for their 2012 NFL Draft class, but they're happy with the haul, and presumably know what they're actually doing and plan to do with the players, so it is what it is. The new players will come in, work out some contracts and then hit the organized team activities and training camp, which is always fun stuff. But first, they've got to get situated with their numbers.

Tim Twentyman had us covered on Twitter:

Here are rookie jersey #s: Reiff #71, Broyles #84, Bentley #28, Ronnell Lewis #97, Whitehead #59, Greenwood #33, Green #36, Travis Lewis #50

— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) May 1, 2012

For the record, that's Riley Reiff for No. 71, Ryan Broyles for No. 84, Bill Bentley for No. 28, Ronnell Lewis for No. 97, Tahir Whitehead for No. 59, Chris Greenwood for No. 33, Jonte Green for No. 36 and Travis Lewis for No. 50 - drafted in that order.

It's possible that the numbers will change - there could be numbers taken from training camp bodies and practice squad players, with the rookies eyeing some for the future if said players don't make it onto the final 53-man roster.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

Chris Greenwood liked the Detroit Lions even before they became his employer.

The News Herald, a newspaper covering the Downriver region, ran a story Monday about how Chris Greenwood, the Lions' fifth-round in last week's NFL Draft, has long been a Lions fans.

From the article:

He was at a party at his auntie's house in Flint when he got the word that he was now a member of the Lions, the team he's cheered for his whole life.

"I was actually on the phone and they were all gathered around and they saw my name scroll across the bottom of the screen and it was an eruption,'' Greenwood said.

The 6-1, 193-pound Greenwood played at Albion, a Division III school, after attending Detroit's Martin Luther King High School.

Greenwood had two interceptions last season, returning one of them for a touchdown. He was clocked at 4.42 in the 40.

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The dust has barely settled and the ink has hardly dried on the 2012 NFL draft, so we all know what that means. It means it's time for some 2013 NFL Mock Drafts, of course! The Detroit Lions went for some offensive line depth and added pieces all over the defense with their picks this season, so the all new SB Nation 2013 NFL Mock Draft has them going with a solid offensive skill player to add to their collection, RB Kenjon Barner out of Oregon.

28. Detroit Lions, Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon

Just what the Lions need, more speed in their offense.

The Lions rushing attack has several pieces in it right now including the pretty good Jahvid Best, snagging an elite running back to headline the group could be the final piece of the puzzle for the Lions now that their offensive tackle needs are likely solved with Riley Reiff.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. More on the NFL Draft, both this year's and next's, can be found over at Mocking The Draft.

There have been some mixed reviews out there for the Detroit Lions after their draft was completed. Though the Riley Reiff pick at 23rd overall seemed to have lots of fans the picks after that got a bit more spotty.

The SB Nation video recap of the NFC North covered the Lions and said the same sort of thing. The analysts loved the Reiff pick even with some other guys still on the board with OT being one of the biggest needs thanks to Jeff Backus getting older and getting injured more often along with a bunch of other spotty situations at tackle. Ronnell Lewis is compared to Cliff Avril as well, not a bad guy to be compared to.

In the end, the Lions got a B from SB Nation, tied with the Bears in the division. Both the Vikings and Packers rated higher.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride of Detroit. For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub. And for continuous draft coverage, make sure to visit Mocking The Draft.

Sitting in a rather unusual position near the bottom of the draft order, the Detroit Lions turned in a solid, if not unspectacular showing over the three-day spectacle in New York. Key to the Lions' draft was offensive lineman Riley Reiff from Iowa, who Detroit selected with its first round pick to solidify its line play.

The Lions' second choice, however, was met with a fair share of criticism, as Detroit took injured Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles in the second round. With a handful of intriguing cornerbacks and linebackers still on the board at the time, the Broyles pick confused scouts, analysts and fans alike, and stands as the main reason why many are less than enamored with Detroit's 2012 haul.

SportingNews.com gave Detroit a B-minus for the draft, saying "Reiff projects as a good pass protector, but the Lions didn’t come away with surefire help for their pass defense struggles." As many as eight teams received either an A-plus or an A by Sporting News, while nine teams picked up a lower grade than Detroit's B-minus.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride of Detroit. For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub. And for continuous draft coverage, make sure to visit Mocking The Draft.

The Michigan State Spartans just sent yet another player to the NFL, with the San Diego Chargers making running back Edwin Baker the No. 250 overall pick - in the seventh round. That was just three picks away from the end of the draft. Either way, Baker was the seventh player from Michigan State to be drafted, their highest total since 2000.

Baker rushed for 665 yards off of 170 carries and had five touchdowns in 2011. He had 31 yards against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game, with a touchdown. It was actually a down year for Baker, who had 13 touchdowns the previous season, so his draft stuck fell rather abruptly. But the Chargers apparently thought he had enough upside to draft.

He'll be competing for time behind Ryan Matthews, the starter in San Diego. Baker's teammates that were drafted include Jerel Worthy in round two, Keshawn Martin and Kirk Cousins in round four, and Trent Robinson and B.J. Cunningham in round six.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

The Michigan Wolverines are finally getting some players of their's picked in the 2012 NFL Draft, though it's coming in the seventh round. Wide receiver Junior Hemingway has just been selected by the Kansas City Chiefs - at No. 238 overall, the second-to-last pick in the seventh round outside of the compensatory selections. He joins David Molk (who was drafted at No. 226 overall - the seventh round) and Mike Martin (who was drafted at No. 82 overall, in the third round) to make three Michigan players drafted thus far.

Hemingway will be the final pick for the Chiefs, who also drafted a wide receiver much earlier in the draft when they took Devon Wylie out of Fresno State in the fourth round. Hemingway started 31 games at wide receiver for the Wolverines, and has 1,638 career receiving yards, good for 17th in school history, with six 100-yard games to his credit. He was also the Sugar Bowl MVP in 2011.

He'll join a Chiefs team that has invested in the wide receiver position recently - with money going to Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston, along with the 2011 draftee, Jonathan Baldwin. Still, there's room there to compete, but he'll likely need to contribute on special teams.

For more on Michigan, check out Maize n Brew. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

The Michigan Wolverines have seen just two of their players drafted as we near the end of the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft. The most recent draftee, David Molk, went at pick No. 226 to the San Diego Chargers, with the No. 19 pick in the seventh round. Molk was projected to go much higher than this by most draft experts, and was considered one of the better center prospects coming out. It appears that some of the biggest knocks on him as a player may have been more significant than previously thought.

Most notably, Molk is regarded as someone who is a bit small and plays a bit small on top of that. At any rate, he's heading to the Chargers where he'll get his chance, and will be able to play alongside Stephen Schilling, a former guard at Michigan who was drafted by San Diego in round six in 2011.

Molk joins Mike Martin as the only two Michigan players drafted thus far, with notable names like Junior Hemingway and Kevin Koger still on the board. He's also the second interior lineman drafted by San Diego thus far, as the Chargers added Johnnie Troutman out of Penn State in round five.

For more on Michigan, check out Maize n Brew. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

With the No. 223 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected outside linebacker Travis Lewis out of Oklahoma. Lewis is the Lions' final pick for the day, barring any trade activity, and he's the third linebacker selected by Detroit over its eight picks. In fact, he's the second one from Oklahoma, with Ronnell Lewis coming much earlier at pick No. 125 in the fourth round. The other linebacker is Tahir Whitehead, an outside linebacker from Temple, selected in the fifth round at pick No. 138.

Lewis will obviously have an uphill battle, and will likely need to contribute on special teams right away, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have what it takes to start. In fact, the National Football Post had this to say about him in their official scouting report:

Impression: He's a bit undersized and doesn't tackle as well as you would like inside the box. However, he's a good run and hit backer who plays the run well and will be able to make plays vs. the pass game in the NFL. Looks like a day one starter to me as a 43 backer, either on the weak side or possibly in the middle.

Not many seventh-round draft picks have "looks like a day one starter" in their scouting reports, regardless of who's doing the scouting, so there could be some solid value here for Detroit.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

With the 196th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected New Mexico State defensive back Jonte Green. At 6-feet and 184 pounds, Green primarily played cornerback for the Aggies last season, intercepting two passes and recording 70 total tackles, as well. This is about where most scouts had him going.

Green's speed could prove to be an asset for Detroit's secondary. At New Mexico's Pro Day in mid-March, the Saint Petersburg, Fla., native ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash. His size, though, could be an issue. He has a smaller frame is probably closer to 5-foot-11 than 6-feet. But he has also been improving, consistently. His two interceptions from last season came in the final two games and he played some of his best football during the latter portion of the year.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

Shortly after teammate Trenton Robinson went to the San Francisco 49ers, Michigan State Spartans wide receiver B.J. Cunningham was taken by the Miami Dolphins at pick No. 183 in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Cunningham was voted most valuable player by his teammates at MSU, and was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and the media. He tied a Spartan single-season record with 79 receptions in 2011 and was tied for first in the Big Ten with 12 touchdown receptions.

Cunningham joins the Dolphins as their fifth offensive player drafted in seven picks thus far. He'll be catching passes from first-round draftee Ryan Tannehill, if he is indeed the starter, and sharing the field with Michael Egnew, a tight end from Missouri who was drafted in round three. On top of that, the Dolphins also took running back Lamar Miller in round four and offensive tackle Jonathan Martin in round two.

The Dolphins were hurting for receivers after Brandon Marshall joined up with the Chicago Bears. With guys like Davone Bess and Brian Hartline starting, Cunningham will have a solid opportunity to earn some playing time.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

Another player from the Michigan State Spartans is off the board, as safety Trenton Robinson is on his way to the San Francisco 49ers at the No. 180 pick in the fifth round. Robinson was a key playmaker for the Spartans, but was slightly overshadowed by guys like Jerel Worthy and William Gholston. With the Spartans, he had 229 tackles, nine interceptions and 12 pass break-ups in 46 career games, which included 32 starts at safety.

Robinson goes to a team that is in need of safety help. The 49ers are actually set when it comes to their two starters for 2012 - with Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner, but don't have an actual backup on the roster. C.J. Spillman sees the field in goal line situations, but he isn't a a true backup, as Reggie Smith departed in free agency. Colin Jones, the other safety listed on the roster, saw only one snap that wasn't special teams in 2011 - on offense as a wide receiver.

Robinson may be in the 49ers' plans for the future, given that Goldson is playing the 2012 season on a franchise tag, and was re-signed at the last minute in 2011 on a one-year deal when a potential contract with the New England Patriots fell through.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

With the 148th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Chris Greenwood -- a 6-foot-1 cornerback from Albion College in Albion, Mich., a Divison III school. It's a bit of a homecoming for Greenwood, who played high school football at Detroit King and college ball briefly at Eastern Michigan.

He was projected as a fourth or fifth round pick, but slipped, slightly, to the Lions, who took him with the 13th pick in the fifth round. Greenwood's stock had risen in the weeks leading up to the weekend's draft, especially after running a 4.42 in the 40-yard-dash during Michigan's Pro Day. He had also impressed scouts during the East-West Shrine Game.

That speed should help him make some sort of an impact for the Lions -- either as another corner or on special teams.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

With the 138th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Temple outside linebacker Tahir Whitehead. Whitehead was taken a bit earlier than many initially projected -- he was often pegged as a late fifth or early sixth rounder.

At 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, Whitehead was regarded by scouts as a hard-working player, but with limited upside. He doesn't possess great speed or strength, but could nonetheless make an impact on the next level on special teams, and with time, could also become serviceable on defense. At Temple, he, at times, struggled in pass defense, though often faring well against the run.

The pick -- the third in the fifth round -- came through a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

With the 125th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions chose linebacker and defensive end Ronnell Lewis out of Oklahoma. These NFL Draft 2012 results go against projections for Lewis, who was expected to go as high as the second round.

Although many have projected Lewis to be a linebacker in the NFL, the Lions view Lewis as a defensive end. Either way, a pass rusher is a pass rusher and it won't matter where he lines up as long as he can get after opposing quarterbacks, which he did admirably well as an All-Conference player for the Sooners.

Lewis joins Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril, Lawrence Jackson, Willie Young, Everette Brown and Ugo Chinasa as the Lions' current defensive ends.

The Lions originally had the 117th pick in the fourth round, but executed a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to move back eight spots while also picking up a sixth round pick, which they had forfeited due to the tampering charges against them.

The Lions next selection will be the 158th overall pick.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

With the 121st draft in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans selected wide receiver Keshawn Martin out of Michigan State. Martin is the second wide receiver the Texans have added in the draft despite already having Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones and Juaquin Iglesias under contract. On Friday in the third round, the Texans added DeVier Posey from Ohio State.

Martin is an All-Conference slot receiver who can be an effective return specialist, as well. He's a solid possession receiver, who knows how to get open, but he will struggle down field and in battles for the ball, as he's not the biggest receiver.

NFL Network's Mike Mayock likes the pick for the Texans, though, and Martin falls in the round he was projected to go.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

The Detroit Lions have traded their first pick in the fourth round (117th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers. In exchange for the pick, the Lions acquired the 49ers' fourth round pick (125th overall) and their sixth round pick (196th overall).

The Lions must feel strongly that whomever they want in the fourth will still be around at No. 125. In swapping fourth round picks with the 49ers, allowing the Niners to move up to shore up their selection (Guard Joe Looney out of Wake Forest), the Lions gain a sixth round pick, which was originally forfeited due to their tampering charge. So the Lions could still very well get their guy in the fourth and then they gain a pick they did not have before.

This really can't be viewed as anything but a strong move by GM Martin Mayhew.

The Lions remaining picks today are 125, 158, 196, 219 and 230.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

With the 102nd overall pick, the Washington Redskins selected quarterback Kirk Cousins out of Michigan State. The Redskins picked Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 overall pick, so this is a peculiar pick for the Redskins, who just re-signed Rex Grossman to a one-year deal in March.

Cousins was rated the fifth best quarterback in the draft and ultimately went right around where he was projected to go, although no one anticipated the Redskins to be his destination after they went with RGIII in the first round.

Cousins, a three-year starter for the Spartans, was given a draft grade of 73 and has all the intangibles necessary to be an NFL quarterback. The concern with Cousins is that he is not extremely talented and will likely need to be in the perfect fit for him to be successful at the next level.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

The remaining four rounds of the NFL Draft will play out Saturday starting at noon Eastern.

The Detroit Lions' first and only pick of the fourth round will come at No. 22, or No. 117 overall. The Lions will then draft No. 23 in the fifth round (No. 158 overall), skip the sixth round, and wrap up with the No. 12 (No. 219 overall) and No. 23 (No. 230) in the seventh.

The Lions traded their fourth-round pick last season. In the fifth round they took Doug Hogue, a linebacker from Syracuse; they traded their sixth-round pick; in the seventh they took Johnny Culbreath, an offensive lineman from South Carolina State.

2012 NFL Draft Start Time: Noon ET, Saturday, April 28

TV: ESPN, NFL Network

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After making a solid selection on Day 1 by taking offensive tackle Riley Reiff from Iowa, the Detroit Lions made some questionable moves with their picks on Day 2 of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Opening the day by taking Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles at No. 54 in the second round, the Lions concluded the day by taking little known Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Dwight Bentley in the third round at No. 85. With injuries to Broyles and the obscurity of Bentley, the picks have left the verdict out on the Lions second day selections.

Check out what SB Nation's Jerry Mallory had to say about the picks:

For those of you unable to watch the video, here's what he said:

"If any body guessed [these two picks] they should be professional fortune tellers or should be in the stock market," Mallory said. "Cause no one saw these two picks coming."

What were his thoughts on Bentley?

"The cornerback? We don't know who he is. I'm not gonna act like I know who he is, so we'll have to wait to see."

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

The Detroit Lions will enter the final day of the 2012 NFL Draft with four remaining selections. After upgrading the offensive side of the ball by selecting offensive tackle RIley Reiff with 23rd overall selection and wide receiver Ryan Broyles in the second round, the Lions finally addressed the defense in the third round when they selected cornerback Dwight Bentley with the 85th overall selection.

(1) #23 Riley Reiff, Offensive Tackle, Iowa

(2) #54 Ryan Broyles, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma

(3) #85 Dwight Bentley, Conrerback, Louisiana-Lafayette

In the third and final day, the Lions will have two selections in the remaining rounds. Their first pick will come in the fourth round when they select at No. 117 and their final pick will come in the fifth round when they select at No. 158.

The team was forced to forfeit their sixth round pick due to findings of tampering with the Kansas City Chiefs when Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham made comments about certain players currently on the Chiefs. Cunningham spent ten-years as the Chiefs defensive coordinator (one year as the team's head coach in 1999-2000).

(4) #117

(5) #158

(7) #219

(23) #230

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

Former Michigan defensive tackle Mike Martin was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the NFL draft on Friday night. The Titans used their third-round pick (82nd pick overall) to select the former Wolverine.

Martin, a 6-1, 306 pound DT from Redford, MI was expected to go in the third or fourth round and should have a chance to make an immediate impact on the Tennessee defensive line that is looking to add depth. He will also make the line more versatile as he'll has a chance to join the playing rotation with Jurrell Casey and Karl Klug which may allow Klug to move to defensive end.

Martin was a four-year letterman at Michigan and was named to the All-Big Ten second team as a captain in his senior year.

For more on Michigan, check out Maize n Brew. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

With the No. 85 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Dwight Bentley, cornerback from the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. These NFL Draft 2012 results confirm the projection for Bentley, whom many scouts and evaluators feel was a second or third round selection.

Bentley was a four-year starter at ULL and really caught the eye of NFL scouts his senior year in 2011. He put together a spectacular season, recording 71 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss and 3 interceptions. Bentley also displays the athleticism at the cornerback position the NFL looks for, but is a little light at only about 185 pounds. He also displays return ability with the football in his hands, returning two of his interceptions for touchdowns.

The Lions' next pick is the No. 117 pick in the fourth round. Many expected the Lions to select a cornerback at some point in the draft. The Lions were ranked No. 22 in the NFL in pass defense last year and needed to boost the secondary to match the strong defensive line. The hope is that Bentley will be able to do that.

With the 54th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Ryan Broyles, a wide receiver from the Oklahoma Sooners. These NFL Draft 2012 results go against the projection for Broyles, who was seen as a likely third or fourth round pick, mainly because of a torn ACL he suffered in November.

Broyles has battled his way back from injury and showed scouts that he was fully healthy at a Pro Day in April. At 5-10 and 198 pounds, he also has had to deal with questions about his size. But there's no question about his ability to catch the ball. Broyles is the NCAA's all-time leader in receptions, compiling 349 in his career.

The Lions' next pick is the No. 85 overall pick in the third round. Picking a wide receiver became a running joke when Matt Millen was in charge of the team in the last decade, but with one of the best offenses in the league last season, many thought the Lions would try to upgrade the defense with their early picks. Now Matthew Stafford will have another weapon at his disposal on offense.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit the SB Nation Detroit storystream. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

Jerel Worthy didn't have a very happy birthday when he wasn't selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft on Thursday.

He had to wait, but Worthy was rewarded by heading to a successful team when the Green Bay Packers traded up to draft him with the No. 51 overall pick in the second round.

Green Bay traded up from 59 to 51 to draft DT Jerel Worthy.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2012

Packers REALLY like Worthy...strongly considered him in the first round #NFLDraft

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 28, 2012

The 6-2, 305-pound Worthy was a first-team All-Big Ten and a first-team All-American following his junior campaign. He finished the season with 10.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Worthy showed a great jump on the ball, although he frequently was caught offsides. He's a physical specimen with a lot of upside. His drive has been questioned, but being selected in the second round surely will motivate him, as he expressed on Twitter.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Bill Polian said Worthy would have been better off staying in school, but with his parents dealing with health issues, it was understandable why Worthy wanted to go pro as soon as he could.

For more on Michigan State, check out The Only Colors. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

Coming off of their first playoff appearance in 12 seasons, the Detroit Lions looked to improve their team on Thursday night with the 23rd overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. According to SB Nation's NFL Editor, Joel Thorman, the Lions made a solid pick at 23 when they selected tackle Riley Reiff.

"I'm probably higher on this pick than others but Riley Reiff is a technically sound tackle who has good value at No. 23. The Lions found themselves a starting offensive tackle with the 23rd pick."

Boasting one of the most dynamic offenses last season, the addition of Reiff will be a welcome move for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford who has had to battle injuries in the past. Reiff, a junior standout at Iowa stands at 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds and started 37 of 39 games during his years as a member of the Hawkeyes. he decided to skip his senior season to enter the draft.

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There were two big positions that seemed to be mocked to the Detroit Lions during pre-draft mocks, offensive linemen and cornerbacks. The Lions have already taken half of those prophecies and made them come true by selecting Riley Reiff, an offensive tackle, in the first round. The biggest need for the Lions past that is their secondary, and Mocking The Draft's second round mock draft has the Lions unsurprisingly going for UCF cornerback Josh Robinson with their 54th overall selection.

The Lions got a great tackle in round one but still need to add a corner. Robinson is the best one on the board and he can also return kicks.

Having a solid kick returner is a bit less important now with so many touchbacks in the league thanks to the new kickoff rules, but it's always nice to have a great one on the squad. Robinson being the best corner on the board makes it a solid selection for Detroit as well.

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Draft grades are always a bit subjective right after the draft because the players haven't even played a snap yet, but so far people seem to like the Detroit Lions and their selection of Riley Reiff in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Pete Prisco of CBS liked the pick thanks to the Lions replacing the aging Jeff Backus, giving the Lions a solid A.

This is a good pick. They need to replace Jeff Backus. This kid fell and they landed a need pick.

Walterfootball loved the pick, comparing it to Bryan Bulaga from two years ago, a solid offensive tackle prospect who fell in the draft a bit and was scooped up in the 20's. Walter gave the Lions an A+.

History repeats itself. Two years ago, Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga was a top-10 prospect who dropped to the 20s. That pick worked out really well, and I'll be shocked if the Lions don't have similar success with Riley Reiff. Detroit really needed a tackle to protect Matthew Stafford, and Reiff was the best player on the board. Great move.

SB Nation's Youtube Channel also liked the pick, giving the Lions an A- for a long term selection to keep Matt Stafford healthy on their NFC North video recap.

That's three A's of different colors for the Lions, and it's hard to complain about scores like that.

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The 2012 NFL Draft's three day process will continue on Friday as the second and third rounds get going after an exciting first round on Thursday. Coverage is expected to go from 7:00 p.m. ET to 11:30 p.m. ET with both ESPN and the NFL Network once again doing full on coverage. The picks move faster than they do in the first round as the day goes along with seven minutes between picks in the second and five minutes between picks in the third round.

You can also catch a live stream of the draft on NFL.com if you don't feel like watching it on TV. The Detroit Lions have a pick in each round, the 54th and 85th picks overall in the draft. This is of course assuming that there aren't any more trades, with an absolute glut of those taking over the first round.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

After the Detroit Lions made Iowa offensive lineman Riley Reiff their 2012 first round draft pick (23rd overall), the rising rookie spoke to the media about being drafted by the rising Detroit Lions and impressed The Oakland Press' Paula Pasche:

Reiff was a riot on a conference call with the Detroit media shortly after he was drafted. He sounded like he was way more comfortable sitting in the barn at his home in South Dakota waiting for the phone to ring than he would have been in glitzy surroundings of Manhattan.

He repeatedly said he was "super excited" to be a Lion. And he also said repeatedly that "whatever happens, happens" when it comes to where he will play this season.

For a transcript of the majority of the Q&As from that conference call, check out MLIVE.

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After three of the top cornerbacks in the draft went off the board, the Detroit Lions decided to address their aging offensive line with the No. 23 overall pick, selecting o-lineman Riley Reiff out of Iowa. Reiff is a big body at 6-foot-6 and over 300 pounds, and figures to be a left tackle who will eventually replace 34-year-old Jeff Backus, although he is considered versatile.

Shortly after being drafted, the Detroit Lions tweeted what number Reiff will wear:

Reiff will wear #71 for the #Lions. #lionsdraft

— Detroit Lions (@DetroitLionsNFL) April 27, 2012

That's the number four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Alex Karras wore during his 12 seasons with the Lions in the 50s and 60s. Karras was also out of Iowa. I wonder if Reiff was aware of this.

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With the 23rd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have selected Riley Reiff, an offensive tackle from Iowa. These 2012 NFL Draft results have Reiff landing exactly where the final SB Nation mock draft had him. Reiff was regarded as the second-rated offensive line prospect behind Matt Kalil, who went No. 4 overall to the Minnesota Vikings.

Reiff was an early entrant to the draft after his junior year at Iowa, during which he garnered All-American and All-Big Ten honors. He started 37 of 39 career games, and is the latest in a string of recent Iowa offensive linemen taken in the first round of the NFL draft. At 6'6" and close to 315 pounds, he projects as an NFL left tackle.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

The Detroit Lions hold the 23rd overall selection in the first round of the NFL Draft, which starts Thursday night. There's a plethora of players that they have been linked with at that spot in the draft, mostly need-filling players as well that far down into the first round.

Of course, there's always a chance that the Lions can trade their pick away if the right deal comes up and Adam Schefter announced on twitter that they might just be in the mood to do that. Schefter's tweet includes a bunch of teams that might want to trade their pick around, Detroit among them.

Teams open to trading back for the right offer include Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Miami, Seattle, Dallas, NY Jets, Detroit.

There's not too many big moves that Detroit could probably make with the 23rd overall selection, but if the right deal comes up they could potentially end up with a guy they really like rather than just one they're merely OK with down there.

Jason LaCanfora reported on twitter that the Lions are looking to move up, potentially in order to get CB Stephon Gilmore who will most likely be off the board at the point when Detroit is picking.

Lions are legitimately pursuing options to trade up. Corner Stephon Gilmore is a player they really like.

The rumors are just going to keep flying as the hours tick down to the draft and the Lions either make a move or make their selection.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. More news and information on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub, and you can check out SB Nation's NFL Draft hub for more on this weekend's draft action.

Just as a reminder the NFL draft is tonight, and the Detroit Lions will be selecting at No. 23 in the first round. Indications from mock drafts are the Detroit is targeting a cornerback and Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick may be at the top of their list.

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In the final mock draft from both ESPN's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr., both experts say the Lions are targeting a top-tier cornerback. McShay, however, thinks Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick will drop to Detroit and Kiper Jr. does not.

Kiper Jr. believes the team will have to settle with a backup plan and instead turn to Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin:

The Lions are old at crucial spots on the offensive line, and Martin is an athletic tackle with plenty of upside. If they don't see value at CB here, the pick makes sense.

Usually a perennial top-10 pick, the Detroit Lions will not select until No. 23 in this year's draft after last season's playoff appearance.

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With the No. 23 pick in the NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions will take offensive tackle Riley Reiff from the University of Iowa, according to SB Nation's final mock draft.

Reiff was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last year for the Hawkeyes, who went 7-6 and 4-4 in the Big Ten.

SB Nation's Ryan Van Bibber had this to say of the selection:

This is a good spot for Reiff, who can learn the ropes and step in for an aging Jeff Backus. He might beat out Gosder Cherilus in August.

In a recent SB Nation mock draft, Van Bibber had the Lions taking Janoris Jenkins at No. 23, and had Reiff going in the second round. In the most recent mock, released Thursday morning, Jenkins is the one who slipped to the second round.

The Round 1 guessing will be laid to rest Thursday evening, with the Draft kicking off at 8 ET.

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The Detroit Lions, who have defied consensus among mock drafters, are slated to pick No. 23 in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Mock drafting, of course, is an inherently unscientific process. But even given that, the Lions have proven to be one of the first-round wildcards. For instance:

SB Nation's mock draft has the Lions taking Florida/North Alabama corner Janoris Jenkins.

This CBS Sports mock draft has the Lions taking offensive lineman Jonathan Martin from Stanford.

This mock draft from SI's Peter Kings has the Lions trading down to No. 29, and then picking O-lineman Amini Silatolu from Midwestern State.

These four mock drafts from NFL.com have the Lions taking four different players.

You get the idea...

At any rate, the guessing will end Thursday:

Draft time/date: 8:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 26, 2012

Location: Radio City Music Hall, New York, New York

TV: ESPN, NFL Network

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In Mel Kiper's latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft, he projects that the Detroit Lions will select former Boise State running back Doug Martin with the 23rd overall pick. Via Kiper:

The Lions went with a running back last year when we were sure they'd go after an offensive lineman or corner. I think they could trade down if they don't see the value they want here in the secondary, but this is a team that really needs a complete back, and Martin is the best one in the draft after Richardson. If Mikel Leshoure isn't back at 100 percent -- a legit question -- the Lions are back where they were last year in Week 1.

Martin ran for 1,299 yards and 16 touchdowns in his senior season at Boise State. He also made 28 receptions for 255 yards.

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One day out from the 2012 NFL Draft and the mocks are pouring in like never before. Every draft expert on the planet has unveiled his or her final mock (for day one that is, as there will surely be all manner of day two mocks on Friday morning), and for the Detroit Lions, it's mainly par the course. They're taking a cornerback or they're taking an offensive lineman, and there's not many dissenting opinions.

Well, ESPN's Mel Kiper ("the" draft expert) released his Mock Draft 5.0 and he's got the Lions taking someone a little different: running back Doug Martin:

The Lions went with a running back last year when we were sure they'd go after an offensive lineman or corner. I think they could trade down if they don't see the value they want here in the secondary, but this is a team that really needs a complete back, and Martin is the best one in the draft after Richardson. If Mikel Leshoure isn't back at 100 percent -- a legit question -- the Lions are back where they were last year in Week 1.

It's not an unheard of opinion at this point, but it is a bit different from the norm and thus worth mentioning. Martin is a strong running back that could fall far past Detroit if they don't draft him, given the general lack of need at the running back position around the NFL. Detroit isn't one of those teams though, with a questionable Mikel Leshoure and a questionable Jahvid Best making recoveries.

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Fresh off their first playoff appearance in 12 years, the Detroit Lions will look to build upon their success from last season by improving the team through the draft. With seven picks this year, one in every round except the sixth (they have two selections in the seventh round), the Lions will look to make every pick count.

Here is how NFL.com projected the Lions would select in their most recent mock draft:

1 (23) Nick Perry, DE, USC
2 (54) Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
3 (85) Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina
4 (117) Chris Rainey, RB/WR, Florida
5 (158) Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State
7 (219) Johnny Thomas, S, Oklahoma State
7 (230) B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan State

With the first two picks, NFL.com has the team working on both the offensive and defensive lines prior to drafting Coastal Carolina corner back, Josh Norman.

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In Rob Rang's latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft for CBS Sports, he projects the Detroit Lions selecting former Clemson defensive end Andre Branch with the 23rd overall pick. Via Rang:

At first glance, it would appear that the Lions would invest their 2012 first-round pick in virtually any other position other than defensive line considering the talent already assembled there. Should the top cornerbacks be off the board, however, sources suggest the Lions could pull one of the real stunners of the draft and take advantage of a speed rusher like Branch. The former Clemson star would provide some safety for a team built around its pass rush should Cliff Avril refuse to sign his Franchise tender and the 34-year old Kyle Vanden Bosch begin to show his age.

Branch is listed as the fourth-best defensive end prospect by CBS Sports and is projected as a potential late first round or early second round pick. In his senior season at Clemson, Branch was named first-team All-ACC, leading Clemson in sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (17).

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The Palm Beach Post on Monday ran a profile of Janoris Jenkins, who some, including SB Nation's resident mock drafter Ryan Van Bibber, think will land with the Detroit Lions in this week's NFL Draft.

Jenkins' story has been well-publicized. He was a star cornerback at the University of Florida and could have entered the 2011 NFL Draft. He decided to return to college, however, and was promptly caught with marijuana. Twice. In the span of four months.

Another part of Jenkins' draft profile is that he has four children with three different women. And this is something that, according to the Post article, Jenkins objects to:

He was fine with that [questions about marijuana]. But here is the question that seemed out of place to him: Why does a 23-year-old have four children by three different women?

"It's weird because I had those kids while I was playing college football and it didn't affect me not once," said Jenkins, who is from Pahokee. "I'm proud to have my four kids. If they want to throw that in my face, so be it.

"Everybody has kids. Where in the book do it say you can't have kids? It doesn't say that in the law. I'm a great father. I'm there whenever they need me."

This article from NFL.com cites one expert who says Jenkins will go to the San Francisco 49ers at No.30, while two experts say he'll slip out of the first round. At any rate, he should be available when the Lions pick at No. 23.

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Yahoo Sports ran an article Tuesday declaring that the Detroit Lion must be on the hunt for players with good character when the NFL Draft begins later this week.

Speaking of the Lions' top two picks in 2011, Nick Fairley and Mikel Leshoure, the article read:

They were both busted recently for marijuana possession. Now, if the Lions know any better, taking into account a player's character should be of the highest priority.

Ba-dum-dum!

This redundant theme of character becomes more interesting, though, when looking at who mock drafters think the Lions are after.

Greg Cosell of NFL Films and NFL.com thinks the Lions will draft Ohio State product Mike Adams. Adams, of course, was part of the OSU tattoo and merchandise scandal in 2010, and his rap sheet grew yet again when he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine in February.

Meanwhile, SB Nation predicts that the Lions will draft Janoris Jenkins, a former Florida Gator who landed at North Alabama after he was busted, twice, with marijuana in 2011.

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In Greg Cosell's first 2012 NFL Mock Draft on NFL.com, he projects the Detroit Lions selecting former Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams with the 23rd overall pick. Cosell's mock draft is based on his own film study and assessment of team needs.

Here's what Cosell had to say about the pick:

You cannot ignore the importance of offensive line play to that team, and its profile. That leads me to Ohio State’s Mike Adams. Adams is the most purely athletic of the offensive tackles in this draft class: long arms, quick and light feet, outstanding size and body length, excellent balance and body control. For a team that throws the ball as much as the Lions do, Adams is the right fit. His overall skill set transitions well to pass protection in the NFL.

Adams is listed at 6-foot-7, 323 lbs and is considered the fifth best player at his position by CBS Sports. He tested positive at the NFL Combine in February, but has already completed the requisite counseling.

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We're starting to reach a consensus on the Detroit Lions, three days out from the 2012 NFL Draft. They're going to take a defensive back, if you believe the overwhelming majority. That's definitely likely, given the fact that Eric Wright signed elsewhere as a free agent this offseason and outside of him, there wasn't much left either way. Really, the Lions' secondary is easily their biggest weakness.

Which is why SB Nation is sticking with their pick in their latest mock draft by giving them cornerback Janoris Jenkins:

The Lions are willing to take character risks and they do here with Jenkins, who has top 10 talent.

That definitely makes sense picking at No. 23, as well. If the Lions are going to employ a "best player available" strategy, it's hard to argue against Jenkins in that vein. He's definitely a top-ten talent kind of guy, it just all depends on how teams are going to look at him from a character standpoint. If Jenkins is still on the board, the Lions could decide that they can handle his issues and work them out.

If they did that, their secondary would be vastly improved. They've got a couple of good safeties to work with, but the cornerback position is a ghost town. Jenkins certainly has bust potential, but the boom aspect of that equation is definitely there.

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In SportingNews' annual beat writers mock draft, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press selected former Alabama safety Mark Barron for the Detroit Lions with the No. 23 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Via Birkett:

The Lions have a bigger need at cornerback, but Barron is the second-best defensive back in the draft and the Lions would jump at the chance to add him to their secondary. He's an immediate starter with an outstanding nose for the ball.

Barron made 63 tackles and two interceptions in his senior season at Alabama. He is a hard-hitting safety who excels in stopping the run and is versatile in pass defense, though just adequate in man-to-man coverage.

After losing cornerback Eric Wright to free agency, it would appear the Lions would prefer to select a cornerback, but behind Amari Spievey, there is also little depth at safety. Barron would certainly move into Detroit's starting secondary.

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Here's news that sports fans in the Detroit area are familiar with hearing: a player recently tested positive for marijuana! It's happened a lot recently, with Derrick Nix of Michigan State, among others, but now an interesting connection has been made with a Detroit sports team and another athlete who's been busted: Ohio State offensive lineman Mike Adams.

Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine in February, according to a Tweet from Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network:

Ohio State T Mike Adams, 1st rnd prospect, tested positive for marijuana at combine. Has already completed counseling: bit.ly/JOuaup

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) April 19, 2012

Why is this pertinent to Detroit? Because Adams has been a frequent pick in various mock drafts around the Internet for the Detroit Lions. It's pertinent because this could hurt Adams' stock further and send him out of the first round. Some scouts already considered him a fringe first rounder, with the Lions mostly being the first team to bite early in the first.

On Wednesday, Don Banks of Sports Illustrated released his Mock Draft 6.0 and actually had Adams going to the Lions, citing a protection need for Matthew Stafford. Outside of Adams or another tackle, the most-mocked pick for the Lions has been a defensive back. Adams wouldn't be the first player to ever get picked in the first round after a positive test if the Lions do elect to take him, though it's anybody's guess how this will affect Adams' draft stock.

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The Detroit Lions could fill a void at wide receiver by drafting Michigan State's Keshawn Martin, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The Lions passed on this season's crop of free-agent receivers, and Martin, an Inkster native, might be an attractive middle-round pick.

The Free Press quoted ESPN's Mel Kiper, who had this to say about Martin:

"You can move him around a lot as they did at Michigan State," ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said. "Get the ball in his hands, he's great after the catch in the open field, reverses, wide receiver screens, all that type of thing they do. Return game. All those things Keshawn Martin can help you with. So I think he's one of those guys in the third, fourth round who'll be interesting."

The the 5-11, 190-pound Martin took part in the Lions' local workout Thursday.

Last season he had 66 catches for 777 yards, and was 18th in the nation in punt returns, averaging 11.0 yards per return.

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Along with a private workout for 17 local draft prospects, the Detroit Lions hosted five other players on a pre-draft visit, according to Lions reporter Tim Twentyman.

Visiting Wednesday were Kansas State running back Bryce Brown, Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry, Illinois wide receiver A.J. Jenkins, Miami running back Lamar Miller and Nevada wide receiver Rishard Matthews.

The Lions are searching for some depth at the wide receiver position and on special teams. Both Jenkins and Matthews are experienced at both positions and are expected to come off the board somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft.

Jenkins had 90 receptions for 1,276 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season, while Matthews had 91 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns. He also returned 38 punts for 307 yards and one touchdown.

Miller, considered one of the top five running backs in the 2012 NFL Draft, will likely be drafted in the second or third rounds. He ran for 1,272 yards and nine touchdowns.

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The Detroit Lions held a private workout for 17 local draft prospects Wednesday, according to Lions reporter Tim Twentyman.

The Lions are only allowed 30 pre-draft visits, but each NFL team is also allowed to invite local prospects to work out who don't count against the 30. A local prospect is defined as a player from a college or university in the city the team plays in or a player who went to high school or whose legal guardians lives within the city of Detroit or its contiguous suburbs.

The workout was described as "combine-style" and included Michigan State running back Edwin Baker, Michigan State wide receiver Keshawn Martin and Notre Dame running back Jonas Gray, whose hometown is Pontiac, Mich.

Baker is considered one of the better running backs in the draft and should be drafted somewhere in the middle rounds. Last season, he ran 170 times for 665 yards and five touchdowns. In 2010, he carried 207 times for 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Martin caught 66 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns last season. Gray had 12 touchdowns in his final eight games, amassing 791 yards on 114 carries on the season, but he tore his ACL against Boston College in the Fighting Irish's second-to last regular season game.

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While it's been somewhat difficult to gauge how the Detroit Lions will approach the 2012 NFL Draft, the various mocks around the web have had a couple players appear more often than naught. We still see mocks with the Lions taking different defensive linemen here and there, but for the most part, you'll find them selecting a quarterback or an offensive tackle.

Don Banks of SI.com elected to go for the latter in his Mock Draft 6.0, and has went with the Lions taking Mike Adams, an offensive tackle out of Ohio State:

I actually love Peter King's scenario in his mock for Sports Illustrated, because he has the Lions trading down and out of this spot, with Baltimore coming up from No. 29 to get Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower. I could definitely see that move happening, especially if all the first-round cornerbacks and first-round offensive tackles are gone by the time 23 rolls around. But for now, Adams remains available and the Lions offensive line needs some youth.

The other "popular" selection for the Lions is cornerback Janoris Jenkins, but Banks is going with the offense, and it makes sense. Detroit's offense is really good, almost keeping up with the New Orleans Saints in a shootout, but that all falls apart if Matthew Stafford gets injured again. Stafford has missed stretches of time here and there, and definitely could use the support of a strong tackle.

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The Detroit Lions hosted former UCLA running back Derrick Coleman and Nevada cornerback Isaiah Frey Monday on a pre-draft visit, according to Lions reporter Tim Twentyman.

Coleman ran for 725 yards and 11 touchdowns last season at UCLA. He is projected as a late-round draft pick or a undrafted free agent pick up, but his stock is likely pulled down because of his severe hearing limitations. Coleman, however, thinks he has benefitted from his hearing trouble. Via Twentyman:

"I don’t have to focus a little more. I have to focus a lot more," Coleman said. "It’s a huge advantage to me. Almost 80 percent of the time I already know what the quarterback is going to audible to because I have to get with them before because I might not be able to hear the call at the least second. I already know if it’s this play he’s going to change it to either this or this and I have to know why.

"In order to do that, I spend more time with the offensive line and the quarterbacks just to make sure we’re all on the same page."

Frey, a three-year starter at Nevada, is projected as a late-round pick up. As a senior, Frey had five interceptions and 16 pass break ups. Frey doesn't care where he lands in the draft order, or if he is even drafted:

"When you get into camp it doesn’t matter if you were drafted in this round or picked up as a free agent," he said. "You can either play or you can’t play. I just want to show them that I can play."

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The Detroit Lions seem to be settling in most mock drafts for either Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins or one of the slew of offensive tackles that will likely be available when they select 22nd overall.

The new SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft is out now and while trade talks are muddling the top of the draft -- most of them involving approximately every team in the league being interesting in Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill -- the bottom area has been untouched which includes the Lions, obviously. As such, they stick to their usual mock draft guns and put together the Lions and OT Jonathan Martin from Stanford.

Detroit held on to Jeff Backus, but they need to be ready for life without him. Martin gives them some young depth and the eventual blind side protector for Matt Stafford, who really deserves better protection than he's had in Detroit.

The mock draft also provides a link to a pretty good Youtube Scouting Report for Martin from the SB Nation channel:

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, you can head over to the SB Nation NFL Draft Hub.

The Detroit Lions hosted West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy, Weber State guard J.C. Oram and Purdue offensive tackle Dennis Kelly on pre-draft visits, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Tandy was an All-Big East First Team selection in his senior season, registering 60 tackles and four interceptions in 13 games for the Mountaineers. He is projected to go somewhere between the 5th and 7th rounds in the 2012 NFL Draft.

The Detroit Lions have not hid the fact that they are looking to improve their secondary this season.

Kelly is a 6-foot-8, 301-pound left tackle who earned All-Big 10 Honorable Mention for the Boilermakers. He is likely to be an unsigned free agent picked up by a team following the draft. Oram was an AP First Team All-American in the FCS and started 47 of his 48 games at Weber State.

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The first round of SB Nation's NFL bloggers 2012 NFL Mock Draft is over and Pride of Detroit selected North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins with the 23rd overall pick. Via Pride of Detroit:

As tempting as it was to go defensive line in the first round for the Lions for the third year in a row and select somebody like defensive end Whitney Mercilus, I couldn't pass up the chance to improve the Lions' secondary.

Jenkins is usually considered the second or third best cornerback prospect in the draft, behind only Dre Kirkpatrick and Stephon Gilmore. The questions surrounding Jenkins are about off-the-field issues concerning run-ins with the law and being dismissed from Florida's football program.

While Jenkins certainly has the talent to bolster the Lions secondary, it is unlikely Detroit adds him to the team considering his history and the team's recent offseason notable drug arrests.

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Dave Dye of Fox Sports Detroit published an article Thursday looking at what positions the Detroit Lions need to address in the 2012 NFL Draft.

In the first of a three-part series, Dye focuses cornerback, which he says is an eminent concern:

The Lions' secondary was torched in both of their final two games last season. Green Bay's reserve quarterback Matt Flynn passed for 480 yards and six touchdowns in the regular-season finale. New Orleans' Drew Brees went for 466 and three scores in the playoffs. The Packers and Saints both scored 45 points.

Dye goes on to note that the Lions will return 21 of 22 starters from last year's club, but that the one who got away was cornerback Eric Wright, who inked a five-year, $37.5 million free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

There is one presumed surefire corner in this draft class: LSU's Morris Claiborne. Problem is, Claiborne will likely go in the top 10 -- maybe even in the top five. Wherever he goes, he won't be around when the Lions pick at No. 23.

According to Dye, that leaves two potential first-round-worthy corners: Dre Kirkpatrick out of Alabama, and Stephon Gilmore out of South Carolina. Both Kirkpatrick and Gilmore have good size (6-2 and 6-1, respectively) and pedigree, having been groomed in the SEC.

Another potential corner -- although this would almost certainly be a second-rounder -- is Janoris Jenkins. Jenkins started his career at Florida but landed at Div. II North Alabama after being dismissed from the team after a series of off-field problems.

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In Don Banks' 2012 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 on SI.com, the Detroit Lions select Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin with the 23rd overall pick. Via Banks:

I'm now working under the assumption that the recent spate of pot-related incidents involving Lions players pretty much rules out taking North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins, with his history of marijuana issues. Central Florida corner Josh Robinson remains a possibility, but Martin is too highly graded to pass on, even with the re-signing of veteran tackle Jeff Backus.

Martin protected Andrew Luck's blindside at Stanford, but his stock has fallen due to questions about his strength. The Lions could groom Martin to take over when Backus moves on or retires, or they might consider moving Martin to the right side of the offensive line.

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The Detroit Lions hosted former Arizona wide receiver David Douglas and Harvard offensive tackle Kevin Murphy Wednesday on predraft visits, according to Lions reporter Tim Twentyman. Via Twentyman:

Douglas was Arizona’s second-leading receiver last year with 65 catches for 666 yards and four touchdowns. He’s seen his draft stock rise considerably since Arizona’s Pro Day on March 19, when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds, bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times and had a 37-inch vertical.

Detroit is in need of a fourth wide receiver and could use Douglas on special teams where he has experience. Douglas may be drafted in the later rounds, or he could go undrafted and sign as a free agent somewhere.

Murphy is likely to go undrafted, but will surely catch on with a team in free agency due to his size and agility.

Murphy was converted from tight end to tackle in high school and became one of the best tackles in Ivy League history over the last couple years. He stands 6-foot-7 and weights 305 pounds, but says his athleticism from his days as a tight end is what sets him apart.

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The Detroit Lions hosted former North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown and Nevada defensive end Kaelin Burnett on predraft visits Tuesday, according to team reporter Tim Twentyman.

Last season, Brown led the Tar Heels with 105 tackles, while also recording five and 1/2 sacks, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. He is expected to come off the board somewhere in the middle of the second round due to his lightning speed. Via Twentyman:

Brown ran the 100-meter dash in 10.6 seconds in high school and set the North Carolina school record in the indoor 60-meter dash as a sophomore. That speed has also translated well to the football field.

The Lions are set as far as starting linebackers go, but could certainly use depth at the position, especially from someone with Brown's speed. Burnett, meanwhile, was way down NFL draft boards until he also impressed scouts with his speed at Nevada's Pro Day.

In 13 games as a starter in 2011, he recorded 51 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks. Burnett was not invited to the combine, but turned some heads at Nevada’s Pro Day March 21 when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds.

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The Detroit Lions have scheduled a visit for former West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy, according to Aaron Wilson of Scout.com.

West Virginia cornerback Keith Tandy is drawing heavy interest after being overlooked and not invited to the NFL scouting combine. The Detroit Lions are the latest team added to his visit list, according to a league source.

Tandy recorded 60 tackles and four interceptions in his senior season at West Virginia. He will visit with the Lions on Friday and Saturday, according to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press.

Visits Lions Fri-Sat RT @RavensInsider: West Virginia CB Keith Tandy has visits with Lions, Steelers, Colts, Jaguars bit.ly/HHT0M3

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) April 10, 2012

Detroit is in need of some depth at the cornerback position, especially after losing Eric Wright to free agency.

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The Detroit Lions on Monday hosted Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus for a pre-draft visit, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Mercilus, 6-3 and 260 pounds, led the nation in sacks last season with 16. And even though the Lions spent their first round pick on a defensive lineman last season by drafting Nick Fairley at No. 13, Dave Birkett of the Free Press contends that the defensive line could use some bolstering:

The Lions return all nine contributors from a defensive line that accounted for 35 of their 41 sacks last year, but have several questions at the position long term.

Cliff Avril, who led the team with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, has not signed his one-year franchise tender and could be a free agent again next season. Kyle Vanden Bosch, coming off an eight-sack season, turns 34 this fall and is two years removed from neck surgery. And backup Lawrence Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Mercilus could well be available to the Lions at No. 23. A recent SB Nation mock draft, for one, had Mercilus hanging around until No. 27.

Not everyone, though, thinks Mercilus will fall that far. As of Tuesday, three of four NFL.com analysts thought Mercilus will be off the board already.

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In the latest edition of Ryan Van Bibber's 2012 NFL Mock Draft on SB Nation, the Detroit Lions select Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin with the 23rd overall pick.

Martin was once considered the second best tackle in the draft behind USC's Matt Kalil, but questions about his strength have dropped him on most expert's draft boards. He is 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, but completed just 20 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press at Stanford's Pro Day.

Here's what Van Bibber had to say about the pick:

The Lions need youth and depth on the outside. Pundits are divided on Martin, who once was considered the second-best tackle in the draft. In Detroit, he can work behind Jeff Backus for a year or take over when Gosder Cherilus becomes more than they can handle.

Martin did a fantastic job protecting Andrew Luck's blindside at Stanford the past two seasons, earning First Team All-Pac 10/12 honors is 2010 and 2011.

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The Detroit Lions are picking closer to the back-end of the first round than they're used to. While this is a good thing for the team because it means they had a strong 2010, it's bad for those who put together mock drafts for a living. It's bad because it's really hard to get a good feeling for where a team is going to go after another 20 teams have picked in front of them. Then again, maybe that's a good thing for them - as people will read the differing opinions more.

That being said, folks have narrowed down the Lions to a couple choice picks. Most are of the opinion that the Lions will try and strengthen their secondary, with nobody to speak of at the cornerback position (figurative). That's not the opinion of Wes Bunting of the National Football Post, though:

23. Detroit Lions: Ohio State OT Mike Adams
As long as quarterback Matthew Stafford is healthy the offense is going to score points. Therefore, bringing in an athlete capable of protecting his blind side is becoming a major need in Detroit.

Bunting's opinion isn't exactly a dissenting one, as offensive tackle is also mocked to the Lions pretty highly. And it makes sense, considering Stafford was, at one point, marked as "injury prone." When he's healthy, he's on fire and the Lions were almost able to keep up with the New Orleans Saints. A strong tackle is needed, and barring one of the top cornerbacks, it does seem like the best place to get one.

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NFL draft analysts have been making the connection between the Detroit Lions' need for a cornerback and their first-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft since the draft order was set. In most mock drafts, the names were familiar ones, but Don Banks at SI.com throws a curve ball into the conventional wisdom with his latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft.

Banks puts a new cornerback in the first round for the Lions, Josh Robinson from Central Florida. And what bumped Robsinson's name up the draft order? Banks explains:

I'm switching up and moving Robinson ahead of Janoris Jenkins and into the first round, filling Detroit's need at cornerback after losing Eric Wright in free agency. Robinson is a player on the rise, and his 4.3 speed makes him more attractive than the baggage that Jenkins comes with.

Get even more 2012 NFL Draft coverage, scouting reports, teams needs, etc. at Mocking the Draft. For more Colts coverage, check out Pride of Detroit. Be sure to visit SB Nation's NFL hub for the broader view.

The Detroit Lions have a desperate need to improve their secondary, especially after losing veteran Eric Wright to Tampa Bay in free agency. For that reason, in Brad Wells' latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft at SB Nation's Mocking The Draft, the Detroit Lions select South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore with the 23rd pick.

According to ESPN NFL Draft expert Todd McShay, Janoris Jenkins and Dre Kirkpatrick are both better prospects than Gilmore, but they've also both had run-ins with the law and teams naturally have some concerns over their character. Gilmore has both size and speed and reports are that he's been a great leader at South Carolina. Via Brad Wells:

The Lions secondary is a joke. Look for them to go corner in the first round of the real draft. Here, they don't have to settle with potential coach-killing head case Janoris Jenkins. Gilmore flashed 4.40 speed at the Combine, which is impressive for a 6'0 corner.

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It gets increasingly difficult to guess which player or even which position a team will go with at the back-end of the first round of the NFL Draft. When it comes to the Detroit Lions, most have went ahead and done it anyway, pegging them as likely to take a cornerback, as the team doesn't really have any starters at the position currently on the roster. It just so happens that one of those cornerbacks, Janoris Jenkins, has some other issues that are making his stock plummet, so many consider the Lions a likely team to jump on him and his potential.

Todd McShay didn't seem to think the Lions would go with a cornerback in his latest mock, as noted already. He had them go with Whitney Mercilus, a defensive end, which almost seems excessive at this point, given their defensive line. Detroit would be spending an awful lot of picks on defensive linemen altogether, and their weakness in that vein is stopping the run, which isn't something Mercilus is built for.

That being said, McShay did address the cornerback position in the second round. He mocked UCF cornerback Josh Robinson to Detroit at pick No. 54 in the second round. With Eric Wright leaving for free agency and some injury-prone safeties, Detroit really does need the help in their secondary, and will likely address the position in one of the top two rounds.

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ESPN football analyst Todd McShay released a mock draft Wednesday that projects the Detroit Lions taking Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus with the 23rd overall pick.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Mercilus led the nation in sacks last season with 16.0 and was one of just two players in the country who averaged more than a sack per game.

A recent SB Nation Mock Draft has the Lions taking North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins. (Jenkins started his career at Florida but was dismissed, landing him at North Alabama.)

McShay, however, thinks otherwise:

The Lions put the franchise tag on DE Cliff Avril, and Kyle Vanden Bosch will be 34 this season, so now is the time to add an edge rusher to make sure their defensive line will remain a devastating force for years to come. Mercilus has quickness and a knack for big plays, but he is still developing and this would be a good situation for him.

As for the top of the draft: McShay projects Andrew Luck to go first overall to the Indianapolis Colts, and Robert Griffin III to go second to the Washington Redskins (a pick that previously belonged to St. Louis).

He has the Minnesota Vikings taking Matt Kalil, an offensive tackle from USC, at No. 3; the Cleveland Browns taking Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon at No. 4; and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking Alabama running back Trent Richardson at No. 5.

McShay's draft pegs Morris Claiborne, a cornerback from LSU, as the top defensive pick, going No. 6 to the Rams.

For more NFL news and draft updates, check out SB Nation's NFL home page.

The NFL has awarded all of the compensatory draft picks for the 2012 Draft, which means the draft order is officially complete. Compensatory picks only affect rounds 3 through 7.

The Detroit Lions received no compensatory picks, but they do still have seven picks:

• Round 1 - 23rd, 23rd overall
  
• Round 2 - 22nd, 54th overall
  
• Round 3 - 23rd, 85th overall
  
• Round 4 - 22nd, 117th overall
  
• Round 5 - 23rd, 158th overall
• Round 6 - 22nd (forfeited)
• Round 7 (from Seattle) - 12th, 219th overall
  
• Round 7 - 23rd, 230th overall

The sixth-round pick was forfeited because of tampering charges, while the additional seventh-rounder came in a trade with Seattle.

Here is more on Detroit's draft, and here is an article with a complete list of all NFL Draft picks, including compensatory picks.

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Stop me if you've heard this one before: Cornerback is one of the biggest positions of need for the Detroit Lions, so they're being projected to take Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins by the new SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft. As usual, the questions with Jenkins all involve his off the field issues, but the sheer talent that Jenkins would bring to the football field usually seems to trump any questions about that.

The Lions have options with this pick. While depth on the offensive line would be useful, in this imagined reality they take a chance on a first-round talent with a pile of personal issues. If they can keep Jenkins focused on the game, he should pay off well.

They did manage to get Ndamukong Suh to work out as a fantastic defensive player despite his issues, at least mostly. There are, of course, plenty of other options for the Lions with that pick if they end up deciding that Jenkins is just too much of a risk. Plenty of solid offensive lineman dot the draft at that point as well as perhaps someone like Stephon Gilmore if they really want a CB.

Free agency is still going strong as well so that could continue to shape the draft a bit if the Lions pick up a guy or two that they like in the secondary.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft, check out SB Nation's specialized NFL Draft Hub.

With the 2012 NFL free agency period slowing to a crawl, it's time to shift the focus back to the NFL Draft. It's been awhile since we've taken a look at various mock drafts and how they're shaping up - and that's because their makeup has been changing as teams make new signings and things of that nature. For the Detroit Lions, they've had a solid free agency period but have one area that's of particular need.

That area is the cornerback position. Eric Wright ended up going elsewhere and it was already a position of weakness in 2011. Now that they're picking near the back-end of the first round, it will be harder to get some sure-fire talent, but it's likely they're really looking at the position for the No. 23 pick in the draft.

Don Banks of Sports Illustrated posted his latest mock draft, and he echoes the sentiments for the Lions needing a CB, going with Janoris Jenkins from North Alabama:

My gut tells me Jim Schwartz believes he now has enough capital in the bank and enough of a handle on his locker room to take a chance on Jenkins, who comes with as many red flags as anyone in consideration for a first-round selection. It's worth remembering Schwartz once coached Pacman Jones in Tennessee, and believed in him before things spiraled out of control in Nashville. The Lions' need at cornerback is obvious after the loss of Eric Wright in free agency.

Schwartz is certainly a strong coach who seems capable of handling any player on the roster, though he's dealt more with guys who do dumb things on the field at times, like Ndamukong Suh, as opposed to guys off the field. Still, Jenkins has plenty of talent, and without the red flags, likely wouldn't be around at the No. 23 pick in this draft.

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The Detroit Lions hosted LaMichael James on Wednesay for a pre-draft visit, according to the team's website.

James, who left the University of Oregon after the 2011 season, is projected as a top 100 prospect by SB Nation, but barely. He put up gaudy numbers in college but at 5-9 and 195 pounds, there are concerns about his durability as a pro.

The Lions might be extra wary of a running back with James' slight build in light of Jahvid Best's injury problems. After playing all 16 games as a rookie in 2010, the pint-sized Best missed the final 11 games of last season, including the playoffs, because of a concussion.

Still, James is an enticing prospect. He averaged an outrageous 7.3 yards per carry as a junior last season and tallied 18 touchdowns for the Ducks, who won the Rose Bowl. He did, alas, miss a pair of games with an arm injury, a fact that won't help allay injury fears.

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The Detroit Lions came to terms with former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jacob Lacey on Tuesday, but also hosted a potential draft pick in Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick is a top cornerback in the draft this year and the Lions would probably be foolish to pass up on him if he falls to No. 23 where the Lions pick.

Kirkpatrick sounds genuinely excited about the prospect of playing with the Lions, too:

"I’d fit in great" as a Lion, Kirkpatrick said today. "I’d be hugging big (Ndamukong) Suh and Nick (Fairley) every day, because those are the guys that are going to put the pressure and make me look good as I am and make life easy. It’ll be easy to roll the dice."

Kirkpatrick didn't have an interception during his junior season with Alabama, but he did have a touchdown and had three interceptions his sophomore season.

As of now, the Lions have five cornerbacks on their roster: Lancey, Chris Houston, Aaron Berry, Alphonso Smith and Don Carey.

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The Detroit Lions brought in Braylon Broughton, a defensive end from Texas Christian University, to visit their facilities, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

Broughton started five games in his senior season at TCU, recording 25 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks. He turned heads at TCU's Pro Day when he ran a 4.5 second 40-yard dash. Broughton is 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 255 pounds.

Broughton told Twentyman, however, that he has not lived up to his potential on the field yet.

"It was probably me just not taking the time out to learn the defense as much as I should have," he told Detroitlions.com Monday as he visited the team's practice facility in Allen Park as one of their allotted 30 pre-draft visits. "I have the talent, I just have to put all the knowledge on the field at one time and that kind of held me back a little bit."

Since TCU's Pro Day, Broughton has been fielding calls from around the league, but Monday was his first visit. He is projected to go anywhere from the fifth to the seventh round.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft, check out the SB Nation 2012 draft hub.

The Detroit Lions are still a bit of an enigma going toward the NFL draft when it comes to who they'll be picking with their 23rd overall selection, but the most popular guesses in mock drafts and the like seem to be offensive linemen and secondary players. The Lions invited one of the former to their practice faculty on Wednesday, Ohio State left tackle Mike Adams.

Adams is considered the second best tackle in the country behind Matt Kalil, who is likely to be picked up by the Minnesota Vikings at the third overall spot, by the National Football Post and the fifth best by ESPN. The Lions might need help at left tackle with 34 year old Jeff Backus' future not certain, so Adams will likely continue to be a popular selection in mock drafts everywhere.

Now, at least, we know that he's seen what the Lions have to offer if they do pick him up at 23rd overall.

For more on the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft, check out the SB Nation 2012 draft hub.

The Detroit Lions managed keep to an eye on the NFL draft during the first day of free agency, hosting a pair of prospects on Tuesday: Coastal Carolina cornerback Josh Norman and Iowa State offensive tackle Kelechi Osemele.

Norman has gained notoriety after a strong performance at the East-West Shrine Game and earned an invite to the February Combine. He ran a disappointing 4.66 in the forty, but still has many of the elements NFL teams value in defensive backs, including an impressive frame (6'0", 197 pounds) and stellar production during his college career.

Osemele is a mountain of a man, checking in at 6'6" and 333 pounds, and projects to make the transition from left tackle in college to guard in the pros. He too was a combine invite, putting up 32 reps on the bench press and running a 5.36 forty. Many have tabbed him as a second day pick.

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The Detroit Lions on Monday began doing pre-draft work including inviting non-local prospects around, including Brandon Brooks. He's not a big name, but he's a big guy.

A 349 pounder, Brooks was not invited to the NFL Combine but impressed scouts anyway by putting 36 reps on the bench press and running a 4.99 40 time, not bad for a guy his size. He played tackle for Miami (Ohio) but is more likely to go to Guard in the NFL due to his sheer size.

Brooks is slated to go in one of the mid to lower rounds of the NFL draft, and for a team like the Lions who are probably going to be looking for offensive line depth he is an absolutely perfect prospect for them to be looking at for a flyer pick in the later rounds.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft in general, check out the specific SB Nation 2012 NFL Draft hub.

The Detroit Lions have been getting mocked defensive players more and more in the past few weeks, and cornerbacks seem particularly popular for the team with their defensive line mostly settled. Stephon Gilmore has been a very popular name for the Lions, but the new SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft has them going for a slightly different player, Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick.

The Lions may not have the cap space to sign one of the big names in free agency to address their needs in the secondary. If Kirkpatrick did slip this far, it would be a stroke of luck for the Lions. Even if he does not, they might be able to get Gilmore here instead. He 40 time was less than impressive, but his physical style of play will appeal to Jim Schwartz.

As it said in there, Kirkpatrick isn't likely to go all the way down to the 22nd overall pick, but if he does manage to go that far down he'll likely be scooped up happily by Detroit or another team with a glaring CB need. Of course, there's still plenty of free agency to go so the Lions could always make a move to make their draft needs a bit more clear heading toward April.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft in general, head to Mocking The Draft or the 2012 NFL Draft hub at SB Nation.

Mel Kiper at ESPN rolled out his latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft on Wednesday. As has been the case with previous mock drafts, Kiper predicts the Lions to get some help at cornerback, upgrading their secondary as they prepare to make a run for the NFC North.

Kiper projects South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore as the Lions' pick. His analysis:

Detroit could get into the mix for a cornerback during free agency -- Cortland Finnegan is a name that has come up often -- but I'd still be shocked if the Lions go two rounds without adding a corner. They have plenty of talent up front, and they need to turn their pass rush into more interceptions. Gilmore is a bigger corner, a guy that can handle big wide receivers, but he also doesn't lose much in terms of quickness. I can also see the Lions going O-line or linebacker here, but corner is a big need.

Tight on cap space, it might be difficult for Detroit to get in the mix for a top corner. Drafting a player with Gilmore's upside would do more to secure their place at the top of the NFC for seasons to come.

For more Lions coverage, check out Pride of Detroit. Complete 2012 NFL Draft analysis is available at Mocking the Draft.

The NFL Combine shakes up things every year on the mock draft circuit, and obviously with 2012's NFL Combine finished, it's no different. The top section of most drafts has been unchanged -- Andrew Luck is still going to the Indianapolis Colts, someone is trading up for Robert Griffin III and the Minnesota Vikings are taking Matt Kalil -- but the lower section is absolutely jumbled, including where the Detroit Lions' 23rd overall pick is.

With a trend recently of offensive linemen and occasionally defensive linemen going to the Lions in almost every mock draft, it's refreshing to see something different post combine, which is what the new SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft gives us. They have the Lions going for South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore to shore up their secondary, a forgotten part of the team with so many OL going into free agency along with Cliff Avril.

Gilmore gave his draft stock a big boost at the Combine, showing off the kind of speed prized among cornerbacks. The Lions could certainly use some help in that department. With a limited budget and more pressing matters, like re-signing Stephen Tulloch, Detroit is unlikely to make a play for Cortland Finnegan.

Combine or not, there's still plenty of ways that the Lions could go with this selection so expect to see more and more names come into the conversation as we inch closer to April.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft in general, head to Mocking The Draft or the 2012 NFL Draft hub at SB Nation.

Cliff Avril is still not a sure thing to be back with the Detroit Lions, but they still aren't assured to take a defensive lineman with their 23rd overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. The newest SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft has the Lions going to an old standard after the NFL Combine, interior offensive lineman Cordy Glenn.

The Lions need to figure out ways to improve their interior offensive line. Matthew Stafford remained healthy this season but if they want to keep him healthy for the foreseeable future, more protection is needed. Glenn is not a sexy pick, but he would be a very effective guard.

Glenn is a name we've heard a lot of, and with the NFL Combine not doing too much to shake up the offensive linemen -- except perhaps Riley Reiff, who got a blow once his measurements were out -- it's likely that Glenn will continue to be a name thrown around for the Lions until the draft comes.

Naturally, it will depend a bit on how the Avril saga plays out in the end, so there's still intrigue to be had!

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft in general, head to Mocking The Draft or just head to the SB Nation NFL Draft hub.

The Cliff Avril saga is continuing to roll along for the Lions, and unfortunately for Detroit it looks like Cliff is not going to stick around unless they start mailing him a much larger paycheck. No hometown discounts, and all that. Cliff will probably be irreplaceable for the Lions if he leaves -- how many 11 sack per year players are there out there for the price that Avril was being paid? -- but the draft might be the place the Lions will look for his replacement if he ends up leaving.

The new SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft is now out, and they have the Lions going along in that vein. There's not going to be very many slam dunk players at 23rd overall, but certainly there is room to grow their already beastly defensive line up a bit more with young talent. The SB Nation draft says that South Carolina DE/OLB Melvin Ingram will be the guy.

Ingram is the best player left on the board, and the Lions could use some insurance in case Cliff Avril is too expensive to re-sign. Ingram specializes in rushing the passer, which will be important when facing Aaron Rodgers twice every season, but he can play against the run as well. This would be a steal for the Lions at this point. You can never have enough pass rushers.

The key to the Lions success on defense in 2011 was their defensive line being absolutely beastly. They're not particularly weak at the other positions, but that's their core and it can't hurt to build up your core a little bit more. Of course, this will remain dependent on Avril's ability to negotiate with Detroit for a new contract; he already stated that he will not be happy if the franchise tag is slapped onto him to keep him around.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft in general, head to Mocking The Draft or the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

It's almost gotten sickening how often we've seen offensive lineman after offensive lineman drafted to the Detroit Lions. Granted, it certainly makes sense for the team as they can use upgrades all around the aging and sometimes ineffective line.

That's what makes this new take on things by WalterFootball so interesting. With Cliff Avril suddenly not as sure a thing as he was last week after claiming he would hold out if given the Franchise Tag by the Lions, defensive end is suddenly a possible need for the Lions to fill. They would lose 11 sacks if Avril were to depart for greener and richer pastures during free agency, so Walter's newest 2012 Mock Draft has them taking DE Nick Perry out of USC:

Another first-round defensive lineman!? Well, it's no secret that Jim Schwartz loves bolstering his pass rush. Defensive end will be a big need for the Lions if free agent Cliff Avril leaves. Detroit doesn't have the cap space to give Avril the money he wants. Avril could be franchised, but that'll just mean that the Lions will have to find a replacement next spring.

Depending on how the Avril saga plays out, this might start a new trend in Lions mock drafts. It'll be near impossible to replace Avril's consistency by a first year draft pick, especially around pick 23, but there's no reason to bolster the line if the opportunity is there.

Of course it begs the question, what about those nagging offensive line problems?

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft in general, head to Mocking The Draft or the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

The Detroit Lions 'O-Line mock drafts' train keeps on rolling the farther and farther along in the offseason we get, with new names being thrown into the pool all the time. National Football Post's new 2012 NFL Mock Draft was released on Wednesday and once again, it's a name we've not seen too much if at all before for the Lions.

NFP have the Lions going with Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin with their 23rd overall selection, yet another guy to keep Matthew Stafford as protected as possible going into a very important year for the Lions.

Getting a potential franchise left tackle at 23 has to be a thrill for the Lions. Martin is an athletic pass blocker who needs to get stronger, but has the talent to hold his own in space vs. the pass game.

Jeff Backus might be gone in free agency so the more offensive tackles the Lions can look at to replace him, the better off the Lions will probably be in the future.

NFP currently have Martin ranked as their fifth best OT on the board, with a score of 6.6 on their grading scale and obviously a belief that he can play left tackle at the next level.

For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the draft in general, check out Mocking The Draft or just head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

It's becoming fairly clear that with the first pick that the Detroit Lions hold in the NFL draft, they're very likely to bolster their offensive line or perhaps pick up a cornerback to boost their secondary. After that, it's pretty likely that the Lions will just go with the best player available, the strategy that most teams use after the first round when the talent pool starts to level out a bit.

There's a position that not many people are talking about though for the second or third round, the quarterback position. It's pretty clear that Matthew Stafford has a stranglehold on the starting QB position for the Lions and probably will for the next decade, but it's easy to forget that he spent the first few years of his career battling injury after injury with only last year providing a glimpse of what a healthy Stafford can do.

RantSports on Monday threw out the idea that the Lions could go for a backup QB in the draft simply so they don't experience the same thing that the Chicago Bears did in 2011, having a talented team go down when their QB goes down because of a sub-par back up.

Currently the Lions backup is Shaun Hill, who has actually made a decent career out of being a pretty good backup QB. It's not certain he will be with the team in 2012 with his unrestricted free agent status, so perhaps there might be some weight to the QB in the draft argument after all. It's easy to forget how easily Stafford seemed to be injured in years past before finally escaping the wrath of the injury bug last season.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL in general, head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

Almost every mock draft in recent weeks has been giving a similar theme to the Detroit Lions selections, mostly O-Line and D-Line picks like Cordy Glenn and Peter Konz. The SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft is out and it bucks the trend, building up Detroit's linebacker corps instead.

SB Nation has given the Lions Luke Kuechly, a middle linebacker out of Boston College. According to the mock, the idea is the Lions should be trying to replace the service of free agent Stephen Tulloch.

Detroit got a steal when they signed Tulloch to a one-year deal for 2011. He will command a much higher price as a free agent, and the Lions might be better served to look elsewhere. If Kuechly falls this far, the Lions would pounce at the chance to get a player of his ilk.

Tulloch had 84 tackles and three sacks for the Lions defense in 2011, bolstering the fantastic play of their defensive line. He also had a pair of interceptions. He's been called the Lions 'most important free agent' but if they can replace him in the draft, it will most certainly be a lot cheaper.

For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the draft in general, check out Mocking The Draft or just head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

It's certainly not boring to be a fan of a team with a pick in the 20's coming up to the NFL draft. While teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns have been getting mocked the same player for what seems like months now, there is a constant influx of new names into the pool for the Detroit Lions selection at 23rd overall.

Draft Tek is a site dedicated to simulating online mock drafts, and their newest 2012 consensus NFL mock draft brings it all together like an aggregate, though trades are not allowed or considered in their system. They toss a new name into the Lions draft pool, though it's another offensive lineman, Iowa State guard/tackle Kelechi Osemele.

Another offensive lineman this week, but a much different prospect this time around. Kelechi Osemele (6'5" 333) was a left tackle at Iowa State, but it was clear watching Senior Bowl praactices that he would not fit on the blindside at the next level. Time and again, Osemele was beaten to the outside by pass rushers and didn't look like the athlete he is. When Osemele was moved to right tackle or inside, he overpowered even the biggest linemen in Mobile. In 2011, Pro Football Focus gave both of the Detroit Lions offensive guards slightly positive grades. Right tackle, Gosder Cherlius, earned a -5.8. Osemele could immediately upgrade any of those positions and give the Lions a sense of nastiness they have lacked on the offensive side of the ball.

The Lions could use upgrades all over the offensive line, not simply just at left tackle or center like most mocks have been targeting for them. A big, nasty RT prospect might be just what the doctor ordered for the Lions' mediocre running game, and they can always use more protection for Matt Stafford. After all, we saw what he can do with a full season of good health in 2011.

For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the draft in general, check out Mocking The Draft or just head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

Georgia guard Cordy Glenn appears to be a favorite name for draftniks lately when discussions pop up of the Detroit Lions and their 23rd overall pick in the draft. The new SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft is out and once again Glenn's name was linked to the Lions.

There's plenty of movement up at the top of the draft featuring fun trades and the like, but Detroit gets none of the fun being down at 23. Just, once again, a solid replacement for Jeff Backus, which seems to be a running theme with the Lions picks. Replacing the more ineffective, older and free agents in the offensive line should be one of the top priorities for Detroit during the offseason and Glenn can play both guard and perhaps even right tackle in the NFL.

Glenn might be best suited to play inside. At the Senior Bowl, Glenn got moved to the blindside by the NFL coaching staff, and he did not disappoint. He has the natural balance and agility to move with defenders on the outside. Even a little rough around the edges, he would be solid replacement for free agent Jeff Backus.

Keep your eye on Glenn alongside guys like Peter Konz, they'll likely be the names you hear over and over again as the drafts start to get more settled with the draft order in place thanks to the Super Bowl finally being finished.

For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the draft, check out Mocking The Draft or just go to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

The Detroit Lions continue to get a plethora of different defense and offensive line prospects mocked to them with their 23rd overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, and that trend doesn't look to stop any time soon with the O-Line continuing to be Detroit's arguably biggest flaw. Guys like Peter Konz have been brought up quite a bit, but the real need seems to be at tackle where they'll need to replace Jeff Backus at some point.

Todd McShay released his new 2012 NFL Mock Draft (Insider is required to see the Lions selection) on Thursday and he keeps the wheels on the O-Line bus rolling along smoothly with Georgia guard Cordy Glenn being the newest target. According to McShay he is not necessarily just a guard, with a possible move to tackle in his future.

He has the size and power to thrive at guard in the NFL and could develop into a solid right tackle at some point.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the NFL Draft, check out Mocking The Draft or just go to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

The Detroit Lions continue to be the recipient of all sorts of different prospects down at the 23rd overall pick, as to be expected. The Andrew Lucks and Matt Kalils are all off the board so it's really a dance between the best player available and a position of need at this point. Walterfootball's latest mock draft released Wednesday has the Lions selecting an offensive lineman once again, but instead of a center the Lions will be fixing the gaping hole at left tackle with Ohio State tackle Mike Adams.

Detroit finally lands a left tackle! No, I'm not forcing one to the front office. Mike Adams just happens to be the top consensus player available in the wake of his prolific Senior Bowl performance. He completely shut down Quinton Coples in the game.

The Lions have needed left tackle help for years. They'll now be forced into making a move for one because Jeff Backus will be a free agent in March.

Jeff Backus could certainly stand to be replaced if the Lions are to not only continue to contend but perhaps win a Super Bowl in the near future with their revamped team that made the playoffs this year. This pick naturally fits in that regard.

For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit. For more on the draft, go to Mocking The Draft.

The Detroit Lions have ensured that all of their coaching staff from 2011 has remained intact heading into next season. Now that coaching staff will need to do everything it can to make the team better in every way it possibly can. It's very clear that this team has solid players on both sides of the ball, and it's clear that this offense isn't so much lower on the totem pole than those of the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

Matthew Stafford finally had a season in which he wasn't seriously injured and seemingly made of glass, and look what he was able to accomplish. They were out-gunned by the aforementioned Saints and Packers, and if they don't go with defense in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, it's very likely they try and find a way to make that offense even better.

SB Nation's latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft has the Lions drafting an offensive lineman at No. 23:

23. Detroit Lions, Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia

Prior to the Senior Bowl, few would have pegged him as a left tackle, but he flashed the kind of agility scouts like to see from an NFL blind side prospect. He would need work in that area. Glenn's specialty is on the inside at guard. His versatility will be useful for the Lions.

Staffrd sure could use another blocker to help keep himself upright, not to mention help block for a rushing attack that has been hobbled of late. Glenn is one of those prospects who is on the rise, so he's a gamble in the first round, but then again, that's what a pick in the 20s and 30s of the draft is for, right?

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. Don't forget to head over to Mocking The Draft for all things NFL Draft. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

The Detroit Lions are hard at work at this week’s Senior Bowl, according to multiple stories from MLive.com, which is reporting from Mobile, Ala., the site of the game.

A story published Wednesday ran under the headline, "Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz scouring Senior Bowl for NFL talent," and it talked about how Schwartz is, well, scouring the Senior Bowl.

The story, from MLive.com’s Anwar S. Richardson, quotes Schwartz saying,

It’s obviously important to watch college players. You can watch them on film and tell a lot about them on film, but as coaches, we don’t get the opportunity to visit college campuses in the fall where the scouts can see a guy practice. They can get a different perspective on those guys.

Being able to come to the Senior Bowl and being able not only to see them play, but practice, is important.

Another story from Richardson, which ran Tuesday, had a roll call of the Lions brass at the Senior Bowl: GM Martin Mayhew, senior Personnel executive James Harries, vice president of pro personnel Sheldon White and vice president of football operations Cedric Saunders.

The Lions have been linked to a number a players in various mock drafts; not all of them are at the Senior Bowl. Kelechi Osemele, a 6-foot-5, 333-pound offensive lineman who SB Nation projects the Lions to draft at No. 23 overall, is indeed at the Senior Bowl. But other players who have been mock-drafted by the Lions, such as Dont’a Hightower and Dre Kirkpatrick, who each attended Alabama, are not at the game because they were not seniors last season.

Richardson also reports that the Lions interviewed Florida State left tackle Zebrie Sanders, as well as Michigan State defensive back Trenton Robinson, Ohio State running back Daniel Herron and Boise State running back Doug Martin.

A mock draft from NFL.com’s Steve Wyche has the Lions taking Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower.

SB Nation’s most current mock draft has the Lions drafting Iowa State offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele. Alfonzo Dennard, a cornerback from Nebraska, is another player that SB Nation’s mock draft has projected for the Lions. The current draft, however, has Dennard going off the board before Detroit picks at No. 23.

If they go with defense, the Lions could do a lot worse than Hightower. The 6-2, 260-pounder (or 6-4, if you go by Bama’s site) played three seasons for the Tide. He started 12 games as a freshman in 2008 and redshirted in 2009 after tearing his ACL four games into the season. As a sophomore in 2010 he was second on the team in tackles, and last season he led Bama’s No. 1-ranked defense with 85 tackles, earning consensus first-team All-American honors. He also had 11 tackles for loss, including four sacks.

Led by Hightower, Alabama’s D was tops in the nation in a host of statistical categories. They were No. 1 in points, allowing just 8.2 per game, and pitched a shutout in the BCS title game against LSU. At 183.6, the Tide was also No. 1 in yards per game (no other team allowed fewer than 261), and were No. 1 in both passing yards and rushing yards per game.

Not surprisingly for a team that’s won two of the past three national championships, there are a slew of Alabama players in the NFL. At linebacker, Bama has produced the likes of DeMeco Ryans and Rolando McClain.

Last season, Alabama defensive lineman Marcel Dareus was taken third overall by the Buffalo Bills. He went on to produce a 43-tackle, 5.5-sack rookie campaign, earning All-Rookie honors.

The Detroit Lions are getting quite a few different players mocked to them with their 23rd overall selection, with offensive linemen being one of the more popular choices. There are linebackers and defensive backs included in the mix as well but Detroit needs an elite offensive line in order to move themselves from a playoff team into a championship caliber offense. Their line is aging quite a bit after all, and the SB Nation 2012 NFL Mock Draft says that Kelechi Osemale will be the man for the Lions.

23. Detroit Lions, Kelechi Osemele, OG/OT, Iowa State

The Lions have some age on their offensive line that they need to start accounting for. Osemele can help on the inside, or he can step in for Jeff Backus, a 34-year old free agent. They have the offensive talent at the skill positions. Now, it's time to make a championship line.

The Lions do indeed have an elite signal caller in Matt Stafford, a decent running game and a pretty darn good defense to boot, so the offensive line is one of the final areas that they can fill a need for in this draft, especially in a pick slot where it's likely that most of the truly elite talent is going to be off the board. Unless they trade up, an O-lineman isn't going to make anyone shake their heads.

For more on the Lions, check out Pride Of Detroit.

The possibilities for the 23rd overall pick held by the Detroit Lions are all over the place and likely are going to stay that way right up until the day of the draft unless the team's management just plain old announces outright which player they're planning on taking. We've seen linebackers, offensive lineman and defensive backs drafted to the Lions, all areas of need. In the second round it's just as intriguing.

Walterfootball's take on the situation is that the Lions will take C Peter Konz in the first round, and will be adding defensive depth in the second in the form of Vinny Curry, a DE out of Marshall.

It's no secret that Jim Schwartz loves bolstering his pass rush. Well, defensive end could be a big need for the Lions if free agent-to-be Cliff Avril leaves. With 33-year-old Kyle Vanden Bosch declining, Detroit will have to find help up front.

The guesses are not going to get any less murky from here, folks.

Find more about the Lions over at Pride Of Detroit. More on the draft in general can be found at Mocking The Draft.

The 23rd pick in the draft for the Detroit Lions has led to a lot of different guesses as to not just what player would wind up on the Lions come draft day but also which positions they would target. Down in the boonies of the first round like there's fewer 'gotta have' talents like Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck available.

The mock draft community has appeared to settle on several different ideas ranging from linebackers like Zach Brown to cornerbacks like Alfonzo Dennard, but offensive line picks and general back seven defensive picks have been the most popular.

Most offensive line picks have been of the LT variety, but Walterfootball has the Lions taking C Peter Konz from Wisconsin in his latest mock draft, reminding us that the center position might be as perilous as the left tackle position currently is in Detroit:

Dominic Raiola turned 33 recently. For his birthday present, he can see me mock a center to the Lions. No hard feelings, Dominic.

The left tackle position needs to be fixed, but Raiola has to be upgraded as well. He's an ineffective center owed close to $4 million next year.

There's no telling what position the Lions will draft, but there's certainly going to be no shortage of good ideas.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. There's more NFL Draft goodness at Mocking The Draft.

The Detroit Lions are in an odd position in the 2012 NFL Draft. For one, they've been picking near the top for so long, it's difficult to remember the last time they picked this low with one of their own picks and not one that came via trade. They're sitting at No. 23, so naturally, the projects are all over the place. Still, one thing that was very evident near the end of the season was the fact that the Lions needed some help in the secondary and some help actually bringing people down for tackles.

Mel Kiper came out with his latest Mock Draft, and has the Lions addressing one of those issues:

Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina

Detroit again will go into the 2012 season with perhaps the best front four in the NFL. Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz calculated well that the secondary would make strides after being such a weakness in previous seasons. Where the Lions could use help is at linebacker, and Brown would be a good fit. Brown has great instincts as a rangy tackler, and he has a lot of speed and can run with tight ends. I certainly can see the Lions looking for help on the offensive line at this spot, but if a top tackle doesn't fall to them here, Brown makes sense.

Clear and simple: the Lions are not a great tackling team. Their defensive line is truly one of the best in the NFL, but it's got a poor record of stopping the run - which is where the linebackers come in. Unfortunately, they're not too great at stopping the run either. Brown would be a physical presence that could move sideline-to-sideline to prevent big plays from getting into the secondary.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

Nebraska Cornhuskers cornerback Alfonzo Dennard has been the consensus pick for the Lions for a little while in a lot of mock drafts, and you can add another one to the list with FOX Sport's new mock released today. Though FOX gave the Lions a cornerback in their last mock on January 3rd, it's been shifted to Dennard from old selection Stephon Gilmore out of South Carolina.

The last time the Lions went to Lincoln, Neb., for a first-round pick, it worked out fairly well. Look for Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew to poach another one of Bo Pelini’s defensive talents by scooping up Dennard.

They are, of course, referring to Ndmukong Suh, who has turned into a great if not slightly controversial player so far in his short time in Detroit. The logic is pretty sound at the very least, and it's starting to look just as likely that the Lions pick Dennard with their 23rd overall pick as it is likely that the Browns are going to snag Robert Griffin III. Starting to look like it in the context of mock drafts, of course.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. There's more NFL Draft goodness at Mocking The Draft.

After the Detroit Lions fell in the Wild Card Round to the New Orleans Saints, it was determined that they would have the No. 23 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. The early consensus is that the Lions will go defense, although Martin Mayhew has said the team will stick with picking the best player available.

SB Nation's latest mock draft has Detroit drafting cornerback Alfonzo Dennard out of Nebraska with their first rounder. Sports Illustrated also foresees Dennard being the pick for the Lions.

Dane Brugler at CBS Sports thinks the Lions could go with cornerback Janoris Jenkins out North Alabama if Jenkins' off-field problems don't pose too much of a concern. Rob Rang at CBS Sports believes Jenkins could be the pick for the Lions, as well. Both say Jenkins has top 20 talent and think his run ins with the law will have him slipping to the Lions and making him the steal of the draft.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

The Detroit Lions made it farther than many expected, putting together a solid season and establishing themselves as a young team that is now expected to make the playoffs again in 2012. Their focus is now off of the playoffs and on the 2012 NFL Draft (among other things), and with a deep draft, there's a lot of potential for big names late in the draft. It's a bit different than the Lions have been used to, having been able to take guys like Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh at the top of recent drafts, but again, there's talent their.

SB Nation has the Lions drafting defense with the No. 23 pick in their latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft:

Detroit Lions, Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Detroit needs help on the offensive line, but with Dennard on the board they can address another big need that was exposed this weekend.

Detroit has had some injuries to their secondary, but that doesn't change the fact that they have some defensive backs essentially signed off of the street. Their offense was almost able to keep pace with teams like the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, while their defense can be arguably comparable. If they can get it strengthened, the Lions really could be a force to be reckoned with. With an already tough defensive line, corner seems to be the way to go here.

For more on the Detroit Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.