Draft Countdown: Suh a Hot Seller, Lions Get Run Help, Honors for Media, Pittsburgh Model
NFL Countdown | by Mike O'Hara | 04.25.2010/8:40PM
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Lions GM Martin Mayhew has done a masterful job of controlling leaks – something few of his predecessors could accomplish. That’s generally good for the franchise, although a controlled leak can be of value.
Mayhew never tipped his hand about his specific plan for this year’s draft. It was generally assumed that the Lions would draft Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh – which they did—with the second pick overall.
Suh was rated by many as the top prospect in the draft, and that made him a logical choice for the Lions.
But no hints – not recent ones, anyway – came from inside the organization.
However, a comment made by Mayhew two years ago provided an inkling, in hindsight, into how highly he valued a franchise-quality defensive tackle.
Mayhew’s remark is part of this Monday Countdown 2010 draft recap. There’s also a look into how Suh already has captured the fancy of Lions fans, a quick review of the Lions’ draft, and the general upswing at the box office based on the Lions’ offseason moves.
There are three media items. Vinny DiTrani, the NFL’s longest-tenured beat writer, was honored with a draft-day role with the Giants. A writer with Metro Detroit roots, Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News, St. Ambrose High and Michigan State, beat out his competition again in rating draft talent.
For those who dream big – why not? It’s April – were the Steelers of 1969 the template for the Lions of 2010? Are six Super Bowl rings in the offing for the Lions?
And here’s how the NFL draft has helped Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who accused the NFL of arrogance for TV coverage that overshadowed the NBA playhoffs.
That’s your good luck, Mr. Cuban. Folks in Dallas and aorund the NBA might not notice how your team is gargling apple cores in digging a 3-1 grave against the Spurs, the franchise you claim to hate.
We start with Mayhew:
1. Tackle football: Mayhew had been GM for two months, after replacing Millen, when the Lions honored their all-time team at a dinner on Nov. 8, 2008.
The Lions were 0-8 but with the runway lights in full view for a perfect landing on their 0-16 season. At the dinner, Mayhew was asked what he would add if he could pick any good player at any position.
Without hesitation, his choice was a defensive tackle.
He was reminded of that conversation Saturday evening, when he met the media after the draft.
“You build your defense from the inside out,” Mayhew said.
His reasoning is that the tackle has more influence than a player at any other position, and a franchise-type player gives the defense a better chance to play to its strengths as opposed to hiding its weaknesses on every play.
Suh could be that franchise player.
2. Jersey man: The Lions were printing jerseys with Suh’s No. 90 on them almost immediately after he was drafted at about 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.
(Actually, I’d bet the presses were running before the draft.)
The early returns on sales indicate that sales of Suh jerseys were slightly ahead of those for Matthew Stafford, when he was drafted first overall in 2009. And sales were strong for Stafford.
The Lions haven’t had a balance of popular offensive and defensive stars in more than a decade – since Barry Sanders and Herman Moore were on offense, and Chris Spielman and Bennie Blades on defense.
3. Cashing in: Ticket sales have been trending upward, and last week was a good one for the Lions.
“Thus far, we’re pacing far ahead of last year with new sales,” said Bob Raymond, the Lions’ vice-president for business operations. “It’s four times ahead of last year in new sales.”
The Lions never announce sales figures, but four times anything is good – unless it’s four times nothing.
4. Throwbacks or throwaways? Replica jerseys for Larry Foote and Ernie Sims, who will be playing for the Steelers and Eagles respectively this year, are going for $39.95 at the Lions online store. Full price is $80.
Daunte Culpepper’s jersey is listed for the full 80 smackers. Could it be we’ll see a return of the Pepper?
Doubtful.
5. Run offense: Running back was the biggest void on the Lions roster. They filled it by drafting Jahvid Best of Cal with a first-round pick acquired in a trade with Minnesota. He has the potential to give the Lions what they’ve lacked since Sanders retired before the 1999 season – a back who can gain yards on his own.
The Lions ranked 31st (2007), 30th (’08) and 24th (’09) in rushing offense the last three years and have had only three individual 1,000-yard rushing seasons since 1998, Sanders’ last year.
James Stewart (2000 and ’02) and Kevin Jones (’04) hit the 1,000-yard mark. Stewart’s 1,184 yards in 2000 is the highest since Sanders departed.
One way to help a defense is to maintain possession on offense. No player helps do that more than a running back.
Whatever the Lions gave up to get Best was a small price, considering how they’ve struggled in the running game for 11 years, and it’s myopic ignorance to assume they shouldn’t paid it.
6. He said, he said: After Suh was drafted on Thursday, coach Jim Schwartz said at least twice that the defensive line has become a strength with the presence of Corey Williams, Kyle Vanden Bosch and now Suh.
All three have one thing in common: they weren’t on the Lions’ roster last year.
7. Best in class: Gosselin’s yearly draft analysis in the Dallas Morning News is considered must reading. That includes his positional evaluations, final mock draft and his listing of the 100 top prospects.
According to the Huddle Report, Gosselin was No. 1 in the country among draft experts with 87 players listed in his pre-draft top 100 being among the first 100 players drafted.
His five-year average of 86.2 also is No. 1.
Kel Kiper was in a six-way tie for eighth place with 82 in the top 100. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. was even worse, finishing 14th with 80 in the top 100.
Kiper’s five-year average of 79.0 in the top 100 was eighth. Scouts Inc. was seventh at 79.6.
8. Giant reward: Vinny DiTrani of New Jersey’s Bergen Record has covered the Giants for 34 years. He’s the longest-tenured beat writer in the country.
DiTrani is retiring after this season, and this was his last draft. In tribute, the Giants let DiTrani announce their fifth-round pick. DiTrani called out the name of Arkansas guard Mitch Petrus.
“If the guy turns out to be a stud I’ll take credit for him,” DiTrani said in response to an e-mail question. “But if he’s a bust, I was just delivering the message. So I really can’t lose on this one.”
9. Detroit perspective: The closest I ever came to calling out a Lions draft pick was muttering, “Good grief, not another stiff.”
10. Pittsburgh pattern? In 1969, the Steelers hired Chuck Noll, a young assistant, as head coach. The Steelers had been perennial losers.
In the 1969 draft, they took defensive tackle Joe Greene first overall. They finished 1-13 to qualify for the first pick in 1970. They drafted quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
In 2009, the Lions hired Jim Schwartz, a fairly young assistant, as head coach. The Lions have been perennial losers. In the ’09 draft, they took quarterback Matthew Stafford first overall. They finished 2-14 overall and qualified for the second pick overall. They drafted defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
The Steelers went on to win four Super Bowls under Noll, and two more since his retirement after the 1991 season.
The Lions are more likely to match the Steelers’ early improvement – 5-9 in 1970, Noll’s second season, and their first winning record in his fourth season – 11-3 in 1972.
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Mayhew Moves Make Lions Younger and Better
NFL Countdown | by Mike O'Hara | 04.23.2010/6:10AM
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For those of you who have been following along, I’ve been clanging the cymbals for the Lions to draft Ndamukong Suh to the point of nausea.
GM Martin Mayhew obviously wasn’t influenced by the racket – and shouldn’t have been – but he did the right thing by taking the star defensive tackle with the second overall pick on the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night.
Later Thursday, when a lot of people were folding their notebooks and looking forward to the second round on Friday, Mayhew was still working.
He cut a deal with the Minnesota Vikings to get their first-round pick, 30th overall in the draft. He drafted Jahvid Best, a running back from Cal, and one of the fastest players in the draft.
With two moves Thursday – one early, one late – the Lions drafted players at areas of excruciating need.
Mayhew’s management style is shining through the building process he inherited when he replaced Matt Millen as GM early in the 2008 season.
For public consumption, Mayhew doesn’t offer much. That’s a refreshing approach for those of us who’ve been inundated by toxic blathering on most levels in southeast Michigan – a lot of it coming from what passes for political leadership (not really), and the special-interest folks who align themselves with those in power.
Mayhew should get high marks for the two first-round picks – especially Best. Taking Suh was a no-brainer. The only question was whether the St. Louis Rams would stand firm and take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the first pick. They did, and that left Suh for the Lions.
Best was another matter.
Nobody outside the Lions’ inner sanctum knew how highly the Lions valued Best. They never even talked to the kid before the draft. He wasn’t one of the players they invited in for a visit.
Mayhew didn’t want anyone to know about his level of interest for fear of having a team jump ahead of him in the draft order. When he thought the moment was right, he moved – striking the deal with the Vikings.
It took some maneuvering on Mayhew’s part to draft Best. And trading with the Vikings, a chief rival in the NFC North division, was a little dicey. Often, when a GM calls another GM in his decision to talk trade, the first thing he hears is the dial tone.
But those two picks weren’t what impressed the most. It was what Mayhew didn’t say and did say.
He didn’t talk about rebuilding, even coming off seasons of 0-16 and 2-14.
On the flip side, he talked about winning.
“We’re in this thing to win it,” Mayhew said. “We’re trying to win football games, and I think you have to be aggressive. You can play it safe if you want to, while other teams are being aggressive.
“If you have a good feel for what you want to do and you’re confident in your scouts and in your evaluation, then you can be aggressive.”
It’s been a good offseason for the Lions.
They’re stronger up front on defense, with the addition of veteran linemen Kyle Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams.
Chris Houston is an upgrade at one cornerback.
Nate Burleson gives them a complement to Calvin Johnson at wide receiver.
On the offensive line, Rob Sims plugs a huge hole at left guard.
A three-team trade earlier in the week sent linebacker Ernie Sims to the Eagles and brought tight end Tony Scheffler to Detroit from Denver.
Think about these two developments:
1. The Lions are better on the defensive line – so much so that they can play to their strengths as opposed to hiding their weaknesses on every snap.
2. They are younger and better on offense. Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler and Best are young players with talent who hold down key spots at the skill positions.
Younger and better – two words we haven’t used to describe the Lions in a long time – maybe since Barry Sanders and Herman Moore became teammates in 1991.
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