The 2008 Draft, A Review, or: Welcome to Hell Boys!

With the draft coming up, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at who the Lions drafted last year, see how they did, and all that jazz. I might do a deal where I take the first couple of picks from every Lions draft over the past decade or so and see how they panned out - or, more likely, didn't pan out. That will no doubt have me reaching for the drain cleaner and will only cause hideous flashbacks that leave me ranting and raving like a buffoon and putting bounties out on people's heads, but that is pretty much par for the course in these hideous and terrible times. It will probably happen as long as I can keep it interesting and I think I probably can. I mean, there's a lot of material there, right? I am more talking to myself right now than anything else though, so let's just get on with it before you are exposed to any more of my diseased mind than you need to be.

The Lions first pick in the 2008 draft was the 17th overall, and yes, I too think it's amazing that there was time when the Lions actually had a better record than 16 other teams. Fascinating and bizarre, truly a curiosity from a simpler time. Anyway, this was Gosder Cherilus. Gosder was drafted to replace my man Lennie Small at Right Tackle. There was some disappointment with this pick - and by some, I mean almost total, as Cherilus was never really considered a blue chip prospect until the run up to draft day and so when his name was called the reaction amongst the rank and file of Lions fans was almost a unanimous "WHO???" It was one more reason to laugh at Matt Millen and the dunce parade he led. But, we all knew that any upgrade over Lennie and his simple ways was a good thing and so there was some hope that Cherilus would fit the bill. Did he? Eh. Cherilus flashed first round talent at times, but for the most part he looked like he was what he was, which was a rookie. Perhaps most troubling was his tendency to at times make dumb mental errors, and he was even pulled part way through the season for Lennie Small, only for Lennie's sweet, dumb nature to cause the coaches to quickly get Cherilus back in there. Sadly, Cherilus' biggest impact on the season was nearly crippling Jared Allen, causing Allen to charge Cherilus like an escaped vampire ape. Next year should be better - it almost has to be - and if it's not, well, we're used to failure here, it would just be nice if this wasn't another one.

With the Lions second round pick, they took a productive, athletic, undersized linebacker out of Colorado named Jordan Dizon. The hope was that Dizon and his athleticism would translate well to the middle of the Tampa 2 defense so beloved by Rod the Terrible, but Dizon was apparently not one of Marinelli's boys and thus was kind of shunted to the side during the preseason when midget Buster Davis saw a lot of the snaps as the backup linebacker. A combination of injuries and just plain old not being ready led to Dizon's rookie year being a washout and with the coaching change, and the ensuing scheme change, he is essentially useless in the middle. The good news though is that he might be a more natural strong side linebacker. Of course, Julian Peterson renders that pretty much pointless for this season at least, which means that best case scenario, Dizon enters his third season with almost zero in the way of meaningful playing time and the shadow of failure dogging him. The worst case scenario? I don't know, he gets kidnapped by aliens and lives in a bubble where he is forced to mate with wild dogs and space chimps. Still might be better than 0-16, I don't know.

The Lions had three third round picks, using the first one to grab Kevin Smith. Smith was an ultra-productive back at Central Florida, challenging St. Barry's single season NCAA rushing record. Sounds pretty good. The bad news was that it was at Central Florida, in a shitty conference whose teams were not exactly known for their sterling defense. But, Smith had a reputation as a hard runner who got better the more he got the ball. Of course, the Lions felt it was appropriate to have him split time with Rudi Johnson in the first half of Armageddon: The Season, and amidst the wreckage and horrors of war that occurred, Smith was largely ineffective. Of course, no one really noticed because the rest of the team was busy reenacting the sports version of Jonestown until Marinelli made the one good decision he made all of last season. He decided that Smith was going to be the man and from that point forward, Smith proved that he was the workhorse we all hoped he could be. Durable and productive, Smith almost hit the 1,000 yard mark, scored 8 TDs and averaged over 4 yards a carry, almost miraculous numbers running behind the wall of shit that was the Lions offensive line. Hopes are high that he will be a star back for the Lions. The talent and the drive certainly seem to be there, but there is the all powerful depression factor to consider too, and there is the strong possibility that if things don't get better soon, Smith will be singing Morrissey songs while lying on the fifty yard line with a razor in each hand and his wrists ready to go.

The second pick of the third round was Andre Fluellen, a talented defensive tackle who was a little light on his feet, but possessed the athleticism to be a potential difference maker. Of course, Fluellen barely got on the field as a rookie, and perhaps that is for the best, as any distance from the killing fields is probably a good thing. But when he did play, he flashed some potential and the hope is that he can become, at least for this season, a decent rotational player. And in the future, who knows? Starter, star, alien abduction, dead in a ditch, could be anything. But I am a hopeful man, and thus I will look for good things from Fluellen.

The final pick of the third round was Cliff Avril, a pass rushing defensive end/linebacker from Purdue. Avril seemed like the type that was a real project, someone not quite big enough to be an end, but he didn't have the experience yet at linebacker to really pull off playing time there either. He seemed ideal as a pass rushing outside linebacker in a 3-4 set, and in the Tampa 2 he seemed an odd fit. But, towards the end of the season it became clear that Avril was really, really good at rushing the passer, and now that the Lions have a new coach and a new system, Avril seems primed to be the DE/OLB hybrid pass rushing terror beast that the Lions would love to have. His future is bright and, aside from Smith, who has already made an impact, he seems like the player most likely to make a difference from this draft class.

We have to jump all the way to the fifth round for the Lions next selection, where they drafted a dude named Kenneth Moore, a wide receiver who . . . I don't remember anything about. Not a good sign. I assume he was cut before anything happened, and hey, good for him. The Lions also drafted Jerome Felton, a fullback, in the fifth round. Felton started, largely because the Lions didn't have anybody else at fullback. He was adequate I suppose, but when he was injured the Lions signed Moran Norris and Felton retreated to the bench for the rest of the season. Now that Norris has gotten the hell out of town, Felton finds himself again as the likely starter at fullback. Right now, he's just a guy, but maybe with some experience he can be a pleasant surprise.

The Lions had two seventh round picks, and with the first they drafted Landon Cohen, a defensive tackle who occasionally played, although that's probably more because the Lions didn't have much else. He's too small, and he's probably a career backup. The other pick was Caleb Campbell, better known as that army dude who was drafted only to be told that he had to get his ass into service. This seemed like a total PR move pick by the Lions. After all, who doesn't love them some red, white and blue apple pie God Bless America John Wayne Ballad of the Green Beret Lee Greenwood patriotism? In the end, the Lions got some attention and they didn't get a player. I feel bad for Campbell, who wasn't allowed to pursue his dream, but he is an army dude first and foremost and, hey, what can you do?

The Wrap-Up: Smith and Avril look like great picks, Cherilus could either be a good pick or a bust - the jury is still out, Felton could be a starter for a while or he could end up out of the league in a year, Fluellen is a tantalizing unknown, Cohen is a dude, Dizon might be living in a bubble humping space chimps in a year or two, Caleb Campbell is being all that he can be, and Kenneth Moore is Kenneth Moore, no Moore, no less. Oh . . . oh man, I am sorry, that was . . . awful.

Early, Early Grade: C+. The Lions got four starters out of this draft in Cherilus, Smith, Avril and Felton, but really, that speaks more to the Lions talent deficiencies than anything. Smith is a legit player, Dizon so far is the big bust. This could either improve dramatically, based in large part on what happens with Dizon and if Cherilus, Smith and Avril keep getting better, or it could nosedive. The only sure thing so far is Smith. I'll say that Avril ends up being really good, Cherilus ends up being sort of a disappointment and that Dizon flames out.