Good boy, Baxter

Although it's been three days, I still thought should submit my opinion on Baxter's (that's the Lions if you haven't read this before) haul in last weekend's 2009 NFL Draft...

First Pick: Matthew Stafford QB Georgia
As SEC quarterbacks go, he reminds me more of Rex Grossman than Peyton Manning...which is unfortunate. There's no debating that all of the physical tools are there, but Stafford definitely has a little Favre in him, and not the good kind. He knows that he has a cannon and consequently tries to fit the ball into places that he shouldn't. Either way, I can't really argue with the pick, it seems like the Lions coaches really like this kid. I would have rather taken Aaron Curry or Jason Smith this year and then looked to draft Colt McCoy or Dan LeFevour next year, but like it or not, we are stuck with Stafford.

Second Pick: Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma State
I did not see this pick coming at all, but I love it. Pettigrew strikes me as a guy with tremendous talent, but who is drafted later than he should be because of the position that he plays. If Pettigrew turns out to be the blocker and receiver that Mel Kiper says he is, he is going will help out all of the Lions top offensive players. He can help Stafford in pass protection and as an safety blanket on third down (also giving me an excuse to make a Stafford/Linus from The Peanuts joke), he can help Kevin Smith turn 5-yard runs into 15-yard runs by sealing off the edge and opening up the outside, and he can help Calvin Johnson get more one-on-one coverages by occupying the middle of the field and drawing the attention of the opposing teams' safeties. Honestly, I was hoping for Michael Oher with this pick, but from what I have seen and read so far, I am really excited about Pettigrew.

Third Pick: Louis Delmas S Western Michigan
On looks alone, he seems to have some Bob Sanders in him. Jim Schwartz needs a ballhawk on his defense and I think Delmas can be just that. The Lions' secondary was putrid last year, and it needed to be addressed. I have absolutely no problem with the Lions passing on Rey Maualuga. I understand they have a huge need a middle linebacker, but that can be partially covered up by Julian Peterson and Ernie Sims and at the strong-side and weak-side linebacker positions, respectively. The more important thing to consider here Schwartz needs a smart leader (ala Keith Bulluck) to call the signals on his defense, and Maualuga is not that. He is a very instinctive player who plays with fantastic intensity, but he isn't the brightest bulb in the lamp. He scored in the low teens on the Wonderlic, which I understand is only a small part of the evaluation process, but even so is really alarming for a guy who has to run the show for your defense. Maualuga might be the better player, but Delmas is a great fit for Baxter's back four.

Of the Lions' other picks, people tell me that Sammie Lee Hill is going to be a force in the middle of the line, but the one that jumped out at me was Derrick Williams. I think he can contribute as a slot receiver, but even more so in the return game. After Rod and his Shovel completely ignored the return game (I am not exaggerating this, he told his returners to fair catch every punt for fear of penalties or turnovers), it's great to see a defensive who actually recognizes the effect that a great returner can have on field position. What a novel concept! A defensive-minded coach who understands that field position is his most important commodity...Who knew?

Anyway, I'm pleased overall with Baxter's picks. They added some potential stars on offense and some nice depth on defense. The one glaring omission is a top-flite left tackle, but come on, we have Jeff Backus!