Here’s a look at the perceived draft needs of the Detroit Lions, with heavy input from Matt Miller and David Gardner of NewEraScouting.com.     

Offensive tackle: Jeff Backus has been the centerpiece of this line since he was selected in the first round of 2001 draft. But he has been never lived up to his potential. On the right side, the Lions had a revolving door, with George Foster, Jonathon Scott, and Damien Woody all starting at some point during the season. Foster was benched in favor of Scott, who was later placed on IR. Woody left as a free agent to the New York Jets. The best situation for the Lions would be to move Backus to the right side to compete with Stewart, and then draft a game-ready offensive tackle with the fifteenth overall pick.

Although the top three offensive tackles will likely have been taken by this pick, the Lions could still grab a starter for the next decade in Vandy’s Chris Williams. It would be a huge surprise if the Lions didn’t have a new offensive tackle by the end of the third round.

Linebacker: Ernie Sims is the star of this group, and he’s only entering his third season in the league. Strong-side linebacker Boss Bailey left to Denver in free agency, but that fits well for the Lions plans; middle linebacker Paris Lenon – who was never been athletic enough to defend the pass the way he should be able to in the Tampa 2 – will now shift over to the strong side. Unfortunately, the Lions also lost backup middle linebacker Teddy Lehman to Tampa. Although he has struggled with injuries, they now have a much more glaring weakness at the spot than they would with him there.

Some outlets have the Lions going for an inside ’backer as early as pick fifteen, and that may be the case. If they do select one there, it would be Jerod Mayo of Tennessee, who is a perfect fit for Marinelli’s defense. If they wait until later in the draft, they might like Lamar Myles of Louisville.

Defensive tackle: Shaun Rogers was traded to the Browns for a third-round pick and cornerback Leigh Bodden. Rogers was a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he struggled with consistency and tended to wear down at the end of the season due to poor conditioning. The other players at the position are Cory Redding, who regressed after a very good 2006, Shaun Cody who is a bust of a second-round pick from the 2005 season, and newcomer Chuck Darby. The Lions need some quality depth here.

The Lions are looking for a player who should be able to collapse the pocket consistently to take over for Shaun Rogers. They are interested in Letroy Guion of Florida State, who has nice range and a quick burst, but was never a pass-rushing specialist in college.

Running back: The Lions lost their two leading rushers from 2007. Kevin Jones was cut and T.J. Duckett left to Seattle as a free agent. Both Tatum Bell and the Lions believe that Bell can be a 1,000-yard rusher n the Lion’s new offensive scheme, which will feature Denver-style zone blocking. It would be very much like Matt Millen to opt for flash and select Illinois’s Rashard Mendenhall with the fifteenth pick. It would be wise, however, for the Lions to wait until the second or third round to select a tailback, since this year’s draft is deep in the position. The tug-of-war between Millen and Marinelli should determine this pick: Millen will want to make a splash; Marinelli will want a linebacker or lineman.

Cornerback: Fernando Byrant, who was the Lions’ best corner last season, is now with the Patriots. The Lions acquired two key players at corner: Brian Kelly and Leigh Bodden. Brian Kelly, a ten-year veteran from Tampa, should be a perfect fit because the Lions run the Bucs’ defense. Leigh Bodden is a physical corner who had six interceptions in 2007. Kelly is in the twilight of his career, though, and nickel back Travis Fisher has been one of the worst corners in the league over the past three years (two of which were in St. Louis). The Lions should use a late-round draft pick on a corner who can develop behind Kelly and eventually take his starting spot.