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With the fifteenth pick in the draft, the Detroit Lions apparently hope they’ll select Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey.
Tom Kowalski reported on WDFN today that Harvey is the Lions’ top priority, but that they’re not sure he’ll be around when they pick.
Harvey, a 252-pound speed rusher, fits in with the way Lions coach Rod Marinelli has tried to get smaller and quicker on the defensive line. He also fills a need for more pass rushers for Detroit, which has jettisoned defensive end Kalimba Edwards and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers.
Per Kowalski, the priorities in Detroit are defensive end, middle linebacker, offensive tackle, and running back, with running back looking like a strong possibility if Harvey is off the board. Among the likely first-round running backs, Darren McFadden of Arkansas is expected to be long gone, and Kowalski reports that the Lions prefer Jonathan Stewart of Oregon to Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:35 am
There must be some confusion here, Harvey isn’t a reciever…???
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April 16th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Don’t be deceived by the smokescreens in Detroit…the Lions are taking a wide receiver.
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April 16th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I DIDN’T KNOW THAT HARVEY COULD PLAY WR
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April 16th, 2008 at 11:47 am
You know, it would be nice if we could go one draft year without hearing the Lions exact plans. Last year, we knew they were taking Calvin Johnson about two weeks beforehand. The year before, reports came out that the Lions were targeting Ernie Sims exclusively.
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Can Harvey play receiver?
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
And the Lions apparantly have now qualms with Tom Kowalski posting their draft strategy for all to see. I’m sure Tom has his own seat in their draft war room when hashing out pro and cons on prospects. If Tom truely is “in” with the Lions decision makers, then he would be doing a good job spreading false rumors to lessen the contention for players the Lions truely want.
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Then again… This is the Lions we are talking about. Maybe Tom does have his own seat.
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
No receiver? What is this world coming to?
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Whoa! No WR??? 4 out their 5 last draft picks were wide receivers. I would love to see them do it again!
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
is the smokescreen possibility lessened because Marinelli and Millen are running the show?
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Millen must have some seriuosly dangerous photos of the Ford factory or something. What is he doing? They had a few decent players like Rodgers and Jones was a good RB. How many bad draft picks and free agents can one GM make before they get fired?
Even the Clowns and Bungles have manages to get some decent return on all the top 10 picks over the years.
somehow Raven fans always seem to complain about Ozzie not getting probowlers with his second or third round picks while this guy has personally had 10 times as many busts in half as many seasons.
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April 16th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Normally I would say this is just a smokescreen, but knowing Matt Millen, it is probably true.
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April 16th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
There is NO WAY the Lions aren’t taking a RB. Who do they have? Tatum Bell? A guy that openly didn’t want to be there in the off-season, who’s got a reputation for being soft and being a bad blocker…. AND was inactive several games last year even when HEALTHY. They’re taking a RB, everything else is just smoke.
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April 16th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Pre-Draft Smoke and Mirrors if I ever saw it. Detroit wants Mendenhall, and are obviously worried he’ll be gone by 15. Harvey would be a great pick, which is how I know the Lions aren’t even slightly interested in him.
I saw Mendenhall and Stewart standing side-by-side at the combine and there’s no doubt who I’d rather have. Mendenhall almost looks like a bodybuilder ( a well-spoken one at that), while Stewart just looks “country strong”, and a bit dim (no offense Big Guy, I’m just sayin’… ).
My Draft Day wet dream is for Houston to somehow land Mendenhall, but that is looking less and less likely. Oh well, they need a starting left tackle and another good CB too, so all’s not lost. I will say that I’ll jealously envy the team who takes Mendenhall though, he’s gonna be a superstar…
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April 16th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
ha ha ha…that is funny, someone please stop. I mean come on guys, WR jokes…that is so last year. If Detroit hadn’t taken Calvin Johnson you would all be sitting here saying they should have, so give it a rest. The only other player worth taking last year at the number two spot would have been Adrian Peterson and that is only because of hindsight given the season he had. Everyone was scared to take him in the top of 5 because of the shoulder problems.
They need to take an offensive tackle this year in round 1 and then go with an DE, MLB, or RB in the 2nd round.
Oh, and if you are from Michigan you know that Kowalski is Satan and doesn’t give a crap about the Lions. he is as bad as Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press.
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April 16th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
It won’t matter. Unless Ellis falls to #9, the Bengals will take Harvey.
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April 16th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Just an FYI…Harvey weighed 271 at the Combine and 269 at his Pro Day.
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April 16th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Maybe we have to give Millen some credit this time…he’s not drafting a wideout, he’s drafting a DE he can turn into a “hybrid” wideout???
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April 16th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
“Millen must have some seriuosly dangerous photos of the Ford factory or something.”
Yeah, or maybe he has some inside information like Ford is closing most of their American factories.
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April 16th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I’m surprised the Lions aren’t giving more consideration to a DT, rather than a DE. They already have Ikaika Alama-Francis and DeWayne White.
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April 16th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
The Jags sent a ton of people to the UF Pro day and were allegedly ga-ga over Harvey. There has been speculation that they will try to trade up right before the run on DEs occurs to snag him.
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April 16th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
The Detroit Lions need a lot more than a pass rusher.
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April 16th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Wow it’s kind of hard to even contemplate the Detroit Lions placing any stock into any other position aside from Wide Receiver. Maybe they’ll pull a quick one on us all and draft Malcom Kelly!
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April 16th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Owen Schmitt, would make a good #2 pick for the Lions…They need a fullback bigtime….and he’s a bigtime fullback!
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April 16th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
the people that rag on millen are right,but you have to remember that ford let russ thomas lead this team nowhere for 20+ years,before he retired.they have a bad track record with g.m.s
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