2012 NFL Mock Draft: Mel Kiper's First Edition Has Lions Taking Zach Brown

the Lions taking Brown. With guys like Jimmy Graham, Jermichael Finley and Rob Gronkowski to contend with in this league, we need to be able to cover those guys with linebackers at times. I like our trio of starters – plus Carpenter – but I think that their weakness is in coverage. Brown would be a great eventual starter that could immediately make his presence felt on passing downs and nickel/dime defenses.

230 is a little light by Schwartz’s standard, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t add some muscle I guess. I don’t have much faith in Kiper though. Konz definitely goes in the first.

But if Konz is there, I’d rather have him

He is gonna get aggressive with trades this year. Great interview with him here

http://www.790thezone.com/instantreplay/

covers trades, Best, Suh and how we got here. Just listening to him talk gets me excited. Sorry I don’t know how to hyper link it.

Unless we let Tulloch walk to keep Avril. Otherwise I don’t see that pick happening. This is Mel " the human dumbass" Kiper were talking about. I don’t really respect what he’s done over the years. Mike Williams anyone? Why do we need so much help at linebacker? Tulloch, Durant,Levy with Carpenter seemed to be a good unit. Oh well its way to early for this crap. That’s why I respect what Mayock does. He won’t do but 1 mock draft a year after all the info has been gathered and teams have had time to address needs. Haircut Kiper does one every damn week it seems like constantly pulling another headline draft out if his ass. I digress about kiper. I just don’t see the need for a linebacker like he claims. As long as Tully returns there really isn’t unless for some reason they decide there not happy with Levy. Durant was a beast this year.

I’m of the opinion that it is still far too early for NFL mock drafts

Picking this far down in the draft there are too many things to happen first, the foremost is free agency. The Lions will not be the only big players in free agency due to the craziness last off season. I read somewhere that nearly 25% of players will be free agents this year. Not certain if that is accurate or not but looking at the lists of potential free agents they look pretty long.

With the Lions recent past of being active in free agency, I predict the beginning of March is going to be an interesting time this year and will go a long way towards what happens at the end of April.

He should know by now that Mayhew [and the Lions] don’t pick that way. They pick a player that adds the most long term value to the team.

And I agree with anyone that says it is too early. But then, we need to argue about something, right?

I don’t see this as that far off base.

We may tender Levy, but I doubt it will be for anything more than a 2nd at MOST. I think that he could end up being our odd man our in the linebacking corps, and we could bring in a blue chipper at LB as a replacement (especially with Carpenter in the wings)

But I do know that our tackling was atrocious! Instead of wrapping up, our LB/DBs did the whole, hit with the shoulder thing to bring down the running back. I’m speaking specifically about the Saints game because it was just bad, don’t know about any other games. Anyway, if this kid can tackle well then I’m all for the pick. Letting Sproles, Thomas and Ivey get those extra yards after the initial hit killed us.

They sure didn’t play like they were the best in the NFL

I think the Lions would be much better suited by taking a CB in round 1…but it is still WAY too early for this crap.

how people always say it’s too early for mock drafts, including GM’s and coaches because “there is so much time left.”

Then after the draft is over, the people that seem to know what they are doing (like Schwartz, Mayhew) always explain the inevitable draft stock fluctuations as over hyped because they usually end up right back where they were at the end of the college bowl season.

Schwartz has even said that if they get an unexpected combine number that they go back to game tape for the final evaluation. So I say MOCK AWAY people. You can’t be worse than Kiper. haha

TE’s will become the weapons of separation for good offenses, and some have two. LB’s who can cover and tackle will begin to cost a premium.

Still super early, but….I’m not really enamored with this CB class to warrant a first round pick at 23. We still need a playmaker at linebacker just as badly. The free agent overachiever thing worked out alright, but it’s time for a serious upgrade at LB. Hopefully Mayhew takes a good, long look at Vontaze Burfict. Not sure there’s a guy who’s higher on my wish list right now. Not many better athletes at the position out there either. Extremely high ceiling.

I wouldn’t mind if Brown, Konz, or Jenkins were selected but I don’t really see anyone of those three making a big impact on the team. My hopes is that Mayhew could pull off a trade maybe for a 1st rounder next year and an extra pick on the 2nd and 3rd day of the draft this year. Jeff and Dom are good for two more years and with 2 1st rounders next year we could move up and take a blue-chip o-lineman next year.

What we really need is a FA starting calibur Safety to take our D up a notch,providing we can retain Wright and Tullouch also, the problems our defense faced this year is the Safety position was desimated with injuries and our back-ups just didn’t gel well with the LB’s and CB’s.. Hopefully our scouting dept can find some diamonds in the rough at the G,T,CB,DE positions in this years draft.

Kicker first round, whats up raiders.. you know what I’m talkin about!