Last week, SB Nations' 2012 NFL mock draft had the Detroit Lions selecting Iowa State offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele. This week, in the first post-Senior Bowl edition, SB Nation's 2012 NFL mock draft has the Lions going with another offensive lineman: Georgia's Cordy Glenn. Here's why:
Prior to the Senior Bowl, few would have pegged him as a left tackle, but he flashed the kind of agility scouts like to see from an NFL blind side prospect. He would need work in that area. Glenn's specialty is on the inside at guard. His versatility will be useful for the Lions.
If the Lions had a hole at one of the guard spots, I would say that selecting a guy who could play inside for a year or two and then shift outside would be useful. Considering Rob Sims and Stephen Peterman don't appear to be going anywhere, I don't expect a draft pick to start out inside just to get playing time and then later go outside to tackle once Jeff Backus retires.
With that said, having a lineman who is versatile is always a plus. Guys with the ability to play multiple positions help depth since they can serve as the backup for more than one position. I don't see it as a prerequisite to be picked or anything, but I suppose having a lineman like Glenn would be good useful in case injuries happen. Then, once a starting spot does open up, he could step in and take over the position.