Sunday open thread: Should the Detroit Lions consider a WR at 8th overall?

Detroit Lions fans have made their opinion well known when it comes to the team potentially drafting a tight end with the eighth overall pick. Partially due to the failure of Eric Ebron in Detroit, partially due to the general idea that a tight end may not be worth a top-10 pick, fans overwhelmingly don’t want the Lions to take that route in April.

Today, I’m curious about a different offensive skill position. Ole Miss receiver D.K. Metcalf had an absolutely dominant performance at the NFL Combine this weekend, convincing many draft experts that he’ll go in the top 10 in this year’s draft, perhaps even in the top five. Metcalf is hardly the only top-tier receiver prospect in this year’s class, but he’s certainly the one with the most hype right now.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

Would you approve of the Lions drafting a receiver in the first round?

My answer: Receiver is certainly a need for this team and arguably a top-five need. That would seem to suggest there’s no problem taking one with the eighth overall pick.

However, I’m a little hesitant. Detroit has bigger, more pressing needs all over the roster, and take a look at the last receivers taken in the top 10: Corey Davis, Mike Williams (not that one), John Ross, Amari Cooper and Kevin White. While those players aren’t horrible exactly, you’d be hard pressed to say any of those players have lived up to their top-10 billing yet in their young careers.

That being said, you don’t want to rule out a position just because of other individuals that didn’t work out. I’m not as sold on Metcalf as other, so I’m not ready to use the eighth overall pick on him, but the Lions should certainly consider it. While I’d love to see them use their first pick on the defensive side of the ball, Detroit needs to be ready for the very possible scenario that the best defensive prospects are all off the board by the time they’re on the clock. In that instance, I would be fine taking a wide receiver, but would obviously prefer the dream trade-down scenario.

Long story short, I’d really prefer a different position to be taken, but if backed into a corner, I wouldn’t mind.

Your turn.