I am starting to get that gut feeling that he will go #1 and the Lions adding Schwartz as there new HC only pushed me more to think he will go #1. I think this might play out like the Texans draft a couple seasons ago where they draft to fill a pressing need instead of drafting the biggest playmaker in the draft(Lions are not badly in need of a QB and Backus may be bad but they need a DE much more than an OT). Johnson's main knocks are his motor and ability vs. the run which I believe was similar to the Knocks on Mario. Johnson however has the frame to add some weight and play the run a little better and I think his motor will be fine. I believe he'll show up and look great at the combine which will boost him up on draft boards and I also believe he's the type of player that Schwartz likes, an athletic monster that he can mold into a great DL. This might sound crazy or out there but I think Detroit passes on the OTs and Stafford and drafts Johnson then takes Duke Robinson with their 2nd first round pick.

That wouldn't surprise me at all if they went that way. Looking at the type of teams that Schwartz had with Tennessee with Javon Kearse he might go that route. Johnson will probably have a good combine which will shoot his stock way up. They could pass on a QB in round 1 and still get a quality player in round 2 like Josh Freeman or even later with Nate Davis.

I would do it if I were them.

Schwartz is going to address the lines as he believes in winning games in the trenches. I think that Johnson may just be the number one overall pick, and there's even the possibility of Orakpo going number one. I think that the Duke Robinson pick is also very likely, but you must also consider Herman Johnson, who is ranked higher than Robinson on many draft sites. I also think that a guy like Malcolm Jenkins could be a possibility at number one, just because he may be the best player in this draft, and the Lions need a CB so badly. I wish that Taylor Mays would have come out for this draft, because I would have loved to see the Lions take him number one, but its just the Lions luck I guess.

Honestly, having watched both, I like Orapko a little better than Johnson. I don't know, I'm still wary of Johnson. Seems like he should have been a more dominant college player, and he wasn't. He was far too inconsistant for my liking.

Also, any teams interested in Duke Robinson will have to watch the National Championship game again and think twice about overdrafting him. There are some excellent (and underrated) interior linemen in this draft and provide better value in my opinion.

Wasn't the critism of Mario Williams when he was coming out that he should have dominated, but he didn't. Michael Johnson is a very similar type of player. Johnson is probably going to test out very well at the combine which could shoot him over Orakpo and the other defenses ends.

I could see the Lions go with him, but the more and more I think about it I say they will go with a QB. When the Texans took Mario they already had a QB. The closer we get to the draft the more we will know.

Freeman would be a nice choice as he's a project player with potential, I also like Davis. They could look at Harrell and Daniels in the 3rd and 4th round as well.


the House would be an excellent pick for them. I do think they will go interior OL though with the 2nd first. I didn't think Duke was all that bad, Torrey Davis blew him up on that goalline stand but OU's interior dominated in run blocking for a lot of the day.



Yea that's why I was thinking too with both Mario and Julius Peppers. People thought they should have been more dominant, then they came into the NFL and had their technique improve then took off. I think Schwartz could work wonders with Michael Johnson.

Orakpo is much more impressive and may be the pick if they don't go with OL or QB.

I agree with Adam. I think that Rak is the best DL in this draft.

Everette Brown is better than Rak and Johnson

I personally like Johnson better because of his size and atheliticsm combo, he has more upside imo.

I'm willing to bet Jim Schwartz follows the Mike Smith model...

But there's no Matt Ryan in this draft, Stafford is a QB that's nothing like Ryan.

Seems to me that this time last year, Ryan wasn't thought of nearly as highly as Stafford is coming into the post-season. Ryan really came on late in the season and did most of his impressing (much like Joe Flacco -- the other 1st round QB) in the post-season/combine/pro-day/interview process.