Detroit Lions 2016 NFL Draft: Looking Like a Threat
By Luke Sims
The Detroit Lions’ 2016 NFL Draft is about getting back into contention in the NFC North after faltering in 2015 and looking far more vulnerable.
Dropping from 11-5 to 7-9 is tough for any team to endure. A lot of the blame was heaped on the offensive system when the Detroit Lions started losing, but the fact remains that 2015 showed the NFL that the Lions were vulnerable and could be exploited.
Related Story: Breaking down the Taylor Decker selection
Despite being just a season off from double digit wins and a playoff appearance, the Lions find themselves in the midst of a pseudo-rebuild, trying to add key pieces for the future while still threatening the rest of the NFC North. It became more difficult following the retirement of wide receiver Calvin Johnson, but the Lions are making strides and should be recognized for it.
Sticking in the trenches for the first three rounds, it’s tough not to love the strategy from the Lions.
The Lions started the 2016 draft off with a bang by selecting lineman Taylor Decker at 16th overall. With a handful of offensive tackles already off the board, it’s easy to look at this pick and write it off as a flustered swing at the best tackle remaining. But that would be superficial. The Lions love Decker for his work put in against Joey Bosa on a daily basis at Ohio State and his athletic, mauling approach to the tackle position (per Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News). He’s a strong fit for a team that will be facing plenty of gifted rushers in their division.
Round two yielded the most threatening pick yet, though. Hungry to improve on the defensive line, the Detroit Lions desperately needed help and landed one of the draft’s best defensive tackles in A’Shawn Robinson. Robinson could have easily gone in the first round and nobody would have blinked an eye, but he fell to the Lions at 46th overall and they were able to add a stud lineman as a result. Robinson is a beast of a player and creates opportunities for others on defense.
Robinson is a well-rounded player who did it all at Alabama, including stuffing the run and collapsing the pocket. He helps turn the Lions defensive line into a strength immediately.
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Graham Glasgow came to the Lions with the 95th overall selection and will immediately help on the interior of the offensive line. Michigan’s center will either push for the starting role or step in as needed. Either way, he’s adding a key presence to a line that has the most important job on the Lions team: protecting Matt Stafford.
Glasgow is a power blocker who can help set the tone from the interior line. He can bully the defense and open up holes for running backs as well as making sure Stafford’ jersey stays clean. More importantly, Glasgow can improve and offers upside at a key position.
The NFC North features two playoff teams and a major unknown in the Chicago Bears. The Lions could make it three playoff teams with the right moves in the offseason.
More nfl spin zone: Prospects for Lions' three biggest needs
So far through the 2016 NFL Draft it looks like they’re making all the right moves to return to the postseason conversation. The trenches aren’t sexy, but it’s where you build to become a threat in the NFL.