Can Everybody Stop With the Lions Drafting a QB Talk?

(Georgia QB Matthew Stafford)

(USC QB Mark Sanchez)

(Alabama OT Andre Smith)

OK this pre-draft talk is getting really old. Add Mel Kiper to the long list of "experts" who have the Lions taking a QB with the #1 overall pick. This has to stop before it gains anymore steam. What a terrible waste of a pick any QB would be. Especially Georgia's keg-lifting QB Matthew Stafford. He has a great arm, they say. Yeah... so does JaMarcus Russell, how is that working out? So did Alex Smith and David Carr. USC's Mark Sanchez has gotten some talk, but I wonder where all his talk was before Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, and Colt McCoy chose not to declare eligibility for the draft. The fact is NOBODY considered Sanchez a top 10 pick until the other underclassmen chose to stay in school. The franchise's answer at QB is not in this draft. Besides the lack of QB talent worthy of a #1 pick, drafting a QB just doesn't make sense for the Lions.

For any rookie QB to survive and succeed, they must step into a well-managed situation. The Lions have a rookie head coach, a rookie GM, a sieve for a defense, a sieve for an offensive line, and they are coming off an 0-16 season. If Jesus Christ himself decided to enter the draft and the Lions picked him to play quarterback, he wouldn't succeed. The Lions are in complete rebuilding mode, and throwing a rookie QB on a terrible team would end in disaster, ask Joey Harrington.

The benefits of passing on the QB this year and selecting mammoth O-Tackle Andre Smith are plentiful. Andre Smith is a beast. He's allowed something like 2 sacks his entire career. He's widely considered the best OL in the draft. First Round Tackles have a very strong track record. Joe Thomas and Jake Long are two recent examples of top 5 OT's that have established themselves as pillars for many years to come. The Lions can immediately plug Smith into the LT position for the next ten years. They can move Jeff Backus to Guard and immediately improve two Offensive Line positions. Following the selection of Smith, they must turn to defense. Every draft pick by the Lions should be Offensive Lineman and Defensive players. Not a single skill position player should be drafted. If that happens and the kids can contribute, they will establish a TEAM where a young Quarterback could succeed...

In all likelihood, the Lions will be drafting in the top 10 again next year. And next year will provide a nice crop of QB's. Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, and Colt McCoy should all be available. All three are better prospects than Stafford or Sanchez. Why not build a solid team and wait a year to use such a high pick on a capable player? It makes the most sense.

So I'm here to say we must stop any and all talk of the Lions selecting Stafford #1. It will cripple the franchise even more and set them back another 5 years. It will be Joey all over again...