Calvin Johnson may change the Lion’s fortunes

by James on March 18th, 2007

NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.

Calvin Johnson may be the #1 pick

Yes, Yes, Yes, my Lions can get rich by not drafting Calvin Johnson.

This is based on Oakland still taking JaMarcus Russell.

What?

You see, if the Oakland Hairbraiders err Raiders draft Russell, then Johnson is still available. If a whole bunch of teams want Johnson, then a bidding war starts.

The Lions could pick up a starting player and more draft picks just to let someone else take Calvin Johnson.

This could be sweet!

(Special Squibster note: You can’t know how hard it is to be a Lions fan. The draft is all we get.)

So what about Johnson?

After the tremendous workout down in Atlanta this week by wide receiver Calvin Johnson, it’s possible he will be the No. 1 player on 80 percent of the draft boards. That doesn’t mean he will be the first player chosen, but he could be if the right team winds up in the first slot. source

And what does that mean?

Draft boards drive decisions. As one longtime NFL scout said to me this week, “If Oakland sits in the top spot and takes JaMarcus Russell, the Lions No. 2 spot doubled in value with Calvin still on the board.” source

Johnson ran a 4.35 at the combine and this past Thursday worked out for practically the whole NFL at Georgia Tech.

Johnson showcased his skills for NFL scouts on Thursday afternoon at the Yellow Jackets Pro Day and his performance did little to dissuade the belief by many draft experts that the 6-foot-5, 239-pound Johnson is the best prospect in April’s draft. Despite an abbreviated pro day session due to weather concerns, Johnson excelled in the vertical jump (42.5 inches), long jump (11 feet, 7 inches) and caught every ball thrown his way. source

Calvin had the renowned trainer of draft picks, Tom Shaw. Calvin’s head coach Chan Gailey talked about Johnson’s great work ethic and this is what Tom Shaw had to say.

Shaw agrees, pointing out while Johnson’s numbers at Georgia Tech (76 catches, 1,202 yards, 15 touchdowns as a junior) were stellar, it’s his attitude that makes Johnson stand out. “Calvin Johnson is completely different than any athlete I’ve come across,” Shaw said. “He works out like he’s a free agent, like he’s Mr. Irrelevant. Calvin is an athlete that is the hardest worker I’ve ever had. He never gets frustrated. All he wants to do is get better.” source

Lions take the 5th

As an added bonus the Lions have lots of 5th round picks to use or trade as well.

The Lions have squatter’s rights in the fifth round of the April 28-29 draft. They have their own fifth-round pick — second overall in the round — and three other picks accumulated through trades.

They got one in a deal last year that sent quarterback Joey Harrington to Miami. Two more were added this year — one from Denver in the Dre Bly trade, the other from St. Louis for James Hall. source

Ok, this is getting confusing. Are the Lions actually doing smart things?

Can Matt Millen and Rod Marinelli be this smart? Did they suddenly start taking smart pills?

NFL Football Fan Question Should the Lions just keep Calvin Johnson if they can draft him?

As always, any NFL Football related comments are welcome.

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