NFL Draft: No Suh-prise

I couldn't resist. Corny headlines are my forte. But as predicted by about every major draft guru/man in his living room, The Rams took Bradford one, and the Lions followed with DT Ndamukong Suh with the 2nd selection. Suh was widely regarded as the best prospect at any position in the draft (with Gerald McCoy also receiving much love at the same position). This is exciting. The offense is young and talented with Stafford, Pettigrew, Scheffler, Burleson, Kevin Smith, and of course Calvin Johnson. Now the defense can start coming into its own as well. You cannot underestimate the impact a dominating defensive tackle can have on a game. Suh is going to require two blockers on almost every play (and sometimes will still get through) allowing pass-rushers on the end, like new addition Kyle Vanden Bosch, to get singled up on the outside where they can do damage.

Just when you were finished thinking about the defensive possibilities with Suh in the lineup, the Lions made a trade to move up to the 30th pick in the first round. As soon as this was announced, I thought "this better be Jahvid Best or a defensive player." With OLBs Sergio Kindle and Jerry Hughes on the board, pick 30 was a nice one to have. Alas, I was pleasantly surprised when they went with Best. I've had an unnatural appreciation for Best since he first hit the scene at California. Best was my pick to win the Heisman before the last college season. Unfortunately, he did suffer a concussion last year, which is presumably why he fell as far as he did. The truth is, outside of those durability concerns, there isn't much separating Best from Clemson back C.J. Spiller, who went 9th in this draft. They have similar heights, builds, and skill sets.

What does this mean for Kevin Smith? It's not a knock on him. The fact is the NFL is a two-running-back league now. Gone are the days of the 300 carry back, unless your supremely talented and have no good options behind you. Kevin Smith, while a usable back, is not a guy worthy of toting the rock 300+ times in a season. Best is a great speedster to complement Smith's downhill tendencies. Also likely influencing this pick is the fact Smith is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last year.

photo credits: www.huskerextra.com (Suh) and www.walterfootball.com (Best)