Mayock says Lions should not draft Stafford

[chop]

Mayock: Lions should avoid drafting Matt Stafford

by Tom Kowalski Monday March 09, 2009, 7:54 PM


Mike Mayock, the draft analyst for NFL Network, was a guest on WJR tonight, joining hosts Ken Brown and Mike O'Hara. Here are some highlights from that interview (and the Detroit Lions fans who are hoping the team drafts Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford might be a little disappointed with Mayock's opinions):

--- Mayock said he believes that 2009 will be an average draft class without much star power in the top 10. He believes the draft is deep at outside linebacker and tight end but weak at guard and inside linebacker.
--- Mayock pointed out that of the last 11 underclassmen quarterbacks to be drafted in the first round, only two have been successful - Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rogers. Mayock pointed out a laundry list of failures - Heath Shuler, Ryan Leaf, Vince Young, Alex Smith and, so far, JaMarcus Russell.
Mayock said that if the Lions make a mistake at quarterback with that pick, "they won't recover for five years.''
Mayock spoke very highly of Stafford, saying he has great arm strength and is a good athlete, but also said "There are some things about him that bother me. If I was the Lions, I'd take (Aaron) Curry or one of those left tackles (Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe).
"If you have any doubts about the kid, in my opinion, you have to pass. I told everybody last year that Matt Ryan was the guy. I have questions about the guy this year.''
--- Mayock said he sees some similarities between Stafford and Denver quarterback Jay Cutler, especially arm strength, but he sees one big difference. Mayock said Cutler played for a "horrible'' Vanderbilt team but always had his team in a position to win. Stafford, meanwhile, played with two elite receivers and an NFL-caliber running back and "sometimes he looked like Superman and sometimes he looked average ... I say 'Why?'''
--- Brown and O'Hara brought up the possibility that if the Lions drafted Curry, they might move him to middle linebacker but Mayock immediately shot that down. Mayock said Curry is the prototype SAM linebacker and shouldn't be moved.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf...void_draf.html