Lions 2007 Draft Picks Combine & Pro Day Results

Rnd 1 (2) Calvin Johnson
WR Georgia Tech (6'4" 237)

Pro Day (Brandt): Johnson, whom some people think is the most talented player in the draft, had a broad jump of 11 feet 7 inches. That's the best broad jump I can ever remember an NFL prospect having. And his vertical jump was outstanding, too (42½ inches). He looked very good catching the ball while running routes and his arm was measured at 34 5/8 inches.

Campus: 4.47 in the 40-yard dash … 45-inch vertical jump … 335-pound bench press … 33 3/8-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands.

Combine: 4.4 in the 40-yard dash … 1.55 10-yard dash … 2.58 20-yard dash.

Rnd 2 (43) Drew Stanton
QB Michigan State (6'3" 235)

Pro Day (Brandt): Drew Stanton (6-3, 230) did not participate in MSU's pro day but particpate at Miami's.

Campus: 4.79 in the 40-yard dash … 350-pound bench press … 470-pound squat … 315-pound hang clean … 29½-inch vertical jump … 30 7/8-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands … Right-handed.

Combine: 4.79 in the 40-yard dash … 1.67 10-yard dash … 2.75 20-yard dash … 4.41 20-yard shuttle … 6.77 three-cone drill … 30½-inch vertical jump … 9-foot broad jump.

Rnd 2 (58) Ikaika Alama-Francis
DE Hawaii (6'5" 280)

Pro Day (Brandt): Alama-Francis (6-5 1/8, 276) ran his 40s in 4.85 and 4.88 seconds. He also had a 35-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-6 broad jump. He also ran 7.31 in the cone drill and 4.62 in the short shuttle, but slipped and didn't want to run again after he stretched his groin. Alama-Francis looked outstanding in positional workout drills. And as part of Francis' workout, he did tight end drills as well and really looked good.

Campus: 4.78 in the 40-yard dash … 425-pound bench press … 535-pound squat … 340-pound power clean … 30-inch vertical jump … 33 1/8-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands.

Combine: no Combine results.

Rnd 2 (61) Gerald Alexander
DB Boise State (6'0" 210)

Pro Day (Brandt): Alexander (6-0, 203) ran 4.12 in the short shuttle and 6.97 in the three-cone drill. He stood on the rest of the numbers from the Combine.

Campus: 4.55 in the 40-yard dash … 265-pound bench press … 485-pound squat … 376-pound hang clean … 358-pound power clean … 41½-inch vertical jump … 4.12 20-yard shuttle … 6.97 three-cone drill … 30 7/8-inch arm length … 9-inch hands … Right-handed … 20/38 Wonderlic score.

Combine: 4.58 in the 40-yard dash … 1.61 10-yard dash … 2.65 20-yard dash … 4.21 20-yard shuttle … 11.94 60-yard shuttle … 7.24 three-cone drill … 41-inch vertical jump … 10-foot-4 broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 15 times.

Rnd 4 (105) A.J. Davis
CB NC State (5'10" 192)

Pro Day (Brandt): Davis (5-10, 190), who was invited to the Combine, ran his 40s in 4.56 and 4.61 seconds, and the three-cone drill in 7.10. Due to a groin injury, he did not do the short shuttle. He stood on his Combine performances in the vertical jump, broad jump and bench presses.

Campus: 4.28 in the 40-yard dash … 39-inch vertical jump … 10'6" broad jump … 24'10" long jump … 330-pound bench press … 365-pound power clean … 10.56 100-meter dash … 30-inch arm length … 8 1/8-inch hands … Left-handed … 18/23 Wonderlic score.

Rnd 4 (117) Manuel Ramirez
G Texas Tech (6'3" 335)

Pro Day (Brandt): Ramirez (6-3¼, 330) was not cleared to work out. At the Combine, he bench-pressed 225 pounds 40 times.

Campus: 5.14 in the 40-yard dash … 550-pound bench press … 785-pound squat … 24-inch vertical jump … 7-foot-10 broad jump … 33 1/8-inch arm length … 10 5/8-inch hands … Right-handed … Wears contacts.

Rnd 5 (158) Johnny Baldwin
OLB Alabama A&M (6'2" 232)

Pro Day (Brandt): Baldwin (6-1 3/8, 232 pounds) ran his 40s in 4.60 and 4.59. He also had a 38-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-4 long jump, 4.32 short shuttle, 6.91 three-cone drill and 27 bench presses.

Campus: 4.59 in the 40-yard dash...Bench pressed 225 pounds 27 times … 38-inch vertical jump … 10-foot-4 broad jump … 4.32 20-yard shuttle … 6.91 three-cone drill.

Rnd 7 (255) Ramzee Robinson
CB Alabama (5'9" 182)

Robinson (Mr. Irrelevant) did not work out at Alabama's pro day nor was he invited to the Combine.

Brandt's Analysis: Robinson (5-9 1/8, 184; 4.50) plays much bigger than his height. He was a great role model and leader at Alabama.

Pablo's Massive (XXXXXXL) Sleeper (5th-round pick Millen?)

There is a kid down in Texas around the Houston (went to Ball High School in Galveston) area I've heard about on the Sports radio a few times that I considered wrapping into an April Fools article this year but it fell on a Saturday and I was a little more focused on the birth of my son than getting out an article that week, anyways...

OK, before I get into some of the crazy measureables let me get some of the issues out of the way first. This guy has some serious character flaws, he was arrested for conspiracy to commit robbery, which ended his college football career - as brief as it was.

Now lets get to the crazy measureables for this very unique defensive tackle (yes, imagine this guy in the rotation with Big Baby, Redding, and Cody)....

This 21-year old kid is 6'5", 374-pounds (not a typo) and has been clocked at a sub-5.0 (actually a 4.9 in the 40). He benches 475-pounds and squats 800-pounds.

And it is not just his blend of size and speed that makes him almost a myth down here in the Lone Star state - the dude can move like a cheerleader on the sideline. Seriously, this guy does handstands with ease, cartwheels, and even backfilips. He has unheard of flexibility and agility for a man of his stature.

Now I know y'all (a common phrase we use down here in Tejas) are thinking this is still some kind of April Fool's Day joke, but all kidding aside I'm telling the absolute truth.

His name is Walter Thomas. He was on the State Top 100 list for high schools down (ranked the 18th best prospect in Texas in 2004 and a top 20 DT prospect nationally by Rivals.com) here and I still remember just being shocked by his mammoth size (6'6" and 330-pounds coming out of HS) but figured he couldn't move until I started hearing the whispers of his agility and ability.

He caused some stir in the Big 12 by committing to Oklahoma State, then saying he was going to Texas A&M instead, before finally landing back with the Cowboys. He went to Oklahoma State as a Freshman, but flunked out. He then went to tiny Northwest Mississippi where he only played in two games piling up 16 tackles, 5 of them for loses, with 4 sacks.

I'm surprised there has been little to no mention of him. He was allowed to work out at Mississippi's State's Pro Day and it was recorded by Gil Brant on NFL.com

Mississippi State Pro Day Results

DT Walter Thomas of Northwest Mississippi Community College participate in Mississippi State's Pro Day, working out indoors on FieldTurf in ideal conditions. Thomas originally entered school at Oklahoma State.

Walter Thomas DT Thomas (6-4 3/8, 374 pounds) ran his 40s in 5.11 and 5.27. He also had a 1.73 10-yard dash, 24½-inch vertical jump, 8-foot-4 long jump, 4.84 short shuttle, 7.76 three-cone drill, 27 bench presses and 11½-inch hands 27 bench.

Here is his scouting report for NFL Draft Countdown

Walter Thomas Scouting Report

Strengths:
Outstanding size and a huge frame...Very athletic...Fast and quick off the snap for a man of his dimensions...Strong and extremely powerful...Fantastic feet...Upside is basically limitless...Was really impressive at the Texas vs. Nation All-Star game.

Weaknesses:
Extremely raw and he will need a lot of attention and coaching...Conditioning is a concern and he'll need to lose a ton of weight...Has very little experience at any level...Work ethic is very questionable...Has character issues...Workout warrior?

Notes:
Began his career at Oklahoma State where he played as a true freshman in 2004 before getting kicked off the team...Did not play football in 2005 and played saw little action in 2006 before opting to enter the draft as a junior...The definition of a long-term project but he'll get a few looks due to his rare size and measurables.

Now a team like the Lions has to take some risks to turn things around and with four fifth-round picks (139, 145, 154, and 158), why not take a chance on Big Walt?

With the second pick in the 2007 NFL draft the Detroit Lions select???

In reviewing the Lions draft situation with the second overall pick in the draft I see only one perfect strategy for Detroit. This is done assuming the Raiders select quarterback JaMarcus Russell and fully knowing Detroit covets defensive end Gaines Adams out of Clemson to be that pass rushing threat the Tampa-2 relies upon heavily to be successful.

Before I lay out the Lions strategy, let me tell you who I personally would like to see in a Lions uniform in order of preference:

1) JaMarcus Russell - the Lions haven't had a QB in how long? JR has the biggest arm in history.
2) Patrick Willis - MLB has been the weak spot of the D for a few years now and Willis has all the tools.
3) Adrian Peterson - KJ is a ? mark and a one-two punch at RB seems a requirement in the NFL today.
4) Calvin Johnson - Roy and Mike made up one of the best WR duos in the NFL last year but CJ is a freak.
5) LaRon Landry - Detroit's pass D is terrrible, Landry and Bullocks set the safety position for years.

As you probably can guess by now, I'm not a big fan of either Gaines Adams or Joe Thomas, but that really doesn't matter as far as the strategy is concerned.

So what do the Lions need to do?

They do like the Chargers did with Eli Manning - take the player that allows them to force a trade with the best possible return. And that player, as you might have guessed, is Calvin Johnson.

In fact, this gives the Lions much more leverage than they have right now or even once they are on the clock. Consider the King's ransom the Chargers got after taking Eli...

Rights to 2004 4th Overall Pick - Used to sign Quarterback Philip Rivers.
2005 1st Round Draft Pick - Used to draft and sign Linebacker Shawne Merriman.
2004 3rd Round Draft Pick - Used to draft and sign Kicker Nate Kaeding.
2005 5th Round Draft Pick - Traded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Left Tackle Roman Oben.

Not bad when you consider that Rivers, Merriman, and Kaeding are all pro bowl players while Eli watches his brother play in Hawaii every year!

IMO this is the best course of action the Lions can take and the worse case scenario (which many of you would consider the best case scenario) is that Detroit gets stuck with the best WR prospect to enter the NFL in years.

If I'm the Lions GM I break off all talks with the Bucs and others about two days before the draft, let them know I'm taking Calvin and I'm very happy about it, and make them all sweat it out. That is how you either 1) get the most talented player in the draft, or 2) get the most value out of the #2 pick.

"With the second pick in the 2007 draft the Lions select Calvin Johnson" - if anything else happens this Saturday (assuming the Raiders take JR) then Detroit blew it... It is the only acceptable strategy to maximize a critical pick for this sorry franchise that can't afford to blow it - again!