Who Should Be the Lions First Round Pick in 2010?

In recent days, there has been a lot of reason to believe the St.Louis Rams will be drafting quarterback Sam Bradford with their #1 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. If this should happen, the Lions will find themselves having to choose between the defensive tackles, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy. It almost seems split on who wants Suh and who wants McCoy. Yes, there is a lot of talk that Detroit would like to trade down to accumulate more picks. It is unlikely this will actually happen however, so we are back to picking at #2.

No they will not draft Eric Berry at #2 and they are definitely not taking Joe Haden that early. As great as both of those players are, they would not improve the team near as much as one of the defensive tackles would. However good they may be, they cannot consistently cover players for 6 to 7 seconds every play. A defensive line that puts a lot of pressure on a quarterback will disrupt an offense far more than any other position. So the question becomes which DT do they take?

It seems as the days pass by, there are more and more believers that McCoy is the better choice. It is said that Gerald McCoy has a little more quickness and better technique while Suh uses more power to dominate the offensive linemen. Many believe that the quicker, better technique will translate to better success in the NFL. It is believed that Suh might not be able to over power linemen in the NFL like he did in college.

Last night I was suffering through a cold and was lying awake, staring into the darkness. While not blowing my nose, I was thinking about the Lions draft and it hit me. I have not seen where anyone has reversed the theories on these two players!

If it is held against Ndamukong Suh that he might not be able to over power linemen in the NFL, why doesn't anyone question if McCoy's quickness and technique will dominate NFL linemen? Which of these two players would have a better chance of getting better in the NFL? Many say McCoy because he is younger, but I see it differently. You can teach a player like Suh better technique, but you cannot teach McCoy more power. As powerful as Suh is, imagine how great he may become if he polished his technique in the pass rush!

Then there is the small fact that they will only be rushing the passer on maybe 50 to 60% of the plays. On the others, they will have to stop the run. The Lions are horrid when stopping the run. Suh is the better run stuffer.

However much technique McCoy may have, he has used it against the same quality players that Suh has overpowered. Nobody knows which of these players will help them more in the next level. Either could be a bust. Maybe both. I would rather have the more powerful guy who can be taught better technique and can stuff the run better.

If the Lions do not trade down and have the choice between Suh and McCoy, the choice has to be Suh.