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This week the Detroit Lions cut CB Kevin Smith from their roster. While that isn’t really big new Smith does become a significant part of Lions lore. Between the years of 2002 and 2006 Former GM Matt Millen made 39 draft picks for this team. Now that Smith has been cut that means only one of those picks, LB Ernie Simms 2006 first round 9th overall is the only pick left playing for this team.
That is particularly bad given that the Lions had a top ten selection in each of those years. While many already know the names of these big time draft pick busts, or those who have been shipped to other teams. When we look at Millen’s second round picks his draft record gets even worse.
Of Millen’s eleven second round picks for the Lions only Center Dominick Raiola, Safety Daniel Bullocks, QB Drew Stanton, and LB Jordon Dizon remain on the Lions roster.
This seems to be the main reason Millen will go down as the main architect of an 0-16 NFL team. While Millen’s bad drafting is not news how shockingly bad his drafts were just may be.
A look at Millen’s draft picks broken down by numbers:
•Picks in the Top Ten- 6
•Picks from 11-20- 2
•Lowest First Round Pick- 18th Minus RB Kevin Jones whom, the Lions traded up to select
•Millen made nine first round picks. 11 second round picks, and 8 3rd round picks
•On Offense Millen drafted four QB’s, 7 RB’s, 8 WR’s, 2 TE’s, and 8 Offensive lineman
•On defense he drafted 10 defensive lineman, 9 LB’s, and 13 DB’s
While it is pretty hard to select the worst picks of the Millen era Mike Williams WR from USC (10th overall 2005) has to be at, or near the top. Of course 2004 37th overall pick, LB Teddy Lehman, is also pretty bad. Lehman will play the 2009 season in the new UFL. He will be joined in that league by fellow Millen draft pick WR David Kirkus 2003 6th round pick 175th overall.
While Millen’s other faults, most notably his inability to find the right Head Coach for this team, may have led to some of these draft picks ultimate failure, he really didn’t give this team much talent to work with.
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