Assessing Millen's draft history

January 14, 12:08 PMDetroit Lions ExaminerChris Morgan

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Mike Williams and Charles Rogers: Uber busts (AP Photo)

With the NFL draft being one of the two things prevalent for the Lions right now, the other being the coaching search, I figured I would take a look back at Matt Millen's draft history. When you combine this with the year in review article I wrote, you might be wondering if I hate you, or else why would I subject you to such unpleasant sports related memories? Rest assured, my intentions are by no means sadistic or uncouth. I feel it is important to look back at Millen's draft history, if only to reinforce just how important good drafting is. Hopefully Mayhew realizes this, and more importantly hopefully he has a sense of what he is doing. But perhaps most importantly, whomever the new coach is, hopefully he has a say in the draft and knows what he is doing. The draft is the key to every NFL team's success. Without good drafts, you end up like the Lions; absolutely pathetic.

Millen's first draft was in 2001, and I have decided to just focus on who he took in rounds 1-3 because I feel those are the rounds where you MUST get players that can at least play semi-regularly for your team. Rounds 4-7 are a bit more about taking risks and trying to find players that may have slipped under the radar, small school prospects and such. However, rounds 1-3 you cannot screw those up. Of course, we know Millen did, but let's just see how badly.

2001: 1st round: Jeff Backus #18, 2nd round: Dominic Raiola # 50, Shaun Rogers #61.

You know, all in all Millen didn't get off to a terrible start. Actually, that is a decent draft class. While I don't like Backus and don't think he is an NFL quality starting left tackle, he was not exactly a huge bust either at #18. Raiola has been a solid center and Shaun Rogers, despite his many drawbacks, was the best player on the Lions' defense for pretty much his entire time on the team. If only Millen could have gotten more for him than a third rounder and a sieve named Leigh Bodden who might not even be on the team next season. Not a great draft, but not terrible.

2002: 1st round: Joey Harrington #3, 2nd round: Kalimba Edwards #35, 3rd round: Andre Goodman #68.

Now there's the Millen we came to know and despise intensely. Joey was a bust at the third overall pick. He was supposed to be the franchise quarterback of the future but he was never better than mediocre. Edwards was drafted with a pretty high pick in the second round there and according to Pro Football Reference has 31 sacks in his seven year career. That's a little more than four sacks per season. Is there any wonder this team has struggled to get any pass rush since Porcher retired? Lastly, Andre Goodman was terrible, but he inexplicably made five interceptions this season in Miami. Where was that during his time with the Lions? Terrible draft for Millen.

2003: 1st round: Charles Rogers #2, 2nd round: Boss Bailey #34, 3rd round: Cory Redding #66.

Well, on the one hand both Bailey and Redding have been decent players, though for the amount of money Redding now makes he under performs tremendously. Of course, on the other hand Rogers was the worst of all of Millen's picks. Drug use and all around lousiness had Rogers out of the league after 2005. Career touchdowns: Four. What an utter waste of a pick. Despite getting Redding in the third round, picking Rogers at #2 makes this another terrible draft year.

2004: 1st round: Roy Williams #7, Kevin Jones #30, 2nd round: Teddy Lehman #37, 3rd round: Keith Smith #73.

When you look back at all these picks spent on offensive players, who didn't pan out mind you, then you look at the team's current defense, it's no wonder things got so bad. Especially when you consider when the Lions did take defensive players they were guys like Lehman and Smith, who never amounted to anything. Williams was a good player, but worthy of the seventh overall pick? I don't know about that. He did get Detroit a king's ransom from Dallas at least, so he had some value. Kevin Jones, meanwhile, didn't get the Lions nearly as much value. Injuries curtailed his career. Another lousy draft. Only Smith is still on the team might I add. Career interceptions? Four.

2005: 1st round: Mike Williams #10, 2nd round: Shaun Cody #37, 3rd round: Stanley Wilson #72.

This is when Millen's horrible draft acumen seemed to delve into self parody. Taking a receiver with a top ten pick for the third year in a row? What utter garbage. Especially considering what a horrendous bust Williams was. Cody has been mediocre at best, and probably not worthy of the #37 pick. He certainly didn't keep the defense from being atrocious this season. Stanley Wilson is apparently out of the league. He has as many career interceptions as I do. Millen's worst draft? It's like trying to pick the best Simpsons episode quite frankly. How do you differentiate between so many epic failures?

2006: 1st round: Ernie Sims #9, 2nd round: Daniel Bullocks #40, 3rd round: Brian Calhoun #74

While I think Sims is a good player, he certainly had a bad year like the rest of the defense. Still, it would have taken a defender the caliber of James Harrison or vintage Ray Lewis to have a good season among the dregs of the Lions defense. He is at least a player that would start for presumably every team in the league. Bullocks has been injury prone and has not done too much. Calhoun gave the Lions another injury prone, unproductive running back which is just what every team needs. He is apparently no longer with the team.

2007: 1st round: Calvin Johnson #2, 2nd round: Drew Stanton #43, 3rd round: Ikiaka Alama-Francis #58, Gerald Alexander #61.

Well for once Millen seems to have hit with a draft pick. Johnson is a stud. Of course, thanks to the rest of Millen's picks, his talents are going to waste, but I digress. Stanton has yet to do anything. He is a mystery. Using a relatively high second round pick on a player who has yet to really play whilst your defense is atrocious and you are trotting out the likes of Daunte Culpepper at quarterback? Yeah, maybe not a great pick. Alama-Francis has yet to do anything with one career sack. Honestly, I think Alexander is a pretty good player but alas he only played three games last season before hitting the IR. Johnson saves this from being a terrible draft, but the jury is still out on the other three players.

2008: Gosder Cherilus #17, 2nd round: Jordon Dizon #45, 3rd round: Kevin Smith #64, Andre Fluellen #87, Cliff Avril #92.

It is too early to truly make any decisions about this draft but I will still go upon what I have seen so far. Cherilus does not impress me, looks like he could be a bust. I'll be stunned if Dizon doesn't end up a bust as well. On a defense as putrid as Detroit's he only got in 11 games and made 12 tackles. Smith looks good, I like what the Lions have there. The jury is still out on Fluellen and Avril. A lot of people are high on Avril as a potential sack specialist, and he certainly seems to have promise. I liked what I saw from Fluellen in preseason, but since the Lions went undefeated in preseason it is hard to take anything from it seriously. On a team that obviously desperately needed defense, Millen spent his first pick on a offensive tackle that did nothing and a linebacker than did less. You went out swinging, Mr. Millen, and for that I applaud you.

There it is, the sad history of the Lions' drafts under Millen. Fortunately, those days are over. Lions fans can look forward to the 2009 draft without the dread of knowing Millen will screw it up. What will the Lions do with the number one overall pick? Only time will tell, but rest assured I will be paying close attention. Incidentally, so far my decision to put off the "draft all defense" article has proven wise, as Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma, the best DT prospect in the draft, has decided to go back to school, as has Taylor Mays the tremendous safety from USC. You never know with these things, so it's best to wait before you speculate.