The Lions Long Ugly OL History

"No quarterback is ever any good when he's always having to throw the ball from his back." -- My Dad, about a billion times.

This is a very true statement. Over the last twenty five years, for the most part, the Lions have ignored the "trenches" and chosen to draft "skilled" position players in the draft. The old Barry vs Emmitt argument will rage forever because Barry ran behind a swiss cheese line whereas Smith ran behind a line stocked with annual probowlers.

In the last 25 years, staring in 1986 (the year after selecting Lomas Brown #6 overall and Kevin Glover in the second round), the Lions have picked only 25 offensive lineman in the draft--only four in the first round and none in the top 10. No Detroit offensive lineman has been to a pro bowl while wearing the Honolulu Blue--although Jeff Hartings made two after leaving for Pittsburgh.

Lomas Brown was the last offensive lineman the Detroit Lions drafted in the top 10. He was drafted #6 overall. Brown's career lasted 18 years, playing in 263 games and earning seven trips to the pro bowl.

Kevin Glover, who was drafted with next Lions choice the same year (#34 overall) is the only other Lion to have been to a pro bowl in the last 25 years.

25 years.

In those 25 years, 25 other offensive lineman have been selected and nobody has even sniffed that kind of greatness.

This kind of blows my mind as I think about how many top 10 picks the Lions have been saddled with since the beginning of the Bobby Ross era flowing into the black hole of hope that was the Matt Millen years.

For three years in a row, the Lions did actually make an effort to look at their porous front. From 1999-2001, the end of the Ross era and the start of the Millen era. Aaron Brown (Ross, #28 overall), Stockar McDougle (Ross, #20th overall) and Jeff Backus (Millen, #18 overall) were all selected to protect the Lions quarterbacks and running backs. In 2001, Millen's first year, and probably his only half way decent draft, he selected Backus and Raiola, #1 and #2. Neither have been to the pro bowl, but both have played average (many may say below average) for their entire careers. Brown and McDougle have already long since washed out of the league. The Lions then waited another seven years before overdrafting Gosder Cherilus with the #17th pick overall.

If we just go back over the last decade, we can look at the Lions selections and offensive lineman taken in the same area of the draft.

For instance in 2002, would you have rather had Joey Harrington, taken #3 overall, or LT Bryant McKinnie (#7) or Levi Jones (#10)?

In 2003, Charles Rogers (#2) or LT Jordan Gross (#8)?

2004 appears to have been a horrible year for offensive lineman, I guess we'd have been stuck with Roy Williams and Kevin Jones.

In 2005, how about LT Jamaal Brown (#13) instead of Mike Williams (#10)?

2006 was another awful year for lineman, we'd have been stuck with Ernie Sims (#9).

But in 2007, you could have a real debate between LT Joe Thomas (#3) and Megatron (#2).

I'm not saying you draft a top 10 OT every year you can, but we haven't done it in 25 YEARS! I'd certainly feel better with Stafford throwing to Megatron, if he was being protected by Jordan Gross and Jamaal Brown as opposed to Backus and Cherilus.

Who would you rather have on the sidelines?