Detroit Free Press article on the last 11 Lions drafts

From Freep.com
A look back at the last 11 years of Lions draft picks
FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES
The winless Lions have failed to draft many players capable of being competitive in the NFL since 1998 — when Peyton Manning was drafted No. 1 — with their first-, second- and third-round selections.
Here’s a look at who the Lions took in the first three rounds over the past decade, with a note about how they panned out. They are listed in draft round order (overall selection in parentheses).
2008
1. (17) Gosder Cherilus, T, Boston College — Started season on bench, then started, then got benched, only to play again.
2. (45) Jordon Dizon, OLB, Colorado — Hasn’t cracked starting lineup despite a lack of playmakers at linebacker.
3. (64) Kevin Smith, RB, Central Florida — Ran for nearly 300 of 621 yards in three-game stretch before being held to 22 yards rushing on Thanksgiving.
3. (87) Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State — Didn’t play until Oct. 19, but started against Tennessee.
3. (92) Cliff Avril, DE, Purdue — Has a sack in each of the last two games, but hasn’t made more than three tackles in a game.
2007
1. (2) Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech — Rising star who has scored eight times this season despite double coverage.
2. (43) Drew Stanton, QB, Michigan State — Injured as a rookie, buried on the bench this season before getting concussion.
2. (58) Ikaika Alama-Francis, DE, Hawaii — Started only one game despite the glaring need for pass-rushing ends.
2. (61) Gerald Alexander, FS, Boise State — Started every game as a rookie but has struggled to stay healthy this season.
2006
1. (9) Ernie Sims, OLB, Florida State — Third-year starter whose big hits are outnumbered by missed chances.
2. (40) Daniel Bullocks, SS, Nebraska — Current starter, searching for first career interception.
3. (74) Brian Calhoun, RB, Wisconsin — Has run for 54 yards in 11 games during injury-plagued career.
2005
1. (10) Mike Williams, WR, USC — Out of the league. Scored just twice his first two years combined, then was traded and cut twice in 17 months.
2. (37) Shaun Cody, DE, USC — Career backup who enters his 50th game with 1 1/2 sacks.
3. (72) Stanley Wilson, DB, Stanford — Started a career-high five games this year, still waiting for first career interception.
2004
1. (7) Roy Williams, WR, Texas — Productive player who was traded this season to Dallas for first-, third- and sixth-round picks in April.
1. (30) Kevin Jones, RB, Virginia Tech — Ran for 1,100-plus yards as a rookie, then failed to stay healthy and was cut in off-season and signed by Chicago as backup.
2. (37) Teddy Lehman, OLB, Oklahoma — Started 16 games as rookie but couldn’t stay healthy enough to start another game. Current Buffalo backup.
3. (73) Keith Smith, CB, McNeese State — Current Lion who started two games in each of his first two years and only once thereafter.
2003
1. (2) Charles Rogers, WR, Michigan State — Arbitrator ruled he has to give Lions $8.5 million back for diminishing his value by failing a drug test in 2005, when his promising career ended. Landed in Oakland County jail this week.
2. (34) Boss Bailey, OLB, Georgia — Started for Denver this year before a season-ending knee injury after Lions didn’t re-sign him.
3. (66) Cory Redding, DT, Texas — After re-signing for about $50 million in 2007, he had one sack last season and two this year.
2002
1. (3) Joey Harrington, QB, Oregon — Cut five times after Lions traded him two years ago, landing in New Orleans as No. 3 quarterback.
2. (35) Kalimba Edwards, DE, South Carolina — Disappointing player was re-signed in 2006 and cut two years later.
3. (68) Andre’ Goodman, DB, South Carolina — Lions didn’t need him, but Dolphins did, starting him 50-plus games the last three seasons.
2001
1. (18) Jeff Backus, T, Michigan — Matt Millen’s first draft pick has started each of the 124 games of his career.
2. (50) Dominic Raiola, C, Nebraska — Started 104 straight games before an injury sidelined him this season.
2. (61) Shaun Rogers, DT, Texas — Two-time Pro Bowler was traded last off-season for a mediocre cornerback and third-round pick.
2000
1. (20) Stockar McDougle, T, Oklahoma — Started in just two games and was in the league just two games after leaving Lions.
2. (50) Barrett Green, LB, West Virginia — As an ex-Lion, started nine games, lasted just two seasons.
3. (81) Reuben Droughns, RB, Oregon — Solid player who got away, running for 3,500-plus yards for three teams after Lions kept him for only one year.
1999
1. (9) Chris Claiborne, OLB, USC — Spotty starter for four seasons who was relevant in the league for just two more seasons as an ex-Lion.
1. (27) Aaron Gibson, T, Wisconsin — Lions got rid of him in his second year, and he started a few games in only one season thereafter.
3. (70) Jared DeVries, DE, Iowa — Rare decent pick who started 10 games this season for the second straight year.
1998
1. (20) Terry Fair, CB, Tennessee — Played in five games over four NFL seasons after four lackluster seasons with the Lions. Randy Moss was taken one pick later.
2. (50) Germane Crowell, WR, Virginia — Didn’t play for another NFL team after having one promising season and four poor or injury-riddled seasons in Detroit.
2. (60) Charlie Batch, QB, Eastern Michigan — Started 46 games over four seasons before being cut and relegated to holding a clipboard in Pittsburgh behind Ben Roethlisberger.

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