Lions May not Have Gotten Their 1st Choice, but don't be Dismayed. Goz is a Good Player!

Allen Park, Michigan Lions Headquarters  He is 6’6 ½” and 320# and he could eventually fit a huge need. He may not be the sexy pick that Lions fans

Allen Park, Michigan

Lions Headquarters

 

He is 6’6 ½” and 320# and he could eventually fit a huge need. He may not be the sexy pick that Lions fans wanted and Millen admitted he wasn’t their first choice. The fact, however, remains that the Lions picked a good football player. Was he a reach at 17? No way! The thing that I would challenge disappointed fans about is this: he may not have been (and he clearly wasn’t) the first choice, but he was a very good choice.

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When Lions President and GM Matt Millen was asked about the pick and how Cherilus was rated on their board he said, “He was the best guy on our board right there,” not exactly a ringing endorsement. The Lions had hoped for a higher rated pick to fall. To say that they are disappointed to get Cherilus would be fair, but not that they are disappointed in him. When speaking about a more highly rated player not dropping to them in this years draft Millen said, “I guess the rest of the league saw the draft like we did.”

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The Lions were pressed moments ago in the very brief press conference here at Allen Park about if Cherilus was to be a Left or Right tackle and they were emphatic that he was a Right. That continues to leave a glaring hole at Left Tackle were Jeff Backus has been a disappointment.

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When Marinelli was asked about the fans negative response to the pick and if fans don’t get the need of the big men on the line he said, “Glamorous? No, for a coach he is.”Â

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I asked Marinelli what moment he knew he liked Cherilus and he said that it wasn’t a moment, but that the Lions had brought him and he liked the entire package. “Quickness in the zone blocking scheme,” was what Marinelli liked.

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There will be more time for analysis of the overall draft at a later time, but Cherilus has a mean streak and is a Lion. It is not unfair to say that the Lions expected to have a better pick, but this pick is a solid OL and he is a tough, mean player. He has the mentality of Dominic Raiola and the body of a tackle. I would have also liked to see the Lions grab someone else, but this wasn’t their fault. The people in front of them wanted the same folks. When the Lions got the chance to pick, they got a good one. Welcome to the Lions GOZ!