Head Coach Jim Schwartz was impressed with the number of big, fast, physical athletes at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, returning from Indianapolis on Wednesday one step further in the team’s evaluation process.
To date, the only position Schwartz and General Manager Martin Mayhew have been transparent about is quarterback, considering themselves secure at that spot with starter Matthew Stafford
.
“The quarterback is the most important position on your team and if you’re strong at that position then you can overcome weaknesses at other positions,” said Schwartz.
“If you don’t have a quarterback, you need to be strong at every other position. I’m thankful we’re talking about keeping our quarterback healthy, not who our quarterback is going to be or what his abilities are.”
Schwartz is staying mum when it comes to prospects at other positions and believes in keeping every option open.
Media reports will highlight specific “needs” each team has, but Schwartz has said that trying to focus on one position or another is a sure-fire way to miss the mark with a drafted player.
“I think that the way that you make progress is you never stand pat at a position,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re going to be able to do it, but you need to always keep trying to find a better player in each position and judge it that way.”
That being said, attempting to decipher which player the Lions may take with the 13th-overall pick will be next to impossible considering the countless variables.
Not only are there 12 selections prior to Detroit’s, the possibility of a trade is always on the table. This is why Mayhew presents a number of scenarios during the organization’s draft meetings.
“You still evaluate every single player,” said Schwartz. “We’ll still evaluate players that we think are maybe the No. 1 or No. 2 player in the draft. You don’t ignore those guys just because you’re picking 13.
“You still want to find players that fit your scheme and fit your philosophy and fit the job description of what you’re going to ask them to do.”
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: Comment Is Free But Freedom Is Slavery – An Exchange With The Guardian’s Economics Editor.