(Matthew Emmons/USA Today Sports)
After a disappointing 2012 season in which they finished with a 4-12 record, the Detroit Lions will have plenty of options in a few days with the 2013 NFL Draft as they hold the No. 5 pick in the first round. On paper, this team has the potential to be one of the top teams in football, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have numerous areas in need of improvement.
One player they should strongly consider selecting with the fifth pick–Lane Johnson from Oklahoma.
Obviously, the Lions already have one of the best quarterbacks the NFL has to offer in Matthew Stafford considering he’s thrown for nearly 10,000 yards combined over the last two seasons and they realize how one of their top priorities heading into next season is to do whatever it takes to protect him. When looking at Johnson, there’s a reason why he’s considered one of the top offensive tackles in this year’s draft class and there’s no question he has what it takes to make an immediate impact.
In fact, it’s safe to say that Johnson will work his way into the starting lineup as a rookie in the 2013 season.
Even though he’s managed to stay healthy over the last two seasons, there’s always going to be a concern over Stafford considering how injury prone he’s been in the past as a quarterback. Detroit will go as far as Stafford will take them during the 2013 season–so selecting a rookie like Johnson would give him plenty of protection.
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