Lions Draft Coverage

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Click HERE to read about CB Bryant Westbrook from Texas

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The Lions filled three big voids on their roster by drafting cornerbacks Westbrook and Abrams and offensive tackle Juan Roque, who'll replace Zefross Moss who defected to New England last month. In order to draft Abrams, the Lions traded their fifth selection in the third and forth rounds to Dallas to move up a few spots. Westbrook, the second best cornerback in the draft, should have an immediate impact in the backfield and prove why Ryan McNeil isn't worth the two million dollars he claims he's worth. Abrams is only 5' 8'' and will have a hard time against bigger receivers in the NFL, but he has athletic skills and has the speed to keep up with any reciever. The Lions were constantly burned last year on the big plays that ended up costing them dearly in the Philadelphia, Oakland and San Diego games. This year should be a different story :-) The Lions did the right thing by drafting an offensive tackle, but many draft experts claimed Juan Roque was overrated. I saw Roque play a few times last year and I think he'll fit in perfectly for Zefross Moss. Second year guard Jeff Hartings, who was the last first round draft pick last year to sign with his team, should help give the Lions one of the best lines they've had in years. Sunday's biggest pickup was Linebacker Matt Russell from Colorado who was a great pickup with the 130th pick of the draft. TE Pete Chryplewicz from Notre Dame and WR Marcus Harris also have potential to play a role on the Lions. Overall, the Lions did a great job filling in the voids on the roster and if Westbrook, Roque, and Abrams (who'll compete with Raymond for the second CB position) live up to expectations, the Lions ought to have a MUCH improved defense. If Scott Mitchell can regain his touch he had two years ago, and the new offensive scheme works, the Lions ought to have no problem making it back to the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.

Coach Bobby Ross filled two of Detroit's biggest needs by taking a pair of cornerbacks and a massive offensive tackle in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.

Ross took the first step toward patching up the Lions' defense by taking Texas cornerback Bryant Westbrook with the fifth overall pick. He traded up late in the second round to grab Syracuse cornerback Kevin Abrams with the 54th overall pick.

Earlier in the second round, with the 35th overall, the Lions took Arizona State tackle Juan Roque.

"I think we've upgraded our strength, our speed and our coverage," said Ross, who replaced Wayne Fontes after a 5-11 season in 1996. "But we're going to be young. I mean, we are really going to be young."

The Lions gave Dallas their third-round pick (65th overall) and fourth-round pick (101st) in exchange for the right to draft Abrams.

"Abrams was the one player down there the coaches and scouts were all unanimous on," said Ron Hughes, the Lions' player personnel director. "That's why we went up to get him. He was there because he's 5-foot-8½. We know that. But he's a great leaper and he's really fast. We wanted this kid."

Westbrook, a 5-11, 199-pounder, was the second defensive back drafted. With the third overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks took Ohio State cornerback Shawn Springs, whom the Lions also coveted.

"Seattle got a great player, and I think we did, too," Ross said. "We got a player I felt very comfortable about from Day 1."

During a teleconference at the Silverdome, Westbrook laughed when asked where being a top draft pick ranked in his life.

"This ranks right up there with passing the SAT to get into college," he said. "This makes you say, `Whew!'''

The Lions, who intercepted only 11 passes last season, were desperate for a cornerback. Ryan McNeil is a restricted free agent and is not expected to return. Detroit already has lost safety Bennie Blades and linebacker Pepper Johnson to free agency. They also expect to lose defensive tackle Henry Thomas.

The Lions' defense allowed opponents to average almost 335 yards and 23 points per game last season.

The departure of tackle Zefross Moss to the New England Patriots also created a hole on the offensive line which Ross expects Roque to fill.

"What delights me about him is that he's just huge," said Ross, who favors big players. "I like him because he's a graduate student, he's a very smart young man, he has experience in the drop-back passing game and he is very strong."

Roque, a 6-8, 333-pounder, bench pressed 225 pounds 30 times at the combine workout.

"We feel like we were able to sneak in on that pick," Ross said. "He received a number of phone calls from teams across the NFL who were interested in talking to him, so we knew he was a high priority."

Ross said Westbrook, a hard-hitter, would probably be on the field almost all the time with the Lions' defense. Westbrook excels in pass coverage and protecting against the run.

"He is a very loose-hipped individual," Ross said. ``He can turn on a dime. He's also one of the biggest-hitting defensive backs I've seen. He's a corner who hits like a safety."

There were reports in the days before the draft that Westbrook may have had a neck injury. Hughes dismissed those reports.

"There's no way we'd draft a guy who was injured," Hughes said.

Westbrook, too, denied he had hurt his neck. His only injury came when he hurt his knee in his sophomore season, he said.

Coincidentally, one of Westbrook's teammates at El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif., also was a high draft pick. Atlanta took defensive back Michael Booker of Nebraska at No. 11 overall.

Westbrook and Booker may soon be on the field together again, but as opponents: The Falcons open the season at Detroit.

Westbrook was recently timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash. In 42 games with Texas, he allowed just three touchdown passes.

Westbrook, the first senior chosen in the draft Saturday, started at left corner for the Longhorns. But Ross said he would decide which side he would play for the Lions during a minicamp scheduled for next weekend.

"I'm not worried about him handling pressure," Ross said. "He's been in a big-pressure program at Texas. He'll come in and start for this team."