TacticaLion
02-26-2007, 11:00 AM
http://www.mlive.com/lions/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/11724504023350.xml&coll=1
Stanton, Bazuin catch Lions attention
Monday, February 26, 2007
By Tom Kowalski
INDIANAPOLIS -- Detroit Lions president Matt Millen was starting to feel like a kid in a candy store.
At the NFL scouting combine here, each team is allowed to interview a college player for a 15-****** period.
Millen sits in on the interviews with four other members of the Lions, including head coach Rod Marinelli.
"(Saturday) night, we were on a roll -- we had about 15 kids come in back-to-back and when they walked out, we'd say `We want him,' " Millen said Sunday.
Several players caught the Lions attention, including some with state connections such as Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton and Central Michigan defensive end Dan Bazuin.
The Lions have the second overall pick in the first round, which means they aren't likely to have a shot at another of Millen's favorites -- Patrick Willis, a middle linebacker from Mississippi. Willis is projected to be drafted anywhere from the 10th to 20th pick in the first round.
"I hate these interviews (with the media) because you fall in love with a kid and then you've got to watch him go somewhere else (in the draft) and you say `No, I REALLY liked him,' '' Millen said. "Would I go with him (as a starter)? Yeah.
"There are a lot of things you look for at that position -- it's his presence on the field and in the locker room and the leadership stuff. He's a soft-spoken kid but he has presence. The intensity part of it and all that, he has that."
The Lions will likely try to fill their void at middle linebacker in free agency, with candidates including Buffalo's London Fletcher, Kansas City's Kawika Mitchell and Jacksonville's Chris Draft.
The Lions will be in the market for a defensive end in the draft, though, and Bazuin made a positive impression with Millen and Marinelli.
"What a great kid," Millen said. "On tape, he has a great motor and good speed. He's got good hands, he's exactly what we're looking for in terms of effort, intensity and all the character stuff is there. Whoever takes him will not be disappointed. This is the time of year when you want 12 first-day picks because there are so many good guys."
Bazuin played end in college, but an NFL team might use him to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Millen believes Bazuin can pull off the switch, but he thinks Bauzin should remain an end.
"He has rush skills, so they're going to put his hand in the dirt," Millen said. "He can do a lot of different things but, inevitably, in this league you've got to rush the passer. He has those skills, so that's what he'll do.
"This kid, his story isn't written yet. He has all the skills."
While the Lions aren't expected to take JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn in the first round, the team has been impressed with quarterbacks who might be available later in the draft. And one of them is Stanton.
"I don't know how people view him right now, but after today they'll view him a lot better," Millen said shortly before Stanton went through his workout at the RCA Dome. "He's one of those guys that, at the end of the day, they'll say `This kid really helped himself.' I'd be shocked if that doesn't happen.
"It's his athleticism, all the measurables, plus he can do things other kids can't do and it comes natural to him. I think he's going to do really well. Anything you can measure him on, he's going to come out with flying colors. And he loves to compete."
Millen said there are a lot of things teams can do to get an accurate scouting report on a player but, regardless of position, there's one intangible that's tough to pinpoint.
"There are a lot of hard workers, but it's the guy who can pull it all together, those are the rare guys. That's a skill that doesn't show up on the stat sheet," Millen said. "The guy who walks into the locker room and makes the other guy play better, practice better, become better, those guys are rare. I don't know how you measure that, I don't know if you can see it. That's a hard one to gauge."
Bazuin in Rd 3? That would be outstanding... leaves us with a different focus in Rds 1-2.
IF... IF we took Bazuin in Rd 3, who do we take in rounds 1-2?
1: Joe Thomas?
2: Hughes?
3: Bazuin?
Hmm...
Stanton, Bazuin catch Lions attention
Monday, February 26, 2007
By Tom Kowalski
INDIANAPOLIS -- Detroit Lions president Matt Millen was starting to feel like a kid in a candy store.
At the NFL scouting combine here, each team is allowed to interview a college player for a 15-****** period.
Millen sits in on the interviews with four other members of the Lions, including head coach Rod Marinelli.
"(Saturday) night, we were on a roll -- we had about 15 kids come in back-to-back and when they walked out, we'd say `We want him,' " Millen said Sunday.
Several players caught the Lions attention, including some with state connections such as Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton and Central Michigan defensive end Dan Bazuin.
The Lions have the second overall pick in the first round, which means they aren't likely to have a shot at another of Millen's favorites -- Patrick Willis, a middle linebacker from Mississippi. Willis is projected to be drafted anywhere from the 10th to 20th pick in the first round.
"I hate these interviews (with the media) because you fall in love with a kid and then you've got to watch him go somewhere else (in the draft) and you say `No, I REALLY liked him,' '' Millen said. "Would I go with him (as a starter)? Yeah.
"There are a lot of things you look for at that position -- it's his presence on the field and in the locker room and the leadership stuff. He's a soft-spoken kid but he has presence. The intensity part of it and all that, he has that."
The Lions will likely try to fill their void at middle linebacker in free agency, with candidates including Buffalo's London Fletcher, Kansas City's Kawika Mitchell and Jacksonville's Chris Draft.
The Lions will be in the market for a defensive end in the draft, though, and Bazuin made a positive impression with Millen and Marinelli.
"What a great kid," Millen said. "On tape, he has a great motor and good speed. He's got good hands, he's exactly what we're looking for in terms of effort, intensity and all the character stuff is there. Whoever takes him will not be disappointed. This is the time of year when you want 12 first-day picks because there are so many good guys."
Bazuin played end in college, but an NFL team might use him to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Millen believes Bazuin can pull off the switch, but he thinks Bauzin should remain an end.
"He has rush skills, so they're going to put his hand in the dirt," Millen said. "He can do a lot of different things but, inevitably, in this league you've got to rush the passer. He has those skills, so that's what he'll do.
"This kid, his story isn't written yet. He has all the skills."
While the Lions aren't expected to take JaMarcus Russell or Brady Quinn in the first round, the team has been impressed with quarterbacks who might be available later in the draft. And one of them is Stanton.
"I don't know how people view him right now, but after today they'll view him a lot better," Millen said shortly before Stanton went through his workout at the RCA Dome. "He's one of those guys that, at the end of the day, they'll say `This kid really helped himself.' I'd be shocked if that doesn't happen.
"It's his athleticism, all the measurables, plus he can do things other kids can't do and it comes natural to him. I think he's going to do really well. Anything you can measure him on, he's going to come out with flying colors. And he loves to compete."
Millen said there are a lot of things teams can do to get an accurate scouting report on a player but, regardless of position, there's one intangible that's tough to pinpoint.
"There are a lot of hard workers, but it's the guy who can pull it all together, those are the rare guys. That's a skill that doesn't show up on the stat sheet," Millen said. "The guy who walks into the locker room and makes the other guy play better, practice better, become better, those guys are rare. I don't know how you measure that, I don't know if you can see it. That's a hard one to gauge."
Bazuin in Rd 3? That would be outstanding... leaves us with a different focus in Rds 1-2.
IF... IF we took Bazuin in Rd 3, who do we take in rounds 1-2?
1: Joe Thomas?
2: Hughes?
3: Bazuin?
Hmm...