A quick edition of What Could Have Been, Michigan State style.

New Lions offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus said he wasn't sure he could play Division I football until he made a tour of college football camps the summer before his senior of high school. He visited Michigan State, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Notre Dame and a handful of other schools, and left with his first scholarship offer — from MSU.

A few months later, Cherilus followed up with an official visit to East Lansing. Former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was his primary recruiter, linebacker Mike Labinjo was his host, and Cherilus thought long and hard about committing. He didn't, of course. Eventually, Cherilus signed with Boston College, his home-town school, but he said things might have been different if not for a tumultuous 2002 season that ended with Bobby Williams' firing.

"They were in my top five," Cherilus said after the Lions first rookie mini-camp practice Friday. "They had a good chance."