The Lions held their first of 14 Organized Team Activities Tuesday, but rookies were not allowed at the voluntary (but heavily attended) offseason practices per NFL rules. Most will take part in full-team minicamp two weeks from now (because of school commitments, seventh-round defensive tackle Landon Cohen won't be back until June), and that will be their introduction to most of the team's vets.

Linebacker Ernie Sims said Tuesday he doesn't know much about second-round pick Jordon Dizon, his probable sidekick at middle linebacker this year (at some point, at least).

"The only one I know is the one I played with," Sims said of third-round pick Andre Fluellen, his former roommate at Florida State. "Other than that, best of luck to them. Let the games begin."

Sims said Fluellen is "just a natural, gifted athlete as a big person. I can't wait to see him in front of me." Asked if he had any advice for Dizon, Sims, who started all 16 games two years ago as a rookie, said, "It's a lot of stuff to take in, especially the first year. I already know Coach Marinelli's putting a lot of pressure on him but it's going to be a long season for him. Only thing I can tell him is just try to take in as much as you can."

Like Sims, quarterback Jon Kitna said he didn't pay much attention to the draft, but he gave the Lions high marks for their approach.

"I think that's the nuts and bolts of how you build your football organization is building it from the interior, the linemen on both sides of the football," Kitna said. "That's where you have to be solid and I think that's what they did."