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One thing you can count on with the Detroit Lions is that they are never, ever boring. Follow the latest news including injuries, roster moves and more here daily from Oakland Press beat writer Paula Pasche. Plus you'll find regular commentary about the team.

3/12/2009

Curry to visit Lions on Sunday

The Lions have entertained two potential No. 1 draft picks already this week in Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith and Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford. A third, Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, is scheduled to drop in for dinner with coaches and medical updates on Sunday.

Curry is the consensus best defensive player in the draft and the Lions have a gaping hole at linebacker (two, actually). No linebacker has gone No. 1 overall since Aundray Bruce 21 years ago, but new Lions coach Jim Schwartz spoke glowingly of Curry on Tuesday.

“You don't draft a linebacker early unless he's a three-down player,” Schwartz said. “Aaron has size, he has speed, he has athletic ability. He could fill a lot of different roles. He could be a 3-4 outside linebacker, he could be a SAM in a 4-3, he could be a MIKE in a 4-3. That's his strength is you could play him in a lot of different positions.”

Curry said last month at the NFL combine that he only played middle linebacker a handful of times in practice. But Schwartz said it's not a stretch to think Curry could play that position full-time because of role in Wake Forest's nickel package and his ability to cover tight ends. Curry had four interceptions as a junior, three returned for touchdowns.

“He's played the MIKE in nickel so that's really not a projection for him,” Schwartz said. “He's played a lot of different things. He plays an old-time SAM linebacker on the line of scrimmage, he plays it in space almost like a strong safety. In nickel he plays a MIKE linebacker. They use him in a lot of roles, so I think that player, he's definitely a multi-dimensional player.”

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11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is a really good mock draft: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/138035-choices-choices-my-first-mock-draft

2:01 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Have Curry sign a contract at dinner after dessert.

2:19 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please take Curry!!

2:57 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hopefully Curry makes it VERY clear that he will be happy with being paid like the top defensive player in the draft and not demand QB money.

3:35 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Curry has to be the pick. It is looking like they are going into the draft with atleast 1, probably 2 LB starting spots empty. If that is the case, they have no choice, which is fine with me.

3:48 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Draft him and sign him.

4:25 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i think, at this point in time, the 2 choices are j smith or a curry.

4:45 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Curry, Jason Smith, or Eugene Monroe.

4:58 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OFF TOPIC:

Dave, what is your take on the "New colors & logo" rumor that is flying around.

Didn't Lewand say less than a month ago that the logo was NOT changing and the alterations to the uniforms would be minor?

Now the press has the Lions with complete new colors and a new logo!

What's the word?

5:33 PM 
Blogger Paula Pasche said...

Lewand has not been specific about what uniform or color changes are in store other than to say the black alternate jersey is gone, to 'stay tuned' for other updates and to imply the leaping Lion logo will be altered or discarded at some point in the future. (He said at the town-hall meeting the logo looks like one of those inkblot tests.) Any changes for this season had to be turned in to the NFL last November. That would have given the organization a month after the Millen firing to get it done. I'd like to think more pressing things were on their mind at the time and they took more than a month to come up with a new logo/uniform, but you never know. At the very least, I think we'll see small changes (no black trim) this year.

As for Curry, you all know where I stand. He's legitimately in the mix because he's a heck of a player, and I give the Lions credit for doing their homework on each and every prospect. I don't know if he'll have a private workout with the Lions. Those are much more important for quarterbacks. But the team will grill everyone on the whiteboard and check and re-check every medical issue they've ever had. That's why these private sessions with the top prospects are done.

12:19 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dave have you heard anything about Vonnie Holliday? Wasn't he supposed to be in AP on Monday?

11:31 AM 

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