INDIANAPOLIS — After the NFL Combine, which starts Thursday, we’ll know a little more about the 2010 draft class. More than 600 team personnel will evaluate 329 NFL hopefuls.

It's not just about the first-round picks. The Lions own the second overall pick and will likely pick a defensive tackle (Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy). But it's more about getting to know the potential NFLers who are not household names. Hidden gems are rare, but they can only be unearthed through hard work. The Combine provides a good chance to get to know players — it's not all about speeds and stats.

At this point, it appears to be stronger for defensive players which is good news for the Lions — although the Lions are needy at most positions.

“On defense it’s probably the deepest draft I’ve seen in eight years,’’ said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock in a conference call this week. He sees particular strength at defensive tackle and in the defensive backfield.

Mayock said typically seven or eight defensive tackles go in the first three rounds. This year he thinks it could be almost double that.

Offensively he sees it as a bad year for quarterbacks and interior offensive linemen. He expects a lot of movement with offensive tackles early in the first round. He also likes the tight ends, running backs and wide receivers.

(Come back to the Lions Lowdown blog for coverage of the NFL Combine through Sunday. Also, follow me on Twitter @paulapasche.)