After not being invited to the NFL combine, Eastern Michigan offensive lineman T.J. Lang is shooting up draft boards across the league.

Lang, who played all five positions at EMU, has both visited and worked out for the Lions, a source said. He's also met with the Ravens, Falcons, Chargers, Bears, Packers, Jets and Jaguars, among others, and because of his fiery demeanor could be a third-round pick.

“He's an offensive tackle that I've kicked inside to guard,” NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said Wednesday. “I've got him in the fourth round and because it's a (weak) guard class I think he'll benefit.”

If the Lions don't take one of the draft's top tackles Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe early – and assuming Andre Smith doesn't fall to 20 – I think the smartest way to address the offensive line is by snagging an interior lineman in Round 2 or 3. As much as some don't want to see Jeff Backus at left tackle, the worst thing the Lions can do is draft a middling replacement or right-side protector and try to convince themselves that's the right guy over the next five years.

The better solution is to grab someone like Louisville's Eric Wood at the top of Round 2 or Lang in Round 3 and make him a fixture at guard (or center in Wood's case) through the rebuilding process. With last year's No. 1 pick Gosder Cherilus already anchored at right tackle, the Lions could fill left tackle long term through the draft or free agency in 2010.

The Lions continued doing their draft diligence Friday, hosting Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe for a physical and visit.

Monroe is the last of the top draft prospects to visit Detroit, following Baylor left tackle Jason Smith, Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry and Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford. Because of the Final Four and a lack of available hotel rooms in the area, Monroe's visit lasted only the day.

Most league observers expect the Lions to draft Stafford with the No. 1 pick, but Monroe could be a candidate elsewhere if the Lions are able to trade down. He's also scheduled to visit or already has met with other teams at the top of the draft including the Rams, Seahawks and Bengals.

ProFootballTalk.com also reported Thursday that Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith is scheduled to visit the Lions, who are seeking an upgrade for a line that allowed a league-high 169 sacks the last three seasons.

Virginia offensive tackle Eugene Monroe was the second player to have a sit-down meeting with Lions general manager Martin Mayhew. Monroe was scheduled for dinner with several members of the Lions brass Friday, but those plans changed because of his NFL combine schedule.

Still, he had a formal sit-down with Mayhew and senior personnel executive Shack Harris late Friday night similar to the one Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford had Thursday. Stafford met Mayhew, Harris, coach Jim Schwartz, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and team president Tom Lewand for dinner at Shula's Steak House.

Monroe is considered one of the top left-tackle prospects in the draft and a sure top-10 pick. He did 23 bench-press reps during Friday's workout and should run one of the best 40-yard-dash times today.

As I've already written, Monroe and Baylor's Jason Smith stood out as the two most impressive tackle prospects when they met with the media Thursday. Alabama's Andre Smith is another potential top-10 pick.

“Over my career at Virginia I've proven that I can block anybody,” Monroe said Thursday when asked why he should be the draft's No. 1 pick. “And I have the determination to improve my game and the ambition to succeed and I'll never stop.”

Had a chance to talk with Andre Smith, Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe and Michael Oher – the top offensive linemen available – and at first glance Baylor's Jason Smith is the most impressive, with Virginia's Monroe an easy No. 2.

Smith, a converted tight end, has an NFL-ready body – Andre Smith definitely has some soft spots and Oher isn't quite as put together – and spoke in a strong, confident tone with just enough politeness and confidence to stand out. Asked if he was out to prove he was the best Smith at the combine, Jason Smith said, “Not the best Smith, the best offensive tackle.”

As for the possibility of going No. 1 overall, Smith said he hasn't talked to the Lions yet.

“But I do believe it's realistic that they would take a tackle and I do believe it's realistic I could be the No. 1 overall pick,” he said.

And his style of play?

“When I'm on the field I take a lot of pride in physically assaulting somebody,” he said.

Both Smith and Monroe checked in at 6-foot-5 and 309 pounds, and both said they plan to take part in all drills this weekend.

“I have nothing to hide,” Monroe said. “I'm healthy so I'm going to do every drill, I'm going to lift tomorrow. I'm going to do it all.

“You don't want to miss out on an opportunity to show that you have the ability to do as well or better but you decide not to do the drill.”

General manager Martin Mayhew recently asked Jeff Backus about changing positions from left tackle to guard, a team source said. Backus, the same source said, is open to the idea.

It's not known whether the change will take place – Backus has started every game, 128 straight, at tackle since entering the league as a first-round draft pick in 2001 – but the fact that both sides are comfortable with the move gives the Lions more flexibility this offseason and might make it more likely they'll consider drafting an offensive lineman No. 1 overall.

Both Mayhew and new coach Jim Schwartz have expressed a desire to get bigger and more physical up front, and the Lions have a vacancy at guard after releasing Edwin Mulitalo last week. (Damion Cook, who shared the starting duties with Mulitalo last season, is scheduled to become a free agent.) The Lions return Backus, center Dominic Raiola plus the entire right side of a line (tackle Gosder Cherilus and guard Stephen Peterman) that allowed 52 sacks last year, second most in the league.

“Just because 4/5ths (of last year's starting linemen) are on the team right now doesn't mean that 4/5ths are going to be starting at the end of training camp when we go into next year,” Schwartz said Tuesday. “Like I said, those decisions haven't been made. It's way too premature to read too much into that. You want to have as many options open to you when you go into the season as you can. That includes experience, that includes guys that are familiar with the scheme and everything else.”

While most pre-combine draft projections have the Lions taking Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford with the first pick, three elite tackle prospects also are available in Alabama's Andre Smith, Baylor's Jason Smith and Virginia's Eugene Monroe. Last year, eight tackles went in the first round (including Cherilus) and the Dolphins took Michigan's Jake Long No. 1.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper predicted last week that “by the eighth pick three offensive tackles are off the board” this year.

Keep those questions coming and I'll try to get to them on slow news days.

Who starts at quarterback for the Lions next year?
A number of you have asked this in one form or another, and while this is pure speculation for now, Scott Linehan's arrival has to make Daunte Culpepper the most likely opening-day starter. The theory is – and I know at least one Lions offensive player who feels this way – Linehan and Culpepper's previous relationship (in Minnesota) overshadows any struggles Culpepper had last year (when the Lions signed him as a two-year stopgap quarterback) and allows him to continue as the bridge to the future on offense (most likely for a quarterback drafted this year).

Linehan said he intends to give every quarterback on the roster an equal opportunity to win the starting job, but fact is someone has to enter camp atop the depth chart and, if the Lions pay his $2.5-million bonus next month, it will be Culpepper. Jon Kitna, who's due his own $500,000 bonus and has $1 million in escalators in his contract, is angling to return a Lion, but I don't see it; this is the same management team that put him on injured reserve. Drew Stanton has some qualities Linehan will find attractive, but the front office has to be on board, too. Dan Orlovsky likely is headed elsewhere in free agency. My guess on Jan. 29? Culpepper opens the season as starter, leads the Lions to a 3-8 record, then Stanton or more likely a highly-drafted rookie takes over for the final month.

Did Keary Colbert sign a two-year contract?
This came up in relation to my post on Mike Furrey and, in light of the glut of No. 3-caliber receivers on the Lions roster, why his release was no big deal. No, Colbert signed a one-year contract for a prorated portion of $605,000. I guess he still could return because the Lions don't have any reliable pass catchers beyond Calvin Johnson. But Colbert isn't much of an upgrade over Chris Hannon, Adam Jennings, Travis Taylor or John Standeford. All but Taylor are signed for next season for less than Colbert was making. Eric Fowler and Reggie Ball are under contract, too, and the Lions will no doubt add to their receiver stable either in free agency or the draft. Remember how guys like Devin Thomas and Limas Sweed fell in the draft last year? The Lions might be able to find a good No. 2 receiver/return man in Round 3.

If the Lions draft a left tackle, what happens to Jeff Backus?
I need to say this first – this is not a good year to have the No. 1 pick. It never is for money reasons, but there doesn't appear to be a Peyton Manning-type NFL-ready quarterback; top tackle Andre Smith has some character questions that need to be answered; and I'm of the belief that you don't give No. 1 money to an outside linebacker like Aaron Curry who won't be a pass rusher for the Lions (Cliff Avril is the right end). That said, could Backus change positions? Sure, but I don't know that he's an ideal guard and I don't think you want to take Gosder Cherilus off the right tackle position. It may be more likely the Lions, in their quest to upgrade the offensive line, draft a guard or two and hope that leads to better play out of the tackles.

Regardless, with an uncapped 2010 looming, I think it's unlikely the Lions release Backus. If they were to cut him after the draft, it's my understanding the Lions would take an immediate cap hit in the form of the remaining unaccounted for $8-million-or-so portion of his signing bonus (rather than spreading part of it into 2010; there are no June designations in the last capped year). As far under the cap as the Lions expect to be (some $35 million or so), that's a lot of dead money when Backus is neither a cancer in the locker room nor out of tread as a player.

Though he wasn't talking about Backus in any way, team president Tom Lewand was asked at Monday's town-hall meeting what impact the potential of an uncapped year would have on this season.

“I think it does have an impact,” Lewand said. “The salary-cap rules change in 2009, which is currently the last cap year. It requires things to be accounted for differently. And it's good that we have the amount of room that we do because you have to account for more things in the first year of a deal or in the last year of a deal in 2009 then you otherwise would. Two-thousand-and-ten creates an interesting dynamic.”

I'll try to do this every week or two in what should be a busy offseason, but figured I had a stack of emails piling up both in my inbox and unanswered responses on the blog so here goes a few:

What do you think of the hiring of Jim Schwartz as head coach?
People around the league have good things to say about Schwartz. He's bright, energetic, young, and obviously comes from some good bloodlines (Bill Belichick and Jeff Fisher). But the reality is that would have been the case with anyone the Lions hired. Todd Bowles, Leslie Frazier, Steve Spagnuolo and everyone else they interviewed were cut from the same mold.

I can't bag on the hire. It's not like the choice came down to Schwartz and Bill Cowher, or a proven commodity like that. And I will say Schwartz handled himself well and said all the right things both for public consumption in his press conference and in a more relaxed setting with beat writers later last Friday. Still, at the end of the day it comes down to surrounding Schwartz with the right talent, something the Lions have been woeful at in recent years. If Martin Mayhew has a good or draft or two, Schwartz will look like a great hire. If not, we'll be back at this process in three years.

What would it take to get Julius Peppers in a Lions jersey next year?
A lot of money is the answer (and probably a draft pick or two Carolina's way), but I don't see it happening. Peppers, a free agent next month, has said he won't sign a long-term contract with the Panthers, who will likely franchise the 29-year-old defensive end. He's a phenomenal talent coming off a career-high 14 1/2-sack season at a position of dire need, but he's also on the back end of his career and wouldn't seem to fit the Lions' long-term plans.

The Lions aren't going to be big spenders in free agency this offseason. They'll sign a few guys, maybe add a starter or two, but we're talking someone like Vincent Fuller (Tennessee's nickel back last year), not Peppers. The Lions want to get younger and more physical on defense, and the way to do that is through the draft. Ideally, they could trade down a few spots from No. 1, but that's unlikely to happen. Under no circumstance can I see them trading that pick for a player like Peppers.

Does Gunther Cunningham as defensive coordinator mean the Lions will run the Tampa 2 defense next year?
If he hasn't already, Cunningham, Kansas City's defensive coordinator, is expected to meet with Schwartz in Mobile, Ala., in the next day or two. Chances are he'll be a Lion by the end of the week. Though Kansas City ran a version of the Tampa 2 defense last year, that's more a reflection of coach Herm Edwards' style than Cunningham's. Cunningham, 62, is known for his pressure packages and likely will adhere Schwartz's philosophies as defensive coordinator. That means you'll see some Cover 2 next year, as with any team, but that won't be the dominant scheme.

Who would you take with the No. 1 draft pick?
The most common of all questions this time of year .. This, of course, is subject to change over the next few months as I canvass people much more knowledgeable in personnel evaluation than me, but right now if I was running the Lions I'd have Alabama left tackle Andre Smith atop my draft board. Smith comes with a few character issues after being suspended for the Sugar Bowl, but the two times I saw him play this year he was flat out dominant. Beyond that, he'd cost slightly less than taking a quarterback No. 1, and I'm not sold on Georgia's Matt Stafford and don't have enough info on USC's Mark Sanchez to trumpet either as the top pick. Defensively, I don't think there's a player worthy of 1-1, though I'm a big Rey Maualuga fan (despite reports of his stock dropping from Day 1 at the Senior Bowl). If Sam Bradford had declared, he'd be my No. 1 choice. As it stands, I think the Lions can land a quarterback like Rhett Bomar in the later rounds.

You'll see plenty of players declaring for the draft in the next couple of days, but one name that won't be on that list is USC safety Taylor Mays.

USC coach Pete Carroll told The Daily Breeze Monday that Mays will return for his senior season. I don't think the Lions would have seriously considered him with the No. 1 overall pick – no defensive back has gone No. 1 since Gary Glick in 1956 – but he was a possibility had Detroit been able to trade down.

Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy also said Monday he was going back to school. That's two potential top-10 choices off the board.

Plenty could change over the next 3 1/2 months, but as much help as the Lions need defensively I still think Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford or Alabama left tackle Andre Smith ends up being the choice.

Chances are you're sitting around watching the bowl games today, and if you're reading this blog it's reasonable to assume you're a Lions fan. My apologies.

Then again, we're probably approaching your favorite time of the year – the draft. The Lions have five of the first 82 picks in April's draft, including Nos. 1 and 20 in the first round. With no Matt Millen around, they might actually come away with some talent.

Who? Well, who knows, but here's a two-minute guide on whom to watch:

Capital One Bowl
When: Thursday, 1 p.m.
Teams: Michigan State vs. Georgia
Who to watch: Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford is the potential No. 1 overall pick. He's got a rocket arm and decent mobility, but the preseason No. 1 Bulldogs underachieved this year. Still, if Stafford is anything like the last quarterback MSU faced in a bowl game – Boston College's Matt Ryan last year – he'd be well worth the top selection.

Rose Bowl
When: Thursday, 4:30 p.m.
Teams: USC vs. Penn State
Who to watch: USC, as usual, is loaded with talent. The physical Rey Maualuga is one of the top two draft-eligible linebackers and could be a Lion at No. 20 or if they trade down. Safety Taylor Mays is the best at his position in football and the Lions need help in the secondary. And quarterback Mark Sanchez, like Mays a junior, is a potential mid- to late-first-rounder if he declares. Penn State's Aaron Maybin, another underclassman, has 12 sacks and is the top defensive end prospect according to Scouts Inc.

Cotton Bowl
When: Friday, 2 p.m.
Teams: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi
Who to watch: If Millen were still around, all eyes would be on Tech receiver Michael Crabtree. I'm pretty confident in saying he won't be a Lion, but Ole Miss tackle Michael Oher could be. Oher is this year's Sam Baker. They're different players, but like Baker, Oher's shine has fallen as a potential top pick but still should make someone very happy later in the first round. Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy has makeup issues but is a first-round talent as well.

Sugar Bowl
When: Friday, 8 p.m.
Teams: Alabama vs. Utah
Who to watch: This would have been your last chance to see Bama left tackle Andre Smith, the potential No. 1 pick. But Smith is suspended, reportedly for his contact with an agent. He's still a candidate to lead off the draft, and Tide junior defensive tackle Terrence Cody is a likely first-rounder at a position of desperate need as well.

Fiesta Bowl
When: Monday, 8 p.m.
Teams: Ohio State vs. Texas
Who to watch: Ohio State seniors Malcolm Jenkins and James Laurinaitis are potential first-rounders. Jenkins is a lockdown corner who probably won't be on the board for the Lions' second pick. Laurinaitis should be, and the Lions need to serious help at linebacker. Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo has another first-round grade, but he may not have the size (6-3, 255) the Lions seek.

BCS Championship game
When: Jan. 8, 8 p.m.
Teams: Florida vs. Oklahoma
Who to watch: The main attraction for Lions fans is Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, another potential top overall pick. Bradford, the Heisman Trophy winner, is deadly accurate and embarrassingly productive. The only knock is he plays mostly out of the shotgun in Oklahoma's spread offense. Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes could be a late-first choice if he declares, but the Gators best draft prospects are freshmen and sophomores.

In case you missed it, the Lions all but locked up the No. 1 pick in the draft over the weekend. Kansas City won at Oakland, giving the Chiefs two victories this year. That means the Lions at 0-12 would have to win two of their final four games to slide out of the No. 1 spot. (Cincinnati at 1-10-1 currently has pick No. 2.) Not gonna happen.

It's pointless to start breaking down the draft in December, especially since no one knows who'll be making picks for the Lions, but I've received a few emails on the subject so I want to highlight a few names/scenarios the Lions will be faced with come April.

In all likelihood, they'll have to choose between a potential franchise quarterback, either Oklahoma's Sam Bradford or Georgia's Matt Stafford; the top offensive tackle available (likely Alabama's Andre Smith); or defensive help (USC linebacker Rey Maualuga or Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody). Bradford, Stafford, Smith and Cody are all underclassmen, but with labor uncertainty and their status as probable top-10 picks I would expect all to forgo their final seasons of eligibility.

If the current regime is in place, I think the Lions go defense first and try to win with Daunte Culpepper at quarterback. If not, it comes down to whether the new decision-makers view Bradford or Stafford as a franchise-caliber, Matt Ryan-type quarterback. If the answer on either is yes, you can bet that's your No. 1 pick.

I've heard all the arguments against taking a quarterback No. 1 – the Lions have too many other holes to fill; the hit-and-miss nature of taking a quarterback No. 1; the cost associated with signing that pick – and while they're all grounded in truth, the fact is top-flight signal callers don't come around every day and they're the single biggest predictor of NFL success. The last five Super Bowl winners have employed four of the game's best quarterbacks in Eli and Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger.

The Lions' draft needs could change in the coming months if, say, Scott Pioli takes over as general manager, hires Josh McDaniels as head coach and signs Matt Cassel as a free agent. But if Stafford or Bradford grades out as a future Pro Bowler, he'll be worth the gamble at No. 1 – especially when you consider how well Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco have played as rookies this year (both are 8-4).