And with the 13th pick the Detroit Lions draft Da’Quan Bowers. Does that have a certain ring to it? Not really.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King has reported that the Lions have an interest in

Really?

King has good sources all around the NFL, but Bowers to Detroit? Really?

No doubt that based on talent alone, Bowers is Top 10 talent. (Mel Kiper ranks him sixth on his big board.)

But he has knee woes. Rumors abound that he needs microfracture surgery which could set him back for part of all of a season if there is one.

Did we mention risk/reward is Bowers’ middle name?

Here’s the deal, the defensive line is one place where the Lions are set. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch is 32, but his age doesn’t show yet. DE Cliff Avril is just 25 and had his best season. Plus the Lions have Lawrence Jackson, Turk McBride and Willie Young. All three are 25 and the Lions like them all.

If Bowers falls to 13, and it’s quite possible, the Lions will have a big decision to make.

Will Bowers be worth it in the long run? Or will someone (maybe a healthy CB like Prince Amukamara) be there who could help immediately.

My guess is Bowers will not wear the Honolulu blue and silver.

What do you think?

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)

Sports Illustrated has a story titled "Searching for Bobby Layne" appearing on newstands tomorrow about Matt Stafford, his ties to Bobby Layne and how the Lions are doing their diligence evaluating the draft's No. 1 quarterback prospect. You know all about the Stafford-Layne connection through their alma matter Highland Park High, but here's a couple tidbits from the story I found interesting:

• Stafford apparently met with 10 teams during the combine. Peter King reports he wowed coached on at least two accounts. “Dolphins quarterbacks coach David Lee drew a Miami pass play for Stafford, complete with terminology, erased it, then asked Stafford to redraw it and explain his route progression,” King wrote. “When Stafford finished, Lee told him he'd nailed it. Jaguars quarterbacks coach Mike Shula asked Stafford to draw up a play and teach it to the room of coaches and scouts. Stafford drew up his favorite—Rex Gun 562 Vacation—and drilled the coaches on it.”

• In another visit, Stafford told the magazine he was grilled by the team psychologist from the 49ers, who asked about his parents' divorce when he was in high school. Stafford said "he'd adjusted well," King wrote. “Told he sounded as if he might have unfinished business concerning the divorce, Stafford said there certainly was not. 'I felt like, I wonder how much I'm being charged per hour for this?' he says. 'But I understand. They're going to pay a lot of money in the first round.'”

• Lastly, of the Lions dinner with Stafford last Thursday at Shula's Steak House, Stafford told the magazine that coach Jim Schwartz asked him, “If this was a recruiting visit for college, what would you want to ask us?” Stafford said he'd like to visit Detroit and see the city. The next day, King wrote that Stafford “snuck behind Detroit's buttoned-up chief operating officer, Tom Lewand, bear-hugged him and lifted him off the ground. 'Come on!" Stafford said, laughing. 'Let's go! I'm ready!' In other words, Pick me!”

The single biggest nugget of Lions-related news/speculation in the new year so far came courtesy of Sports Illustrated's Peter King on the Dan Patrick Show yesterday.

King was asked about Bill Parcells' future in Miami and whether the Dolphins' current executive vice president will opt out of his contract in the coming month.

Said King, “I don't get a good feel on that. I think it's one of those where there's smoke there's fire. If he does go somewhere, I think it's more likely that he ends up in Detroit than anywhere else. I'm going to cop out on this one and I'll say I'll give you 50-percent chance Miami, 50-percent chance Detroit.”

This is four days after the Lions officially announced the promotions of Tom Lewand to team president and Martin Mayhew to general manager, mind you, and four days after most people closed the door on anyone, let alone Parcells, usurping power atop the front office.

There's no doubt in my mind that last week's well-timed revelation that Parcells had an opt-out in his contract was a smoke signal to the league in general and perhaps the Lions in particular. Parcells already has worked his magic in Miami, could walk away with a fat paycheck and step into the biggest rebuilding project the NFL has ever seen, one he's been said to have eyes for before.

The only question is whether Lions owner William Clay Ford recognized the signals coming from South Beach. Initially, that wouldn't appear to be the case. Mayhew and Lewand are out on the road interviewing now, they've already met with at least one candidate (Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) and have another sit down scheduled for today (Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz).

Then again, Lewand said Tuesday he and Mayhew were officially promoted a week before the announcement was made, on the Monday after the New Orleans game. That was before Parcells' contract situation became public knowledge.

Look, I don't think Parcells will be Lion. Ford's not in the business of firing or reassigning anyone a month after he promotes them and he surely wouldn't want to swallow any contracts in this economy. But the Lions do have a front-office position open (Parcells surely will have control of everything at his next and future stops) and could hire a coach that impressed Parcells to no end during last year's interviews (Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier) or one on his current staff in Miami (assistant head coach Todd Bowles).

I'd be beyond surprised if anything happened, but King's 50-50 comment at least gave Lions fans something to munch on.