2014 NFL Mock Draft: Detroit Lions draft a WR?

The Detroit Lions drafting a wide receiver is almost a running joke for the franchise.

The Matt Millen era was full of wideout picks, many who did not work out. Sure, the Lions were able to bring in Calvin Johnson, aka Megatron, aka the best receiver in the world; but for every Megatron there was a Roy Williams. For every Roy Williams there was a Mike Williams, and for every Mike Williams there was a Charles Rodgers.

If you’re the Lions and you’re going to draft a receiver in the first round, you’ve got to make it count; and that’s what makes the latest mock draft from WalterFootball.com so interesting.

The site, known for its great mock drafts, has the Lions taking wide receiver Marqise Lee out of USC.

Here’s the explanation:

"I slotted a receiver to the Lions in the previous version of my 2015 NFL Mock Draft, and I’m going to use the same reasoning here: We all saw what happens to Detroit’s offense when Calvin Johnson is unavailable. The Lions need an insurance policy of sorts. Besides, having a solid No. 2 across from Megatron would make the Lions’ scoring attack even more explosive."

I tend to agree that Detroit can’t just rely on Johnson to keep that offense moving, and it order for it to be truly effective; Matt Stafford is going to need at least two or three legitimate targets. He’s not consistent or accurate enough to make average wide receivers great. I think he’ll need a great wide receiver or two to make him better.

Lee has proven himself to be an incredibly dynamic receiver at the college level, and I think he would fit what Detroit is looking for on offense. He’s caught 3,655 yards and 29 touchdowns in three seasons for the Trojans.