The Detroit Lions made their first ever draft pick in 1936 selecting Sid Wagner a guard out of Michigan State with the 8th overall selection. Since then the team has drafted with mixed results.

To most Detroit Lions fans the drafting in 1989 of running back Barry Sanders,http://www.detroitlions.com/team/history/draft-history/draft-history-1980-1989.html was the highlight of all the Detroit drafts. Following closely behind were the selections of Calvin Johnson 2007 and Mathew Stafford 2009.

Through all the dismal years Sanders gave the fans in Detroit something to cheer about. With his long breakaway runs and ability to elude tacklers, he kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Then after the 1998 season and 10 years in the league, and with the National Football League all time yardage rushing record in sight, Barry decided to call it quits. He had gained 15,269 yards rushing with a single season high of 2,053 yards in 1997 when he averaged better than 6 yards per carry. Sanders finished with a career rushing average of 5 yards per carry, and had he continued to play it is highly likely that he would have set a yardage mark that would never be broken. He was elected into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2004. Barryhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SandBa00.htm?redir was selected to the Pro-Bowl game in each of his 10 seasons and was first team All-Pro 6 times.

Now with Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Jahvid Best ready to star on offense, the Lions recent drafting can be considered a success. When they selected Johnsonhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnCa00.htm he was considered the best player in the draft, a sure fire star and once in a lifetime receiver. Even though the Lions have struggled he has been an impact player. The other team focuses it’s defense on stopping him and he sometimes is covered by three defenders, but still manages to come up with big plays for the cats from Detroit. With the signings of quality free agent receiver Nate Burleson and the addition of breakaway runner Jahvid Besthttp://collegefootball.rivals.com/cviewplayer.asp?Player=83878 the Lions are hoping that defenses will be unable to focus all their attention on Johnson. With a full year of experience behind him, young gunslinging quarterback Matthew Staffordhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StafMa00.htm should be able to light a fire under the Detroit offense.

By making the most of their great draft positions, the Lions are positioning themselves to be a force in the NFL and hope their record of 2 wins and 30 losses over the last two years will be soon a memory of the past.

The Detroit Lions used the 2010 draft to select players they felt fit the needs of the team. They swapped positions with the Minnesota Vikings to allow them a 2nd pick in the first round and acquired the explosive running back they feel is needed to compliment last years' number 1 overall pick quarterback Mathew Stafford. As a result of trades made over the last couple years, the Detroiters wound up with an extra pick in both the 1st and 7th rounds of the 2010 draft and none in the 2nd, 5th and 6th rounds.http://www.detroitlions.com/team/history/draft-history/draft-history-2010-2019.html

2010 Detroit Lions Draft Selections

1st Round, 2nd overall – DT – Ndamukong Suh – Nebraska

1st Round, 30th overall – RB – Jahvid Best – California

2nd Round, - Draft Selection traded - No Pick

3rd Round, 66th overall – CB - Amari Spievey – Iowa

4th Round, 128th overall – Jason Fox - T Miami

5th Round, - Draft Selection traded - No Pick

6th Round, - Draft Selection traded - No Pick

7th Round, 213 overall - Willie Young - DE - North Carolina State

7th Round, 255 overall - Tim Toone - WR - Weber State