Throughout the week, we at Lions Wire presented the #OnePride Twitter fan base several questions, hoping to hear their voice on various topics concerning the Detroit Lions.
Through the use of Twitter polls, we were able to gauge fan’s thoughts on a variety of topics, including who was their favorite draft pick in each of general manager Bob Quinn’s previous drafts.
2016 Draft
#OnePride fan Q/A by @thelionswire : This week we will revisit Quinn's old drafts. Who was your favorite pick out of the 2016 draft?
Please RT to reach Lions fans near and far. Look forward to hearing questions and comments. Thank you.
— Zack Moran (@ZackMoran45) April 19, 2020
Zack’s take: When Quinn took over as general manager, he made it clear he was going to build this team from the trenches, and he did just that in his inaugural draft. Decker locked down Stafford’s blindside from the get-go, and Glasgow saw time at center and guard in his Lions’ ironman career.
With that said, Decker was my favorite pick from this draft class and still is. I love his hard nose mentality, and I think everything about him screams Motor City. Don’t get me wrong I loved Glasgow and his versatility, but having a franchise left tackle is vital, and Decker fits the bill.
2017 Draft
#OnePride fan Q/A by @thelionswire: We are continuing down memory lane revisiting Quinn's old drafts. Who was your favorite pick from the 2017 draft?
Please RT to reach Lions fans near and far. Looking forward to hearing questions and comments.
— Zack Moran (@ZackMoran45) April 20, 2020
Zack’s take: There were some bright spots, but quite a few misses in Quinn’s second draft, but luckily for him, he nailed one pick in Kenny Golladay. He hit the ground running in Detroit, and has settled in the Lions’ number one receiver. With his rookie deal expiring, the ball is in Quinn’s court to lock up the big-bodied receiver long-term.
My favorite pick out of this draft was Roberts at the time because of his potential as a red-zone threat and need at tight end, but with time — and I’m sure with everybody else — I switched over to Golladay.
2018 Draft
#OnePride fan Q/A by @thelionswire: We are continuing down memory lane revisiting Quinn's old drafts. Who WAS your favorite pick from the 2018 draft?
Please RT to reach Lions fans near and far. Looking forward to hearing questions and comments.
— Zack Moran (@ZackMoran45) April 21, 2020
Zack’s take: When Frank Ragnow was picked, most of us were left scratching our heads. He wasn’t identified as a potential target and most people believed the Lions would go defense. But at the end of the day, Ragnow never allowed a sack in his college career, was tactician at the center, and if it wasn’t for an ankle injury that hindered his senior season, he probably would’ve gone sooner. After his first season at guard, he shifted to his natural position at center and enjoyed what most would consider a Pro Bowl season.
There were also quite a few other highlights in this draft like little known Tracy Walker. With his versatility in the secondary, he is a matchup nightmare and has become a fan favorite. I am a sucker for an offensive lineman, so Ragnow was my favorite pick from this draft and still is to this day.
2019 Draft
#OnePride fan Q/A by @thelionswire: We are continuing down memory lane revisiting Quinn's old drafts. Who WAS your favorite pick from the 2019 draft?
Please RT to reach Lions fans near and far. Looking forward to hearing questions and comments.
— Zack Moran (@ZackMoran45) April 22, 2020
Zack’s take: This was by far the closest vote in the draft polls, with Oruwariye inching Hockenson out by the slimmest of margins. There were a lot of mixed emotions when it came to this draft. Many were left bewildered when Hockenson was selected in the first round, thinking this was a luxury pick. Hockenson started the season hot, breaking the rookie TE receiving record in a single game, but cooled off as the season went on. As a rookie TE, struggling was to be expected, but Hockenson had a quality rookie season and should improve in his second year.
Oruwariye was heavily looked at a potential second-round pick, but the Lions were able to draft him in the fifth round. He only saw 219 snaps during his rookie season, but he made the most of it, snagging two interceptions—tied for the team lead with Darius Slay. There are some questions where he falls in the depth charts this season, mainly depending on the draft, but expect in an upward trend in 2020.
I was mixed on who my favorite player was in this draft, but I landed on Oruwariye because of the value of the pick and potential to find a home as the Lions’ CB2 down the road.
Keep your eyes open for future questions. We would love to hear your thoughts. If you have any questions you’d like to see answered, send a message, or leave a comment with your question. Thank you to all Lions fans and the #OnePride nation.