Why Titus Young was the right pick, Lions fans
The Detroit Lions made Boise State WR Titus Young the 44th overall draft pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. Instantly Lions fans were upset over this pick as they already sport one of the best receivers in pro football in Calvin Johnson, they just drafted a third wide out in the 2009 draft, and their former GM Matt Millen was infamous for poorly selecting wide out prospects with high draft picks. While all of that is still true Titus Young was a great pick, and I am going to tell you why.
Keep the number 21 in your mind. That is the total amount of catches Derrick Williams and Bryant Johnson made in 2010 as the third wide outs in the Lions offense. 21 COMBINED, there is no way a team with a young QB could have entered another season with such a glaring hole on the lineup. This roster was decimated by the Matt Millen years, and every single position has to be upgraded.
Beyond the 21 combined catches these two made, Young brings a legitimate threat to this spot on the roster and that means Calvin and #2 Receiver Nate Burleson will be able to get open deep more. It is not a popular pick by any stretch of the imagination, but it clearly addressed a need, just not the need Lions fans wanted them to address in the draft.
As a life long fan of the Detroit Lions I understand the outcry over this pick, but as a NFL draft columnist and sports writer I can set my fandom aside and say without a doubt this was a great draft pick.
Related Links:
- Detroit Lions War Room
- Joshua Lobdell.com
