NFL draft analyst sees CB Dre Kirkpatrick as best fit for Lions

Apr 11, 2012 (Detroit Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Of the cornerbacks with the best chance of being on the board at Pick No. 23, Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick might be the best fit for the Detroit Lions.

"They like to press," Pro Football Weekly draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki said in a teleconference today. "They like those big, physical, press corners, strong corners. And to me, that's Kirkpatrick. That's what he does best." But Nawrocki said the 6-foot-1, 186-pound Kirkpatrick also strikes him as "one of the guys that could potentially fall in that bust category, looking back in a couple years." "Not necessarily because of the talent, because he is very talented, but more so because you just don't know what you're getting," Nawrocki said. "Whether you're going to be able to control him, whether he's going to stay in line and be disciplined enough to follow what the coaches want him to do.

"To me, he is a good fit." Along with Kirkpatrick, who underwent shoulder surgery in 2010 and was arrested for marijuana possession earlier this year (the charge later was dropped), the Lions are eyeing South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore as a potential first-round pick.

Like Kirkpatrick, Gilmore fits the Lions' profile at the position. He's big (6-1, 190 pounds) and physical but is still learning the position after playing quarterback exclusively in high school.

"I have some concerns about his instincts and his ball skills and his hands," Nawrocki said. "You saw it at the combine: He didn't catch the ball when it came down to the competition at the end of the (defensive back) drills. He had a chance to win it for his group, instead, he was the guy that made everybody do push-ups. I think you see some of that on tape, in terms of getting beat.

"You go back to the SEC championship game against Auburn, Cam Newton was able to pick apart a little bit down the field. There were other games early in the season as well this year that he struggled against the average competition. ... There are some concerns about where he is instinctually at this stage of his development. I think there's a good chance he'll go in the top 20 and definitely the top 25 and may be in consideration for the Lions. But in terms of his long-term future, he's got a ways to go." Nawrocki ranks Kirkpatrick No. 23 overall and Gilmore 26th among draft prospects, and he said he expects the Lions to take a cornerback or offensive lineman in the first round.

"In terms of the cornerback position, I think it's been one of their greatest deficiencies on defense the last couple years," Nawrocki said. "I'm not a big Chris Houston fan. I think he really struggles playing off the ball and gets torched down the field far too often. I'm not sure there's a starting cornerback on that roster when you really boil it down. I think they definitely have to address the position, and they'll be looking at it early.

"The offensive tackle position's the other position that they need to hone in on. Jeff Backus has among the shortest arms of any left tackle in the league. He's been in the league a long time. I think he's starting to show his age, and I think they'd like to improve at that spot, maybe even kick him inside." Georgia's Cordy Glenn, Ohio State's Mike Adams and Stanford's Jonathan Martin are among the offensive linemen who could be available at Pick No. 23.

Contact Dave Birkett: 313-222-8831 or dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @freeplions.

___ (c)2012 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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