By Jeff Reynolds
April 29, 2006

Florida State OLB Ernie Sims moves like a safety and hits like a linebacker, making him perfectly suited to start in the Lions’ new cover-2 defense.

Lacking at the position, the Lions filled a need and also drafted one of the best players available.

The Lions are likely to start Teddy Lehman, Boss Bailey and Sims, giving them a swift fleet of athletes capable of clamping down the middle of the field.

Sims’ history of concussions (reportedly six in his college career) apparently was overlooked by team president Matt Millen and the Lions’ scouting staff. Detroit also overlooked the injury history of SLB Boss Bailey in 2003 (34th overall).

The risk looked to be a good one during Bailey’s stellar rookie season. But he missed the entire ’04 season with a knee injury and ended last season on injured reserve with an ankle injury that trainers compared to the tendon problem that beset Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling two years ago.

Sims is a sideline-to-sideline speedster, but his size (5-11 1/8, 231) creates limitations in the running game. He can be washed out on running plays right at him and needs to be protected.

Some believed DT Brodrick Bunkley or NT Haloti Ngata would have been more valuable additions considering the LB depth in this draft.

Ngata is a space-eating traditional nose tackle who could have replaced Dan Wilkinson. Wilkinson is pondering retirement as of this writing and the Lions didn’t have a replacement on the roster entering the draft.

But give Millen credit for finding a playmaker in Sims who can start right away in Rod Marinelli’s defense.

He took a risk, some will say, but the reward could be rich.

Recent first-round picks
Year/player/pick number
2006/Ernie Sims/9
2005/WR Mike Williams/10
2004/WR Roy Williams/7
2004/RB Kevin Jones/30
2003/WR Charles Rogers/2
2002/QB Joey Harrington/3
2001/OT Jeff Backus/18
2000/OT Stockar McDougle/20