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Lions get bigger, deeper Claiborne, Gibson highlight Lions' class; Irvin a surprise
Posted: Sunday April 18, 1999 07:04 PM
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) -- After filling their most pressing needs on the first day of the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions went looking for depth Sunday. They used their fourth pick, the 103rd overall, to take Michigan State running back Sedrick Irvin, then sought other potential backup help in the final rounds. The Lions took Northern Iowa defensive back Tyree Talton in the fifth round, Wisconsin-Stevens Point linebacker Clint Kriewaldt in the sixth and North Carolina defensive end Mike Pringley in the seventh. On Saturday, the Lions drafted highly touted Southern California linebacker Chris Claiborne and massive Wisconsin offensive tackle Aaron Gibson in the first round and got Iowa defensive lineman Jared Devries in the third. The choice of Irvin, who skipped his senior season to enter the draft, was at least a mild surprise. He would enter training camp behind perennial All-Pro Barry Sanders and veteran backup Ron Rivers. "You can use him in short-yardage and goal-line and he can return [kicks]," Lions coach Bobby Ross said. "We're going to give him a good, solid look." Irvin said he's thrilled at the prospect of learning from Sanders. "I look at it as a blessing," Irvin said. "I'm going to be beside one of the best running backs to ever touch a football. All I can do is get better and smarter." Irvin (5-11, 223) finished his Michigan State career as the Spartans' fourth all-time leading rusher and ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors last year after running for 1,167 yards and 10 touchdowns. The biggest knock against Irvin is his speed, which has been timed anywhere from 4.55 to 4.7 for 40 yards. "There's playing speed and there's timed speed," Lions player personnel director Ron Hughes said. "He's better than 4.7." The Lions gave up their own fifth-round pick in the trade Saturday that allowed them to move up and select Gibson. But they made another trade Sunday, sending next year's fourth-round pick to Philadelphia for the Eagles' fifth choice this year. The Lions used that pick, the 137th overall, on Talton (5-11, 203), a consensus Division I-AA All-American last season. "He's played corner and he's played safety,' Hughes said. "He's also a return guy who averaged 28 yards per kickoff return. He's a tough guy; he's not a pitter-patter type corner." Talton had a Northern Iowa record 22 career interceptions, including two last year when he also blocked a pair of kicks. Kriewaldt (6-1, 232) was the Division III defensive player of the year last season. He was a four-year starter who had 416 career tackles, including 54 for losses. Pringley (6-3, 271) played the end opposite Ebenezer Ekuban, the first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, at North Carolina. He had 70 tackles and four sacks last year and 14 1/2 career sacks. While wrapping up the draft Sunday, Lions officials were still excited about their first three picks Saturday -- especially Claiborne. The Lions were thinking about trading up from their No. 9 first-round position to ensure getting him but didn't have to when quarterbacks, running backs and trades dominated the early selections. Ross compared the range of Claiborne (6-2 1/2, 253) with that of Junior Seau, the perennial All-Pro linebacker he coached at San Diego. Claiborne, a unanimous All-American, won the Dick Butkus Award last season, given to the nation's best linebacker. Playing in the middle, he led USC with 120 tackles -- 78 solos -- and also had six interceptions. Gibson, a 6-foot-6, 372-pounder, impressed the Lions with his agility. But, clearly, what impressed them most was Gibson's size. "There's nobody in the draft who can run-block like him," Hughes said. "Nobody." The Lions gave up the eighth pick in the second round and the ninth pick in the third round for the right to move up and draft Gibson. That still left them with the pick late in the third round. They gave up a fifth-round pick to move up two spots for the drafting of Devries, a 6-4, 280-pounder whose 43 career sacks are an Iowa record.
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