7th Round Draft Pick, Nick Bawden May be Key to Run Game

Detroit Lions 7th round pick, Fullback Nick Bawden, just may be the best pick of the 2018 draft.

That is a huge statement to make for a guy drafted in the last round. In this case however, he could very well deserve it. Not because he is so good mind you. We wont see that until they strap on pads and start hitting, but simply for what he represents.

I could not even guess how many years it has been since the fullback position was a true part of the Lions offense. They have had fullbacks in the past, but they were usually more of the hybrid Fullback. A guy who is meant for running with the ball and swinging out for passes as much as lead blocking. Those guys tend to be slightly smaller than true lead blocking fullbacks.

Michael Burton was the last player to man the position for the Lions. He was listed at 6' and 235 lbs.  Burton was a decent player but nothing special. The Lions let him go before the 2017 campaign was under way.

It is something the Lions last few coaches have taken as an unneeded luxury. They never really understood how import a good lead blocker is for a run game. Consequently, the Lions running game has been one of the worst in the NFL in recent years. To the point where they completely gave up even trying to run on short yardage downs in the second half of last season.

Then here in the 2018 draft they selected Nick Bawden, who comes in 2 inches taller and ten pound heavier, and he represents a change back to the old ways of running the ball. When the offensive line opens a hole up, it will be the fullbacks duty to clear the LB or Safety who is trying to fill it. Without a lead blocker in recent years, the Lions left it up to the ball handler to either beat the defense-men to the hole or run him over. The Lions have not had anyone fast enough to beat them to the hole and they haven't had anyone with enough power to run over them. This year they have added a running back in Legarrette Blount who can run over them, Kerryon Johnson who might actually beat them to the hole, and as icing on top, they added a fullback who will clear the way.

Last year the Lions talent at running back was not as much of the problem as many fans seem to think. The real problem was in the run scheme. The entire scheme and play calling by Jim Bob Cooter was anti-run at best. Everything they did was the worst thing they could do to have a run game succeed. Adding a fullback this season shows that Patricia might actually know what he is doing and I am expecting to see the first season Stafford has actually had a true run game to back him up.

Some people believe the Lions had a good run game when they had Jahvid Best, but its not really true. Best had a few great runs. He was a threat to take it to the house on any play. That gave the Lions a true run threat and helped Stafford immensely. Right up until Best got hurt again. But Best was not a real threat on short yardage plays. So he only helped Stafford for a couple downs at a time.  Now the Lions should have a run game that will be a threat to get what they need on every down and defenses will not be able to focus on the passing game alone.

So far in Stafford's career it has been a case of, "We cant run the ball. You know we are passing. We know we're passing. Try to stop us!" And the fact Stafford is one of only two QBs to ever have seven consecutive seasons of 4,000 yards or more, says that those defenses couldn't stop them from moving the ball very often. Imagine what he might do with the opposing defenses having to worry about the run as well.