All the decision makers were there, bunkered inside a conference room at the Detroit Lions’ Allen Park training facility a few days before the 2014 draft.
General manager Martin Mayhew. Head coach Jim Caldwell. Even owner Martha Firestone Ford sat in a room as coaches and scouts ticked down a list of players the Lions could take with the 10th overall pick.
Eric Ebron had his supporters; assistant head coach Ron Prince gave an impassioned plea on the tight end’s behalf. Some in the room marveled at what Odell Beckham could do. And when the talk turned to Aaron Donald, the undersized Pitt defensive tackle had his advocates, too.