The Detroit Lions could have a long wait ahead between their two first-round picks in this year's draft.
They draft second overall with their own pick and 32nd with the pick they got last year in the trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams.
Based on what has happened in recent seasons, it should be worth the wait. There are no guarantees of success because of injuries and other issues, but history shows the Lions should add a quality player to the roster with the 32nd pick.
Case in point: It was only four years ago that the Ravens used the 32nd pick after trading up to get it to draft quarterback Lamar Jackson of Louisville.
Jackson is one of the league's most dynamic players at any position. He was voted the league's MVP in 2019.
Following is a look at the players who have been drafted 32nd overall in the last 10 years, from 2012-21:
2012: Virginia Tech. RB David Wilson, by Giants.
An inauspicious beginning to a career cut short by injury. Wilson lost a fumble on his second carry on opening day. More seriously, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in Week 5 of 2013. That ended his career.
Bottom line: Wilson's rookie season was decent: 16 games, two starts, 358 yards rushing, 5.0 yards per carry and four TDs. For his career he rushed for 504 yards and five TDs. Boise State RB Doug Martin was drafted by the Bucs with the pick before Wilson. Martin had two seasons of more than 1,400 yards rushing and one season as a first-team All Pro.
2013: Florida DB Matt Elam, by Ravens.
Injuries and legal problems cut short Elam's career. Elam played all 32 games in his first two seasons with 26 starts at safety. He missed all of 2015 with a torn biceps and played sparingly in 2016, his last season as an active player. He was arrested twice in 2017 in Florida, after his career with the Ravens had ended.
Bottom line: Elam was drafted to play safety, but four picks after the Ravens took him the Lions drafted four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay of Mississippi State.
2014: Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater, by Vikings.
Universally respected for his leadership qualities, Bridgewater has played and started games for four teams -- Vikings (2014-17), Saints (2018-19), Panthers (2020) and Broncos (2021). A severe knee injury sustained in 2016 almost ended his career, but he battled back.
Bottom line: Bridgewater has a 33-30 won-loss record. Injuries impacted his career. The Vikings might have been better off drafting Derek Carr, who went to the Raiders four picks later.
2015: Texas DT Malcolm Brown, by Patriots.
Brown was a good fit for the Patriots for four seasons, and it was more of the same when he moved on to play two seasons with the Saints and 2021 with the Jaguars.
Bottom line: A stout run defender, Brown has missed only seven games in seven seasons. He was a good value pick.
2016: Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah, by Browns.
(Note: The 32nd pick this year was the first pick in the second round. The Patriots had the 32nd pick, but it was forfeited as part of the punishment for QB Tom Brady using deflated footballs. There were only 31 first-round picks.)
Ogbah has produced impressive sack totals, but not for the Browns. He has nine sacks in each of the last two seasons for the Dolphins. He had 12.5 sacks with Cleveland in his first three seasons with the Browns and 5.5 in his one season with the Chiefs after being traded by the Browns.
Bottom line: The Browns drafted a productive pass rusher -- for the Dolphins.
2017: Wisconsin OT Ryan Ramczyk, by Saints.
So many strong, tough, reliable offensive linemen have been drafted into the NFL out of Wisconsin. This is another one of them.
Bottom line: Ramczyk missed one game in his first four seasons and seven in 2021 because of a knee injury and COVID-19. He returned to play 64 snaps in the final game. That commitment is part of why he was drafted.
2018: Louisville QB Lamar Jackson, by Ravens.
Injuries cut him back to 12 games in 2021, but nothing else has stopped him. He has a 37-12 won-loss record, 84 career TD passes vs. 31 interceptions and 3,673 yards rushing with two seasons of more than 1,000.
Bottom line: It was a surprise to many when the Ravens traded up to draft Jackson with the last pick in the first round. Obviously, the Ravens knew what they were doing. Jackson was voted the league MVP in 2019.
2019: Arizona St. WR N'Keal Harry, by Patriots.
Stats don't lie. In three seasons Harry has 57 catches with a high of 33 in 2020.
Bottom line: Call it what it is, a bad pick. And three picks later, the 49ers drafted Deebo Samuel.
2020: LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, by Chiefs.
He wasn't expected to be the first RB drafted, but his quickness and receiving ability fits the Chiefs' offense. He's missed 10 games, but put up good stats when healthy: 1,320 yards rushing and eight TDs in two seasons with 55 receptions and three TDs.
Bottom line: A good fit for the Chiefs, but not as good as good as Jonathan Taylor, who was taken nine picks later by the Colts and rushed for 2,980 yards and 29 TDs in two years.
2021: Washington OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, by Bucs.
A good start based on his rookie stats: Three passes defended, four sacks, five tackles for loss and 10 QB hits.
Bottom line: Playing all 17 games and getting six starts was an accomplishment for a rookie on that roster.
