Bob Quinn will make his first draft pick as a general manager Thursday night, and as of now, the Detroit Lions are sitting at No. 16.
He will likely have a bunch of options at positions of need, including offensive tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end. There is some recent history at that draft spot of those positions for teams around the league.
Last year at No. 16, Houston took cornerback Kevin Johnson out of Wake Forest. In 2014, the Cowboys took a Pro Bowler, offensive lineman Zack Martin, with the No. 16 pick. The 2013 pick at No. 16, quarterback E.J. Manuel, went to Buffalo.
The No. 16 pick in 2012 didn’t have much success for a first-round pick either, as Quinton Coples is already gone from the Jets and now in Los Angeles. In 2011, Washington took Ryan Kerrigan at No. 16 -- a few picks after the Lions took Nick Fairley instead of Kerrigan and Robert Quinn.
At the start of the decade, Tennessee took Derrick Morgan at No. 16.
Detroit has some history at No. 16 as well.
In 1981, the Lions drafted Mark Nichols with the No. 16 pick out of San Jose State. The receiver played six seasons with the Lions, catching 124 passes for 2,235 yards and nine touchdowns.
In 1976, Detroit drafted running back Lawrence Gaines from Wyoming. He played three seasons with the Lions, carrying the ball 232 times for 892 yards and five touchdowns.
The Lions went defense with No. 16 in 1972, taking defensive tackle Herb Ovis from Colorado. Way back in 1943, the Lions took tackle Dick Ashcom from Oregon.
Who will be the next No. 16 for the Detroit Lions? Barring a trade, Quinn will make that decision Thursday night.
Draft selections came from Pro Football Reference.
