Aaron Curry Might Not Even Be First Defensive Player Drafted

Word for the week: smokescreen. Expect to hear it roughly four million times between now and Saturday afternoon. Yesterday, FanHouse draft analyst Bruce Ciskie pointed out that the Lions -- at least to hear Mlive.com's Tom Kowalski tell it -- had a deal in place with linebacker Aaron Curry just in case negotiations fell through with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

That's certainly believable, even amid all the pre-draft misdirection. What's harder to fathom, though, is the idea that Curry, should the Lions pass on him, might not be a top-10 pick or the first defensive player drafted. If Detroit takes Stafford, NFLDraftScout.com's Rob Rang has a theory:

The earliest Curry is going to get drafted is fourth to the Seattle Seahawks. If the Seahawks go another route with the fourth pick, some believe Curry could slip out of the top 10.

The defensive player flying up draft boards right now is LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson. He's not an explosive pass rusher, but has the bulk at 6-4, 295 pounds and scheme versatility to line up in both the 3-4 and 4-3. Considering the Chiefs' lack of a second-round pick due to the trade for quarterback Matt Cassel, don't be surprised if GM Scott Pioli adds Jackson, a virtual Ty Warren clone, with the third pick of the draft.

And this jibes with what Charley Casserly said on a Monday conference call with reporters. When asked why Jackson was making a late surge up draft boards, Casserly pointed out that teams don't have their draft board set till 10 days prior to the draft. Not only that, but a weak defensive line draft class coupled with demand for 3-4 defensive linemen would motivate some clubs to take a player earlier than they might have otherwise.

Casserly thinks Jackson will go in the first 10 picks but admits that, "... he's more of a 12-20[th pick]-type ability guy. But if you're in the 3-4 the guy should line up and play for you." And ultimately, that's the point; teams want to see an immediate return on investment on high-round selections. And if Jackson can start in Week 1, all the better.

No idea what this means for Curry, but say he's on the board when the 49ers go on the clock with the 10th pick. I know he's not a need, but he'd certainly be the best player available. And I can't imagine what that defense would look like with Patrick Willis and Curry wreaking havoc. It might almost be enough to make you forget about the quarterback situation.