All Eyes on Matthew Stafford

If quarterback Matthew Stafford is going to be the No. 1 pick at the NFL Draft in April, then Thursday is a critical day. Stafford, who did not take part in passing drills at the league's scouting combine in February, will be the featured attraction at Georgia's pro day in front of a multitude of scouts -- including, of course, representatives from the Lions.

While quarterbacks often sit out certain drills at the combine (though it's worth noting that Southern Cal's Mark Sanchez participated), Stafford's decision immediately led to questions about the impact on his draft status. He's still expected to be one of the first guys off the board, but Detroit's opinion on him may be changing. For one thing, since the combine, Detroit reportedly engaged in talks with Denver about Jay Cutler's availability, hinting that the Lions may not see what they want from a QB at the No. 1 pick.

In addition to that, just recently, a Lions beat writer in Detroit speculated that the team would select a left tackle -- either Baylor's Jason Smith or Virginia's Eugene Monroe -- if it held onto the top spot. And Monday, Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry visited Detroit, where the coaching staff impressed upon him how successful he could be at a starting middle-backer spot, should he join outside guys Ernie Sims and Julian Peterson in the Lions' linebacking corps.

All of this speaks to the fluidity in the draft's build-up, as teams frequently update their prospect boards, and occasionally sandbag a bit in hopes of coercing a trade. Detroit has certainly not tipped its hand, even when Stafford himself visited Michigan on March 10.

Still, it's not overestimating things to say that Thursday could make or break Stafford's hold on the No. 1 spot. His "tutor," Terry Shea, who was the Rams' quarterbacks coach under current Detroit offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, believes that Stafford will show himself quite worthy of being the first name called in New York.

"I would think he'll knock the lights out," Terry Shea said. "I can't believe there's a better No. 1 pick than Matthew Stafford in this year's draft. ... He's as accurate a passer as you could possibly find with a ball that whistles through the air. It's not like he throws a soft ball. He throws a very catchable ball. But it just whistles. He's just got that pinpoint ability in his throwing skill."

Should Detroit bypass Stafford at No. 1, it's possible that the result could cost the former SEC standout several spots in the draft and millions of dollars. The team that once was most likely to take him should Detroit balk, Kansas City, no longer has any need with Matt Cassel on board. After the Chiefs select at No. 3, it's harder to find a franchise needing a quarterback -- you can possibly look at Cleveland at No. 5, Jacksonville at No. 8, San Francisco at No. 10 or Buffalo at No. 11, but Detroit's need for a signal-caller surpasses any of those teams.

Everyone's very interested to see what happens at Georgia on Thursday. The NFL Draft's entire first-round path may hinge on the outcome.