Pride of Detroit is counting down the top 10 Lions players of 2012, as voted on by readers of the site. More than 400 ballots were submitted, and today we are taking a look at the No. 7 player on the list.

No. 7 - S Louis Delmas - 1,230 points

The first defensive player on the top 10 Lions of 2012 is safety Louis Delmas. He checks in at No. 7 thanks to having a total of 1,230 points. Like No. 8 Titus Young, Delmas didn't receive a single vote for first or second place, but his inclusion on 282 ballots helped put him at seventh on the list.

Delmas is entering his fourth season in the NFL. He was a part of Martin Mayhew's first draft class as the general manager of the Lions, and Delmas sort of came out of nowhere to be the 33rd overall pick of the draft. He quickly emerged as the Lions' top safety in his rookie season and made 15 starts (he appeared in 15 games). During the season, he recorded 94 tackles, one sack, eight pass defenses, two interceptions and one touchdown.

Since 2009, Delmas' numbers have fallen off a bit, mainly because of injuries. He still made 15 starts in 2010 and had 84 tackles, two sacks, one pass defense and two forced fumbles. In 2011, however, he was only able to play in 11 games during the regular season. Injuries once again struck, and the Lions' secondary really struggled when he went out. This shows his importance to the defense, as well as the importance of him staying healthy in 2012.

By now, it's pretty clear that Delmas can play. The big question mark is his health. He plays a very aggressive, violent style of football, and that's part of what makes him so solid. Unfortunately, the injuries may be a side effect of his playing style.

For the Lions to get by with their current secondary, they really can't afford to have Delmas miss time or be limited by injuries. Not only is he their best safety, but the depth behind him isn't all that great. As evidenced by him coming in at No. 7 on the top 10 Lions of 2012, he is very important to the Lions' defense.

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