About a year ago, Peter King and The MMQB hosted an All-Time Draft, in which 12 noted football minds each drafted a roster out of every player who ever suited up for an NFL game. Of the 300 legends selected, 15 of them had been Lions, but just six had sported the Honolulu blue and silver during the Super Bowl era.

Surely, even for a franchise with as grisly a history as Detroit, there had to be more talent worthy of recognition than that mock found, right? Therein lay the challenge for our version of an All-Time Mock Draft.

The framework: Draft a team of 25 Lions (11 on offense, 11 on defense, a kicker, punter and “wild card”), using players who either had played at least 15 games for Detroit in the Super Bowl era or are on the current roster. The rosters had positional requirements, as you’ll see below, but each general manager was given some measure of flexibility in putting together his lineup — a flex position on offense and two on defense.

As for the players picked, GMs were instructed to think about them as if they were getting them at their peak. So, we weren’t drafting “2010 Ndamukong Suh” or “1995 Brett Perriman,” we were drafting Ndamukong Suh or Brett Perriman — whatever image comes to mind when you think of those players.

The participants for our endeavor:

Dan Orlovsky , fifth-round pick of the Lions in 2005 and QB with the franchise for seven of his 12-plus NFL seasons

, fifth-round pick of the Lions in 2005 and QB with the franchise for seven of his 12-plus NFL seasons Ty Schalter, contributor to The Athletic, co-host the “Backward Down the Field” podcast and editor of The Lions Wire

contributor to The Athletic, co-host the “Backward Down the Field” podcast and editor of The Lions Wire Scott Bischoff, contributor to The Athletic, FootballGuys and NDTScouting.com

contributor to The Athletic, FootballGuys and NDTScouting.com Mike O’Hara, longtime Lions beat writer for The Detroit News and current columnist at DetroitLions.com

longtime Lions beat writer for The Detroit News and current columnist at DetroitLions.com Josh Liskiewitz, analyst at Pro Football Focus

analyst at Pro Football Focus Chris Burke, Detroit Lions beat writer for The Athletic

The draft was a “snake” format — last pick in Round 1 had first pick in Round 2, as opposed to starting over at the top each round. The order was assigned randomly, with Team Orlovsky landing the coveted top spot.

Not surprisingly, he took a quarterback.

Round 1: The faces of the (imaginary) franchises

Team Orlovsky: Matthew Stafford, QB Team Schalter: Barry Sanders, RB Team Bischoff: Calvin Johnson, WR Team Burke: Lem Barney, CB Team O’Hara: Billy Sims, RB Team Liskiewitz: Robert Porcher, DE

Because not even historical mock drafts are free from the April rumor cycle, Dan O. said he was deciding between Sanders and Johnson, then picked Stafford. Reached for comment on his pick, he responded: “Who else?”

Well, probably one of those other two guys he mentioned, but he then would’ve missed out on Stafford. There wasn’t exactly a rush of quarterbacks taken in the early rounds once Stafford was gone. More on that later.

Pick No. 2 was a gimme for Schalter with Stafford taken, but the board opened up a little bit after that. The Sims pick at No. 5 overall proved to be a critical one, as well, because — as Lions fans are probably well aware — the Detroit backfield hasn’t exactly been overflowing with game-breakers over the past few decades. The next RB off the board, Mel Farr (Round 4, Bischoff) won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1967 but never again hit 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Liskiewitz, Orlovsky and Burke waited until Rounds 17, 20 and 21, respectively, to peg their starting backs.

The final pick of Round 1, Porcher, was a mild surprise but the game plan behind it became obvious when Liskiewitz paired him with Ndamukong Suh at No. 7 overall.

The complete draft

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The teams

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The quarterbacks

I’ll get the ball rolling here. I never had a shot at Stafford, so I wound up waiting about as long as possible before taking Erik Kramer in Round 22. He was the last QB selected, just after Jon Kitna (Round 20, Bischoff) and Scott Mitchell (Round 21, Schalter).

By the time Kitna’s name was called, I was honestly waiting on the rest of the teams to fill their quarterback positions just so I wouldn’t have to sort through as many underwhelming options. In the end, I went with Kramer over Gary Danielson, Eric Hipple and Charlie Batch. The justification was two-fold: 1) Kramer held his own when given opportunities to start in the NFL, and, more importantly, 2) He was the quarterback for Detroit’s only Super Bowl-era playoff victory.

The 15-game requirement for draft eligibility loomed large at this position.

Here’s Liskiewitz with more on his choice of Milt Plum (Round 4), the second quarterback taken:

The most critical pick for #TeamLiskiewitz was the selection of QB Milt Plum in Round 4. The Lions, of course, do not have a long and storied history of quality quarterback play in the Super Bowl era, and picking sixth (last), I knew Matt Stafford (the only true franchise quarterback in the franchise’s Super Bowl-era history) would be long gone.

The primary rule stipulated the selections simply needed to have played in 15 games with the Lions or be on the current roster. I used this to my advantage throughout the construction of my entire roster, highlighted by players like Pat Swilling, Haloti Ngata, Rashean Mathis, Pepper Johnson and Brock Marion, all players whose best days were with clubs other than the Lions. This was much tougher to execute at the quarterback position, as players like Jeff Garcia, Daunte Culpepper and Gus Frerotte did not play the required 15 games in a Lions uniform.

That left Plum. The Lions traded for Plum in 1962, but he never came close to reaching the caliber of play he displayed his final two seasons in Cleveland, when he was named to back-to-back Pro Bowls. By the time the Super Bowl era began, with the 1966 season, he was no longer a full-time starter — in fact, he had just 15 combined appearances as a Lion in 1966 and 1967, the bare minimum to qualify for my team. While his play in Detroit was a disappointment, the truth of the matter is no qualifying “Lions” quarterback over the last 52 years (outside of Stafford) has enjoyed as strong a run of success as Plum’s 1960 and 1961 seasons, thus he was the No. 2 option and an essential grab for my roster.

Josh can thank Dan for Plum being eligible at that 15-game minimum. The initial requirement of 16 games — the full length of a regular season now, obviously — was shortened to 15 games to keep Orlovsky eligible, in case he wanted to draft himself. He didn’t, but he helped Plum land a spot.

Greg Landry threw for more than 12,000 yards as the Lions’ quarterback from 1968-78. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

The post-draft ‘press conferences’

What was your general strategy for selecting your team?

Orlovsky: My general strategy was to get the greatest amount of really good players on my team. I focused on building from the inside out, with both of of my lines being really, really strong. My defensive line of Karras, Redding, Scroggins and Gay combined for more than 140 career sacks and multiple All-Pro selections; the offensive line consisted of 597 career starts for the Lions. I wanted those parts of my team to be our backbone, and then add pieces around those dominant units, with one “difference maker” per unit — Dick LeBeau playing on my back end, Stephen Boyd controlling my linebackers, Karras the cog on the defensive line.

My quarterback (Terrell Owens voice) runs my show on offense, while Dominic Raiola leads my big nasties and Marvin Jones is my skill player extraordinaire. There was a vision of “having some of the all-time best Lions” on my team, and I would argue that I have that at the defensive back, linebacker position, defensive line, offensive line and tight end positions, and don’t forget about my special teams unit lead by “The Mule,” Don Muhlbach. This is a top-to-bottom stacked team, and I’m really proud of the job my scouting department did

Schalter: I was thrilled to get the No. 2 spot, because I knew I would either land the best player ever to wear the Honolulu blue, or by far the biggest difference-maker available at the game’s most important position. When Orlovsky took the latter in Matthew Stafford, I took the former: Barry Sanders.

I wanted to maximize Barry, so I put together what I think is the best offensive line in this mock. I’ve got two good pass-protecting tackles, a couple of great run-blocking guards and arguably the best center and fullback available. With Roy Williams, Bill Schroeder and David Sloan, I have big, reliable targets who can get downfield; Nate Burleson will get open in the space they create. If nothing else, Scott Mitchell should be able to do plenty of damage off play-action.

Defensively, I wanted to control the line of scrimmage, and Luther Eliss and Shaun Rogers will certainly be able to do that. Rogers and inside-outside guy Kelvin Pritchett can penetrate, and James Hall is underrated off the edge. My linebackers have scheme flexibility, too. I love my corner pair, with Darius Slay as an elite cover guy and a more-physical complement in Bryant Westbrook. Safeties Dick Jauron and Ron Rice were incredible values in the 10th and 22nd rounds, respectively.

Bischoff: I went into this with the intention of not embarrassing myself, and in Round 6, I picked a player that had already been selected. So, I am not quite sure I accomplished the goal I set, but we moved on. I knew that the bottom part of the draft would be tough, but I did not expect it to be as difficult as it was regarding finding players at certain positions. For example, the center position for the Lions has been filled by two players that played a very long time, and missing on one of Kevin Glover or Dominic Raiola meant reaching into the “free-agent pool” — guys the Lions added at various points during their careers — which was tough to do. I wanted to field a group that would be viewed as competitive amongst the other teams, and it is clear that there are teams that are loaded at certain spots but fairly thin at others.

I feel like I am heads-and-shoulders above the other teams in the kicking game, so I’ve got that going for me.

Burke: Once Stafford, Landry, Sims and Sanders were off the board, I figured I could wait on quarterback and running back and load up elsewhere. Beyond that, though, I just wanted a team that made football sense. My defense is built to be a nickel base, with Ray Crockett as the hybrid DB/linebacker; my offense can go 21 personnel, with Dexter Bussey and James Jones in the backfield, or it can spread the field with Jeff Chadwick stepping in as the deep threat and pushing Anquan Boldin to the slot. Matt Patricia would appreciate our ability to be multiple.

O’Hara: I looked for players with skill and impact, regardless of era. As a result nine of my 11 players on offense made Pro Bowls, and my skilled position players — WRs, TEs, RB Billy Sims — all were impact players for their day. I suggest they would have starred in any era.

Liskiewitz: Outside of my strategy to take players who had elite seasons outside of their Detroit years, I felt that being able to stack back-to-back picks gave me the opportunity to stack position groups, in particular the defensive line. With my first two picks I selected defensive end Robert Porcher and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, arguably the two best Lions defenders over the last 25 years of the franchise. Yes, passing on Dick LeBeau and Alex Karras could be viewed as a mistake, but I love the way I was able to round out the defensive front with Ngata and Swilling, two players who were nothing short of elite with their clubs prior to coming to Detroit.

I also felt I’d be able to fill my offensive line with underrated mid-late-round selections, allowing me to beef up the defense. This approach also worked well, as I put together probably the strong secondary unit of the draft (save maybe Chris’ group), while still amassing a formidable offensive line. With such a dominant defense, a host of underrated pieces on offense and a dominating special teams group, #TeamLiskiewitz hereby declares total victory in the Lions all-time mock.

Who was your favorite pick?

Liskiewitz: QB Milt Plum. With quarterback options so limited and Stafford off the board immediately, I unearthed the clear second-best option at the most important position and learned a bit of Lions and NFL history in the process.

O’Hara: WR Gene Washington. I was listening to the radio on the way in one morning and heard a documentary on Michigan State football and an interview with Gene Washington, a receiver for the Spartans of 1966. It reminded me of the great Gene Washington, a Lion for his last two seasons (1978-79) and how he caught his last TD pass as a Lion. Time has forgotten how good he was. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Burke: I just mentioned him, but I think it’s Crockett. He was an underrated player across a 14-season NFL career, and he was sort of ahead of his time as a defensive back who could float around the field to eliminate an offense’s matchup advantages.

Bischoff: Reggie Bush in Round 12 with pick No. 70 overall is a fantastic value, in relation to what Bush was in his career before he got to Detroit. In 2013, Bush ran for 1,006 yards at 4.5 yards per carry while scoring four touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 54 passes for 506 yards, and he scored three touchdowns in the passing game. He amassed 1,512 total yards and seven touchdowns in 2013, and when viewed from the totality of his career, he is one of the better running backs to ever play for the Lions.

Schalter: Julian Peterson is my favorite pick and the key to my defense. The 2003 All-Pro did literally everything well. I could line him up as a 3-4 ‘backer or play him off-ball in a 4-3, and he’d be fine. Like, what if DeAndre Levy were slightly bigger, could rush the passer and played at peak form for nearly a decade? That was JP.

Don Muhlbach, who is headed into his 15th season as a Lion, was a pick in Round 21 by Team Orlovsky. (Steve Nesius/AP Photo)

Orlovsky: No, my favorite pick wasn’t Matthew Stafford. He was my easiest pick, whether you based it upon performance or friendship.

My favorite pick, far and away, was Don Muhlbach. Before you throw up your arms in disgust, hear me out. I will take my emotional tie or friendship bias out of this and give you straight facts. Muhlbach was cut from his high school baseball team four years in a row. He didn’t get on the football field until his senior year of high school. He walked on at Texas A&M and didn’t get to play until his senior season. He somehow got a camp invite to the Baltimore Ravens, only to be cut at the end of his first summer. He was working as a bank teller, preparing for a life in the financial world when the Lions called and asked him to come up for a tryout. Don paid for his own flight up, did the workout, and the Lions kept him. In his first game ever, he made the long-snapper fatal mistake of a poor snap that resulted in a missed kick.

Again, somehow, the Lions kept him. That perceived fatal snap happened 15 YEARS AGO. Nothing about Mule’s story says 15 years NFL veteran. Nothing. Yet, as we sit here today, he has played in 212 games for the Lions, sitting third in franchise history behind only Jason Hanson and Dominic Raiola, and he will likely pass Raiola by season’s end. Muhlbach is the living and breathing “American Dream” of old. Perseverance, belief, integrity, opportunistic, diligence, commitment and so much more are on full display over his incredible career. We have to step back and give credit where it is due, and admire the accomplishment for what it is: truly remarkable.

I love telling Mule’s story because it’s one that every single person, and every single Lions fan can somehow see themselves in. For that reason, and all the ones above, that’s why he was my favorite pick. I would take him on my team any day, ever.

Which player do you wish you’d taken?

Orlovsky: The player I wish I’d been able to pick would be Barry Sanders. I love and adore Calvin Johnson — he’s a first-ballot HOF seven days a week. I was fortunate enough to throw to him a bunch and also watch my QB, Matthew Stafford, and him connect for many years. But I would love to pair my QB with one of the greatest running backs of all time. From the clips I do see, and the stories people tell about Barry, he made runs, consistently, in which he turned nothing into something. I would love the fear defenses would have with both Matthew and Barry in the backfield, not knowing what we would do or how to stop it even if they did. It would be one of the most dynamic offenses ever, and having a guy on your team that does stuff that you can’t explain would be, as a sports fan, something to marvel at.

Schalter: I really wanted one edge rusher with freaky outside ability. Plan A, Ziggy Ansah, and Plan B, Cliff Avril, were both sniped by Bischoff in Round 6 and Round 8, respectively.

Bischoff: Anquan Boldin in Round 11 is a ridiculous value, and he is a player that I would have loved to have on my team. Pairing him (in his prime) with wide receiver Calvin Johnson and Johnnie Morton would have made for a lethal group of receivers.

Burke: I had designs on drafting Mel Gray in Round 10, only for Mike to take him one pick ahead of me. And then Josh sniped Desmond Howard in Round 18. I thought about using my wild-card spot on Jamal Agnew, but we’ll roll with Lem Barney as our return guy. One more mention: LeGarrette Blount. He was eligible for the draft by being part of the current roster, and I could’ve made an argument for him as my starting running back.

O’Hara: Wanted to take Bubba Baker — the best pass rusher I’ve seen with my own two eyes. He would have been my third pick. Two others, Joe Schmidt and Night Train Lane, missed the cutoff of 1966 by one season. Two iconic players in all of football — and all of Detroit sports history — would have been top-12 picks for sure.

Liskiewitz: Dick LeBeau. I’ve always had an affinity for LeBeau since quietly standing next to him during a Senior Bowl practice several years ago, listening to him casually discuss civil war generals with another old-time NFLer.

The reactions

OK, your turn. As always, the comments section is open, so let us know what we got right or wrong.

Who has the best squad? Who made a colossal mistake somewhere along the line? There were 21 still-active players taken (including Don Muhlbach!), but did we miss someone deserving on the current roster?

Let us know. Time for those draft grades.

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)