Mikel Leshoure is the Lion to watch

Time to stow the stopwatches and memorize the measurements. The NFL combine is wrapping up, which means the NFL draft talk is ramping up, which means it’s almost time to give the Lions free advice.
Everyone knows they need a cornerback (or two) and a safety.
Everyone knows they need an offensive linemen (or two) and a linebacker.
Everyone knows, ideally, they need to re-sign Cliff Avril and Stephen Tulloch and restructure Calvin Johnson’s contract.
What we don’t know — and what will help determine their draft direction — is this: Who’s their running back?
Of all the offseason questions for the Lions, the health of Mikel Leshoure, last year’s second-round pick out of Illinois, might be the most pressing. If he can fully recover from Achilles surgery and be a pounding, everyday back, the Lions don’t have to spend yet another valuable pick on a runner. And here’s my prediction: Leshoure will be ready to do it.
Jahvid Best remains a wildcard, but because of his concussion history, no way can the Lions expect him to be a consistent contributor. It’d be great if he was, but he still hasn’t been cleared for contact.
Leshoure is the one that can make an immediate impact and balance the Lions’ explosive offense, and his recovery is going well, according to GM Martin Mayhew. The Lions drafted Best in the first round two years ago, and with an offense built around the pass-catch combo of Matthew Stafford and Johnson, another running back investment is a luxury the Lions can’t afford.
They ended last season with Kevin Smith as their starter, a fine reclamation story. He deserves another shot. But Leshoure is a 230-pound downhill roller, and before the Lions even think about looking elsewhere, they need to know what he can do.
I think they have a pretty good idea. They liked him a lot in his brief training camp before the injury. Leshoure will be the guy, and the Lions will use their draft picks on other needs, as they should.