All that's missing this time around is another Heisman Trophy.
In the 1970 draft, the Lions made Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens of OU the No. 19 overall pick.
In the 1980 draft, the Lions made Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims of OU the No. 1 overall pick.
In the 1989 draft, the Lions made Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders of OSU the No. 3 overall pick.
In this year's draft, will the Lions make Heisman Trophy runner-up Adrian Peterson of OU the No. 2 overall pick?
What gives? Why the connection between the Lions and Heisman Trophy running backs from Oklahoma?
"Something like that is never planned,” former OU coach Barry Switzer said. "It's just the way it works out sometimes. It's coincidence. You can call it fate if you want. It was just what the team's needs were at the time. So that's what they did. I guarantee you when those teams posted names up on their (draft) board they had no idea what exactly would happen.”
The Lions need a quarterback more than a running back. Then again, the Lions need a lot, so they might as well go with the best overall player available.
The three previous Detroit draftees spent their entire careers with the Lions.
Unfortunately, the playing days of Owens and Sims were both cut short by severe knee injuries.
Sanders left the Lions healthy, but unexpectedly early, as the league's No. 2 all-time rusher at the time (15,269 yards) behind Walter Payton.
