Detroit Lions: 30 Best Draft Picks in Team History
By Eli Kaplan
7. Charlie Sanders (tight end/wide receiver) – The Detroit Lions have a pretty rich history of standout offensive players. However, tight end is not a one of those positions with a particularly impressive resume or depth. But there is one tight end who stands far above all others within the Lions organization. Charlie Sanders.
The Lions selected Sanders in the third round (74th overall) of the 1968 NFL draft, and he would go on to play his entire ten year career in Detroit, from 1968-1977.
Sanders played at a time when tight ends were not often utilized in the passing game, and yet his impressive skill-set, helped changed how head coaches and offensive coordinators (as well as opposing defenses) looked at the role of tight end.
By the time he retired, Sanders had compiled 336 career receptions, 4,817 receiving yards, and 31 career receiving touchdowns (ranking him 7th all-time in Lions history) . He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
The Lions have been searching for their next Charlie Sanders ever since he retired. The fact that they have yet to find him anyone like him, shows just what a special talent Mr. Sanders was.
Next: Number 6