NEW YORK -- Lions president Tom Lewand has talked about doing the right thing, not the popular thing. General manager Martin Mayhew has talked about getting an A for the draft in three years, not the next day. Both have talked about sticking to the plan.

Say this for the Lions' new leaders: They certainly stuck to the plan Saturday in the NFL draft. They didn't do the popular thing. Few fans and media members are going to give them an A today.

But what if they did the right thing? What if they deserve an A in three years?

Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford's contract is crazy. No one deserves $41.7 million guaranteed before he has played a down in the NFL, not even a No. 1 pick. But that's an issue that needs to be solved in collective bargaining, not at the negotiating table between the Lions and Stafford's agent.

Now, at least in their minds, they have a franchise quarterback and know they can develop him the right away. He doesn't have to play until he's ready because Daunte Culpepper is on a one-year deal.

The No. 20 pick surprised me. Like many others, I had Southern Cal linebacker Rey Maualuga going to the Lions -- if available. Well, he was available, and the Lions went with Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Then the Lions didn't take Maualuga at No. 33, opting for Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas instead.

But considering Maualuga slipped to Cincinnati at No. 38, maybe it was the right call. Other teams passed on him, too. There must be a reason.

The Lions said they couldn't afford to pass up talent for need, and you can say they stuck to that by taking Pettigrew. But while the Lions needed a middle linebacker, they also needed a tight end. The position is important in offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's system. Pettigrew is the total package, and if you're going to invest that much in a quarterback, you better support him.

The Lions still need to bolster the defense. They still need help on the offensive line. They still need a lot of things. But no matter whom they took Saturday, they weren't going to fix all their problems. This was just a start. Time will tell if it was a good one.

Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA: 313-222-8831 or ncotsonika@freepress.com.