Stafford has been atop many mock drafts, but he didn't throw at the NFL scouting combine while Smith and Curry performed impressively. Now media opinions are mixed.

There is no doubt the Lions are seriously considering Stafford. He ate salmon and asparagus at Shula's Steak House in Indianapolis with president Tom Lewand, general manager Martin Mayhew, senior personnel executive Shack Harris, coach Jim Schwartz and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.

"I had a great time," Stafford said. "I really felt like I clicked well with some of the people there."

Entering the combine, Andre Smith was a popular choice at left tackle. But leaving the combine, it was Jason Smith.

Andre Smith was suspended for his final college game for breaking team rules, showed up for the combine out of shape and took off without telling anyone first.

That could be a problem for the Lions. Asked beforehand about players who choose not to work out, Schwartz said: "It probably depends on the reason whether it's a red flag or not. If you're not working out because you're not in shape, it's definitely a red flag."

Jason Smith left no doubt he was in shape. He benched 225 pounds 33 times - 10 times more than another top tackle, Virginia's Eugene Monroe.

"I have not talked to the Lions," Jason Smith said. "But I do believe it's realistic that they will take a tackle, and I do believe it's realistic I could be the No. 1 overall pick."

Curry dined with the Lions brass Sunday, then had a great workout Monday. He finished first among linebackers in four of the six drills - 40-yard dash (4.56 seconds), vertical jump (37 inches), broad jump (10-feet-4) and 60-yard shuttle (11.35 seconds).

"Just to know that they're considering taking a linebacker No. 1 overall ... just that whole thought process is amazing," Curry told NFL.com. "I came out here today with that in the back of my head.

"It did motivate me to know that if I put on a good enough show, maybe they may feel like they could build a team around a linebacker. Add me with Ernie Sims, and maybe we could make some big plays."

There is no question Curry would add a lot to the Lions' defense, which ranked last the past two seasons, and some draft analysts are calling him the safest pick the draft. He's big, strong and athletic. He seems mature and engaging.

The question is whether a strong-side linebacker has enough value to be the No. 1 overall pick. Curry said he can play all three positions, and he is supposed to be versatile. But he said he has had only five or six practices in the middle. Would the Lions feel safe using the top pick on a player while projecting how he will play a new position?

Schwartz spent the past eight years as Tennessee's defensive coordinator. He has a reputation for intelligence, and he likes his defenses to be multidimensional.

Could that make Curry the first linebacker taken first overall since 1988? Or will they go with Stafford? Or Jason Smith? Or someone else? The Lions have a lot to talk about over the next two months.