The Lions picked up the additional draft choice in the trade to the Dallas Cowboys for receiver Roy Williams, which also brought an extra third-round pick.

The Lions have a huge need at linebacker, where they need to fill two starting positions, and they might have a shot at three players: Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing, both from USC, and James Laurinaitis from Ohio State.

Schwartz wants to stop the run

Cushing is more suited for the strong side spot, while Maualuga and Laurinaitis are better equipped for the middle. The Lions have not had a Pro Bowl middle linebacker since Stephen Boyd left the team in 2000. Plus, stopping the run is one new Lions head coach Jim Schwartz's main goals.

Laurinaitis said he thinks he could play any of the three linebacker spots in a 4-3 defense, but he prefers the action-packed middle.

"I like being in charge, I like being the leader of the defense and I like making the calls," Laurinaitis said Saturday at the NFL scouting combine. "Being in the middle, I like the chance of being in on every play, of making every tackle.

"In the middle, you're more accountable. I love being that guy who gets to make the checks and is relied on more by the coaches. I like being a second coach on the field. I'd rather be the one making the calls, and if it screws up at all, it's my fault -- instead of depending on somebody else."

Falling out of top 10

Laurinaitis was considered a top-10 NFL prospect as a junior last season, but he opted to return to the Buckeyes his senior year. Now, Laurinaitis could drop to the 15-to-20 range, probably behind Cushing, Maualuga and top-five prospect Aaron Curry from Wake Forest.

"I knew that coming back, there might be more competition, but I'm not one to shy away from competition," Laurinaitis said.

"I never thought 'I've got to come out early because some guys are coming out next year.' I take it as a challenge."

Laurinaitis happy to stay at OSU

There were a couple of other factors in his decision to return to Ohio State for his final season.

"I have no regrets about coming back. It was my decision and when you lose two national championships, when you're a competitor and you're that you close, you're like, 'You know what? Let's go out and do it again.' Not only that, but I think I owed it to Ohio State.

"I think when a team offers you a scholarship and a free chance to go to school and get an education and play Football at a place like that, I felt I owed them that fourth year. I was going to stick to that commitment."

Spielman's lessons

Detroit's last Pro Bowl middle linebacker, Boyd, learned from Chris Spielman.

The Lions can only hope that if they draft Laurinaitis, he also learned something from Spielman.

"I know him really well. He's a legend at Ohio State," Laurinaitis said. "He's come in and watched film with the linebackers, he did that my sophomore and junior years, and critiqued a few games and gave us some tips.

"Anytime you can get insight from a guy like him, it's extremely beneficial."