The Detroit Lions signed first-round draft pick Ernie Sims to a five-year deal on Sunday. Sims, who was taken with the ninth-overall pick of the draft, was the first player to be taken in the first round by Detroit that was not a wide receiver in quite awhile. Sims, who played for Florida State in college, missed the first two days of camp. He recorded 200 tackles with seven sacks during his college career.

Sims could have stayed in college for another year, but he has decided to leave a year early to enter the NFL draft. He has followed the same roots as his father, who also played for Florida State back in the late '70s. This past season, he had 72 tackles with 2.5 sacks and 2 interceptions.

Sims has been a starter for the Gators the past two years. He has played in every single game possible during his college career, showing that he has not been prone to injury in his career. Sims has good speed for his position along with quickness to catch up with offensive players. His instincts are fairly sharp and its difficult to take him out of a game. He also has strength to go along with his speed, which allows him take the ball carrier down most of the time. His size isn't the most ideal for a linebacker though, which is his only downfall. He will sometimes overpursue the ball carrier, allowing them to pick up a few extra yards. He also had some character issues regarding his girlfriend last year, but most teams overlooked that and are focusing on his talent.