Back in 2007, a loaded class of college players entered the NFL and instantly made their mark. Calvin Johnson went second to the Lions, Joe Thomas went third to the Browns and Adrian Peterson went seventh to the Vikings.
They'll likely all be Hall-of-Famers, and their careers have all just about winded down. Thomas put a bow on his 11-year stint with a retirement press conference Monday. He had many parting words, including some about the best teammates he's ever had. That's a group that includes the new Lions assistant offensive line coach, Hank Fraley.
Thomas, a six-time All-Pro who played more than 10,000 consecutive snaps prior to injury, rattled off a list of fellow linemen who made an impact on him.