Certainly not everyone agrees with ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, but he was dead-on with the Lions and Ziggy Ansah. In his final mock draft Kiper had the Lions selecting the BYU defensive end with the fifth overall pick. Of course that’s just what happened.

Ansah, who started just one season at BYU, will start at defensive end for the Lions.

  “I think fair expectations would be for him to be a force off the edge. ... Just make progress, come in, start early on this year and hold your own and then develop as the season goes along. I don’t expect him to take the NFL by storm — but I think he should show development, show progress for someone with such a limited football background,’’ Kiper said in a conference call on Monday.

  Kiper was generally favorable about the Lions’ nine drafted players.

  He likes cornerback Darius Slay and expects Larry Warford to start at guard. He graded the Lions out at a B.

“Is this going to propel them back into the playoffs? It depends how quickly Ziggy Ansah evolves into an elite pass rusher,’’ Kiper said. “That’s the bottom line, a lot is going to be expected for his limited experience. I think they did the best they could do for what they had.’’

 In case you can’t wait, Mel Kiper’s Big Board for the 2014 draft will be ready next week.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)