Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Lions will be looking to add impact talent in the 2022 NFL Draft, and here’s a full seven-round mock based on current draft order and picks they have.
With an 1-10-1 record, the Detroit Lions would have the No. 1 overall pick if the next NFL draft took place today. As for their grip on the first overall pick in April, it may be loosening quickly.
In any case the Lions are in good position to add talent in the 2022 draft, starting with two first-round picks. The second first-rounder of course came courtesy of the Matthew Stafford trade last offseason, and it’ll probably be somewhere in the 20s overall with the Rams on track to be a playoff team.
Outside of running back, tight end and offensive tackle, the Lions can use reinforcements at every position. So, with value obviously in mind, it will be hard for them to go wrong in the 2022 draft.
Based on Tankathon’s full draft order after Week 13, here’s a full seven-round 2022 mock draft for the Lions.
Note: This mock is based on a mock run I actually did on NFL Mock Draft Database.
Detroit Lions: 7-Round 2022 Mock Draft
First Round
1
Aidan Hutchinson
DE Michigan
Hutchinson is gaining lots of buzz as a candidate to go No. 1 overall in April, over long-anointed 2022 first overall pick Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Hutchinson set the Michigan single-season record for sacks (13) with a three-sack outing against Ohio State to cap the regular season. Then the Heisman Trophy finalist and Lombardi Trophy winner had a sack in another strong performance against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game.
24
Carson Strong
QB Nevada
Strong has had a very nice season at Nevada, with 4,186 passing yards (sixth in FBS), 36 touchdowns (sixth in FBS) and eight interceptions. It’s possible he’s gone by the time the Lions go on the clock the second time on Day 1, but he seemed to suffer a knee injury later this season and overall concerns about a history of knee issues/surgeries may drop him a bit. It’s all but a lock he won’t play in the Quick Lane Bowl against Western Michigan two days after Christmas.
Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reported in November that Strong had decided on an agent, while adding praise for the soon-to-be Wolfpack signal caller.
Hands down the strongest arm of any quarterback in this class. Strongest arm of any quarterback I’ve seen in a long time.
Strong could certainly push Jared Goff for the starting job right away as a rookie. But even without that, he’d set up as the Lions’ quarterback in 2023 (and ideally well beyond).