Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Heading into conference championship game Sunday, here’s a fresh three-round 2022 mock draft for the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions will have two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, even as that second one falls with each Los Angeles Rams’ playoff win. They will have three of the first 34 picks, and five of the top 100 as compensatory picks move closer to being made official.
The Lions really can’t go wrong with any direction they take in this year’s draft, though mind will clearly be paid to positional value and needs that surely trump others.
Using Tankathon’s draft order and Pro Football Focus’ draft simulator, here’s a new three-round 2022 mock draft for the Detroit Lions as conference championship game Sunday approaches.
Detroit Lions 3-Round 2022 mock draft: Conference championship week
First Round
2
Kayvon Thibodeaux
DE Oregon
Thibodeaux is not the mortal lock to go No. 1 overall he was for a big chunk of the college season, as Aidan Hutchinson put himself in the conversation. But the former Duck was plenty productive, with a 17.8 percent pressure rate (second-best in the country), 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
In this mock the Jaguars took Hutchinson No.1, leaving Thibodeaux as the easy “consolation prize” for the Lions to add some much-needed juice to their pass rush.
31
Jaquan Brisker
S Penn State
With the top wide receivers gone and the idea of waiting a few picks for a quarterback if there’s one there that’s worthy, Brisker stood as the pick to address the Lions’ need at safety early. Brisker can’t be pigeonholed as an in-the-box safety, as PFF’s Trevor Sikkema cited in his recent mock tanning him to the Lions at this pick.
Their secondary needs work, but cornerback isn’t the worst part of it. There’s reason to hold out hope with Jeff Okudah, and Amani Oruwariye showed improvement. Brisker could be a Day 1 player for them. He has experience in both single-high and robber roles, but his best work seems to come as a downhill defender.
Taking a safety here stretches the general notion of positional value, but the board falling the way it did here made it easier than you’d think.