We are just 11 days away from our Detroit Lions hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL regular season and many believe it won’t be too much longer before the boys from Motor City are contending for a playoff spot and more.
That being said, as we speak, the Lions are returning a lot of players from a defense that was awful in 2021 and unless they take a big step forward (I believe they will) in 2022, there will be some long days.
Detroit Lions hammer defense in 2023 NFL Mock Draft
It is obviously way too early to really get a handle on the 2023 NFL Draft but it is never too early to start thinking about which areas the Detroit Lions will focus on drafting.
On Wednesday, Nick Baumgardner and Nate Tice teamed up and released their latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft and they have the Lions hammering the defensive side of the ball.
As you can see, Baumgardner and Tice have the Lions selecting LB Trenton Simpson out of Clemson at No. 8 and then EDGE Tyree Wilson out of Texas Tech with the No. 27 pick (Via Rams)
From The Athletic:
8. Detroit Lions: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Under Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes, the Lions have left little to the imagination about how they want to build their roster. And Simpson would just be another part of that emerging image. He is a top-tier athlete in space while also being versatile in coverage as an off-ball linebacker and as a blitzer. He’d be a perfect piece to add to a Lions defense that needs players for its front seven.
Quarterback, of course, will be looked at here — Jared Goff’s contract becomes very movable after this season. With Stroud, Young and Levis already off the board, though, the Lions might decide that this pick isn’t the time to pull the trigger. — Tice
27. Detroit Lions (via Rams): Tyree Wilson, edge, Texas Tech
No quarterback for the Lions at 27, either. If Lions fans are looking for names that could emerge for the 2023 draft, they should keep tabs on Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke or Stanford’s Tanner McKee. But Wilson is another strong, long-framed defensive player for the Lions to add to their front seven. He can stack and shed against offensive tackles to find ball carriers while also having enough athleticism and natural tools to offer upside as a pass rusher. — Tice
Nation, would you be satisfied if the Detroit Lions selected Trenton Simpson and Tyree Wilson in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft?