As it stands, the Detroit Lions have the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and it sure seems like they will select EDGE Aidan Hutchinson out of Michigan if he is still available.
ESPN NFL Draft guru Todd McShay has released his latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft and he has the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting Hutchinson with the No. 1 overall pick.
With the No. 2 overall pick, McShay has the Lions selecting S Kyle Hamilton out of Notre Dame, which, in my opinion, would be a disappointment.
Then, with the No. 32 overall pick, McShay has the Lions crapping the bed again by taking LB Boye Mafe out of Minnesota.
Here is what McShay has to say about Hamilton and Boye
2. Detroit Lions
Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
No, the 4.59-second 40-yard dash doesn’t bother me. Hamilton plays fast on tape, and you don’t come across 6-foot-4, 220-pound safeties with his range, explosion (38-inch vertical jump) and ball skills (three interceptions and four passes defensed in seven 2021 games) very often. The Lions’ pass defense struggled mightily in 2021, giving up 5.9 yards per play (29th) and 26.9 points per game (28th). Opposing quarterbacks teed off on them with the third-best opponent QBR (53.4). Hamilton closes like a heat-seeking missile, and his playmaking would be welcomed in Detroit.
Defensive ends Travon Walker (Georgia) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) got some consideration here, and it’s also worth mentioning that the Lions’ coaching staff worked with Liberty quarterback Malik Willis at the Senior Bowl. While I don’t see them considering a quarterback this early, it’s possible they try to trade back, pick up extra picks and draft him later in the first round — or even try to trade up from No. 32, their other Day 1 selection.
32. Detroit Lions (via LAR)
Boye Mafe, OLB, Minnesota
And as mentioned earlier, the Lions could certainly either trade up for a quarterback or even draft one here. UNC’s Sam Howell and Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder are both still out there.
Nation, what do you think of these picks?