As the 2022 NFL draft rapidly approaches, the Detroit Lions remain wide open, and many believe the draft could begin with them when they select with the second-overall pick.
What should Detroit do when that pick comes up? The Lions have been mentioned with a ton of different prospects, and after a bit of a shift for a few months, sentiment could be coming back around to Kayvon Thibodeaux, an edge rusher from Oregon. Thibodeaux has taken some hits in the draft process in terms of the narrative around his game, but that has not changed many minds at Pro Football Focus as it relates to what the Lions should do.
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After plenty of love for Thibodeaux in the draft process already, PFF remains fully in the wideout’s camp as it relates to him getting to Detroit. Analyst Connor Rogers thinks the Lions don’t need to overthink things, and simply should look into drafting Thibodeaux if another elite player is off the board.
Should the Lions draft Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 2 overall?
“If Aidan Hutchinson is gone, you take Kayvon Thibodeaux at two,” Rogers said on NFL Stock Exchange as shown in the tweet.
Many assume that Hutchinson will go with the first pick, leaving the Lions open for plenty of things. While some say a quarterback is a must, others have speculated the team will look at different defensive linemen. As a result, Thibodeaux has fallen off a bit in terms of his viability for some in Detroit.
That should not be the case at all as PFF is considered, and the drum beat continues for him and the Lions.
Lions Watched Thibodeaux Closely During Pro Day
If the Lions don’t have any interest in Thibodeaux, they are doing a pretty bad job of showing it lately. Thibodeaux was once thought of as a top draft prospect and a potential first-overall pick in 2022. Then, as the draft process began, Thibodeaux has moved back in the minds of some thanks to some nit-picking in the process. Even though that is the case he is still supremely talented, and that is something the Lions seem to know.
During Thibodeaux’s recent pro day on April 1, the Lions were one of the teams to send the biggest delegations. They had seven members in attendance to watch, which caught the attention of folks who cover the team closely.
Perhaps more interesting than that was the fact that once he was meeting with the Lions, general manager Brad Holmes seemed to be all-smiled.
Thibodeaux also continued to have a long chat with Lions representatives and was seen meeting with them after the session.
Kayvon has been talking with the Lions for quite a while now at Pro Day
Add it all up and it sure seems as if the Lions are still interested in Thibodeaux, and could make drafting him a priority when all is said and done. It’s clear he is going to be on the list for the team at the very least when all is said and done this April.
Thibodeaux’s Stats & Highlights
Thibodeaux is an interesting prospect considering his penchant for getting to the quarterback and making big plays up front. Coming into this season, Thibodeaux had collected 90 career tackles, 14 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss thus far in his college career. In 2021, he followed that up with a decent year given 49 tackles, 7 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Here’s some of his top work on the field:
It’s obvious that Thibodeaux has the physical tools to be great, and as a result, many believe he could be in play for the Lions and should be the pick for the team when everything gets settled.
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Analyst Makes Strong Request for Lions and Kayvon Thibodeaux