Getty Malik Willis throws a pass for Auburn in 2017.
The Detroit Lions are getting ready to attack a new season, but even with that excitement and anticipation, some folks will naturally prematurely turn their attention to the 2022 NFL draft.
With the Lions expected to have a miserable season, many believe the team is heading for a top draft pick. If that’s the case, a major talent could be available to them near the top of the draft. As the season gets ready to kick off, that’s just what some experts are expecting to happen.
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In a brand new mock draft just ahead of the season, Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News had the Lions picking second overall, and selecting Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. As for the reason why, Iyer admits Willis has a strong arm and the type of tools that will open the eyes of scouts.
From there, Iyer had the Lions picking in the 25th spot, selecting Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a player that Iyer thinks could help solve the Detroit pass rush problem thanks to his polish and his ability to transition to a 3-4 scheme.
In terms of the Lions, there is no doubting quarterback could be high on the radar of needs for the team even though Jared Goff is taking over for the team in 2021. The Lions don’t have anyone behind Goff with as high of a ceiling as Willis, and he could be the quarterback of the future that the team could develop. Other needs such as edge rush, cornerback and wide receiver certainly will exist for the team, but pinpointing who could be the best targets right now can be more than a bit tricky.
Beyond that, Lions fans will have to watch to see where the needs sit, but for now, it’s hard to be that critical of this potential draft approach for the team.
Willis and Hutchinson’s Stats and Highlights
The addition of both these players could be a creative way for the Lions to solve some of their biggest needs on the field in 2022. Willis will likely be one of the most intriguing prospects to play during the 2021 college football season, and he already has some intriguing numbers to boast. Ahead of his senior year, Willis has put up 2,319 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. He also has 1,253 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground to his credit. Here’s some highlights:
In terms of Hutchinson, several Lions fans will also likely know what he is capable of given his career at Michigan, and the defensive end has put up some solid numbers in school already. Hutchinson has collected 94 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Here’s some of his work:
Obviously, landing both players would have to be considered a major positive for the Lions’ rebuild moving forward.
Lions Called Favorites for Top Draft Pick
It might not be crazy to think the Lions are primed for a top pick this year. With news back in Match of the Lions letting a few of their bigger stars in Kenny Golladay and Romeo Okwara walk to free agency as well as trading quarterback Matthew Stafford, folks were beginning to feel as if the team has been downright punting on future seasons in order to set up a potential tank for a top pick.
In fact, one analyst went so far as to make a very bold proclamation about the Lions. As Kevin Patra said on Twitter, he believes the team should be considered frontrunners for the first overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
If this is the case, it should be music to ears of fans in Detroit. The Lions have a lot of needs, and have plenty of picks coming down the pipe after a mega-deal with the Los Angeles Rams. Detroit could be set up to own the next few drafts, and if they had the top pick in 2022, it could only work to accelerate the rebuild in a major way. It will be fascinating to see if the Lions are worse than the likes of the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
It might be a sobering thought to consider the team one of the worst in the league, but if the consolation prize is someone like Willis and Hutchinson, that could do a lot to ease the pain.
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