Getty Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell walk on the field during Lions training camp in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have struggled to build their roster for years, and a big reason why has been their performance in the NFL draft.
Detroit’s had spotty at best production from their draft classes in the past, and rarely are cited as a team that impressed or makes good moves. When it comes to the 2022 class, that could be about to change in a very big way.
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Pro Football Focus graded every draft class in the league, and the Lions were able to net one of the few perfect scores handed out by the site. The team landed an A+ grade for their work in 2022, just one of three drafts to earn this score.
The teams with the best 2022 NFL Drafts 📈
In terms of why, the site specifically pointed out in its writeup that names like Josh Paschal, Kerby Joseph and James Mitchell stand out as elite prospects the team was able to find outside the first round. Additionally, Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams represented elite players at both of their positions early on.
This score is quite a feather in the cap for Brad Holmes his team in just their second draft together.
Other Analysts Love Lions’ Performance With 2022 Draft
So far, the experts seem to love what the Lions were able to pull off over the three days. When folks mention the top drafts in the league, Detroit’s name keeps coming up routinely as one of the best for this year.
First, FanSided’s Matt Lombardo put out a tweet, and as he aptly put it, he thought that the Lions managed to lap the competition along with a select few other teams during the 2022 draft. His list included Detroit amongst some of the best of the best in league circles.
It wasn’t just Lombardo who liked the team’s draft, though. Pro Football Focus analyst Austin Gayle singled out the Detroit draft as one of his top ones of the weekend.
My favorite 2022 NFL Draft classes:
💥 Atlanta Falcons
💥 Kansas City Chiefs
💥 Baltimore Ravens
💥 Detroit Lions
💥 New York Jets
💥 Philadelphia Eagles
Add it up and a few of the bigger names in the analyst industry believe Detroit’s class has been very impressive to this point. As a result, they may have enjoyed one of the best drafts in the league for this year.
Rating Lions’ Best Picks From 2022 Draft
In terms of the moves that were best for the Lions, it can be difficult to nail down some of the best ones this year. Obviously, the team’s performance in the first-round of the draft has been cited as impressive already. Adding Kentucky pass rusher Josh Paschal in the second-round as well as adding Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez in the fifth-round seem like particular steals for the Lions. It’s also easy to like the potential of Virginia Tech tight end James Mitchell in round five as well.
Grading the entire draft and those on the outside seem to absolutely love what the Lions were able to do. Pro Football Focus stands out as one such publication giving the Detroit some major grade love for their work.
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Pro Football Focus Gives Lions Draft Rare Perfect Grade for 2022