Getty Aidan Hutchinson on the field before Ohio State vs. Michigan in 2021.
The Detroit Lions are struggling through the second half of the 2021 NFL season, and with every frustrating loss, fans turn their thoughts increasingly to the 2022 NFL draft.
Early on, some of the early mock drafts have shown the Lions as a team perhaps interested in adding a defender as well as a quarterback. There are multiple needs on the roster, though, so the team can go in plenty of different directions as it relates to beefing things up for the future.
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Mock drafts are beginning to come into more focus, and early on, the Lions have seen plenty of action given they are expected to have a top pick. Multiple players have been seen as viable options for the team, and the latest mock from Dane Brugler of The Athletic has a new local surprise.
Brugler sends Michigan star defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson to the Lions with the top pick in the draft. In his writeup, he explains that Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux also makes sense, but Hutchinson seems to check every box for the Lions, including toughness. As a result he could be the choice at the top of the draft. It’s the first mock that has pushed Hutchinson up this far on the board.
Additionally, further down the board with the Los Angeles pick, Brugler had the Lions selecting Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks, a player he said has an ideal combination of size and athleticism. Brugler also conceded the Lions could go with a quarterback, but did not send one Detroit’s way.
Here’s a look at Burks’ highlights:
Overall, this would be a decent start for the Lions in terms of upgrading the roster. The team needs defensive help, but also needs a wideout to stretch the field badly. It would be a welcome sight to see the Lions adding these players to beef up the roster.
Internet Erupting With Love for Hutchinson to Lions
While Hutchinson going with the top pick After Hutchinson played a starring role in Michigan’s victory over Ohio State with 3 sacks on Saturday, November 27, folks hopped on Twitter and started to bang the drum for the local star to be the top pick for the pass-rush needy Lions.
Lions need to draft Aiden Hutchinson at 1 this year over Thibodeaux…tell me why I’m wrong
Many fans didn’t want to say it, but are becoming more comfortable with the Hutchinson to Lions talk at this point in time of the season after watching the player perform.
Fine I’ll say it, Lions should draft Aiden Hutchinson 1st overall
Members of the local media seem to agree, with Fox 2 reporter Ryan Ermanni tweeting that he believes the Lions will have to give Hutchinson a long look at being the top overall pick.
It’s not just fans and local media that are all-in on Hutchinson, though. Pro Football Focus writer Austin Gayle tweeted about the potential for Hutchinson to work his way up the draft board and perhaps take over the spot at the top of the draft that is also occupied by Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux.
There needs to be more conversation around Aidan Hutchinson over Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Add it all up and it’s clear there has been more than a bit of a consensus about what the Lions must do if Hutchinson keeps up his elite play. He might become too good to pass up for a team like Detroit that needs major help up front on defense. That is just what this mock draft projects at the top.
Lions Have Plenty Needs Within 2022 NFL Draft
If the Lions manage to secure the top selection in the draft as it’s looking like they might, there’s a multitude of ways they could elect to go with the pick given the unique needs of the roster. The team’s defense needs playmakers up front to rush the passer along the defensive line, and could also need depth on the back end at cornerback. Offensively, the Lions have a major need for a big time pass catching wideout to help their down field attack on offense. As always, quarterback is going to be a position to watch near the top of the draft, especially considering the early struggles of Jared Goff with the Lions in 2021.
The good news for Detroit? They also have the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams by virtue of the Matthew Stafford trade for this year and next year, and figure to gain multiple compensatory selections for 2022 so some serious building can occur for the roster if the team manages to secure the top overall pick. Obviously, there is no shortage of needs for the team to ponder with all of their selections next year.
If the team has a shot at a potentially elite defender and a wideout in round one, it could go a long way toward helping to fix the roster.
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