Getty George Pickens on the field for Georgia in 2020.
Time is ticking before the first picks are announced for the 2022 NFL draft, and while Detroit Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes likely isn’t cramming at this point, that doesn’t mean fans aren’t scrambling to find some last-minute answers.
To that end, former NFL general manager and Heavy front office insider Randy Mueller has some information that folks will appreciate. With picks due soon, what should the Lions be thinking? Mueller broke down some last-minute ideas for the Lions and offered a sound approach for the team.
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Overall, while Detroit has a laundry list of needs at multiple spots, Mueller still isn’t worried about rushing to fill them. Instead, he thinks the Lions need to look for the best players in order to give them the best chance of success moving forward.
“I would not get caught up in ‘needs,’ especially with the early picks. I think this team needs good players and when you pick second-overall, you should get a great player, not good. I do think their needs are greater on defense, which actually fits well for this draft because the four best players in the draft, in my opinion, are defensive players,” Mueller admitted.
For the Lions in terms of players with the top pick, versatility should be the name of the game according to Mueller. To that end, he sees a standout for Detroit in Georgia’s Travon Walker to boost their defensive line.
“I think the best player for them is Travon Walker from Georgia. He plays defensive end as a 5-tech in a 3/4 or 7 tech in a 4/3 but any way you look at him, he fits all schemes,” Mueller said. “He is the best combination of power and athletic ability. Although he doesn’t have eye-popping numbers on paper, he has the skill set to do anything they want on defense and I think he will be a better pro than college player.
“The Lions have nobody like him and he immediately becomes their best asset on defense. I say this knowing that a lot of Lions fans will want the Michigan kid, Aidan Hutchinson. But, for me, he only fits as a 4-3 DE.”
Better versatility is what led Mueller’s eye to Walker, and he sees the same abilities in a controversial prospect in Kayvon Thibodeaux. While Thibodeaux has been put through the ringer in the process, Mueller isn’t distracted by that, and instead looks at his potential.
“The other player who fits any scheme and would immediately help them in any sub-package as well is Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon,” Mueller said. “He is another guy who fits any scheme and should be an 8 to 10 sack guy early in his career. I think he’s gotten a negative spin because of his actions and words since the end of the season. I get it, but put on the film. It’s undeniable that he has rare skills.”
Sentiment in recent weeks has gone in Hutchinson’s direction, but Mueller is not totally sold he is the best fit for Detroit in the end. In either Walker or Thibodeaux, he sees the kind of players that could transform a very below-average defense at the second-overall selection thanks to all they can do.
Mueller Reveals Players for Lions’ Next Picks
As the draft rolls on, Mueller sees some very obvious fits for the team later on as Detroit picks 32nd to close out the first round and then picks at 34 to start the second round on Friday night. Mueller knows the team may need to consider a wideout to help their offense, and believes speed and playmaking ability should be paramount for Detroit. To that end, he loves an SEC standout.
“If it’s a wide receiver, he needs to be fast. They lack someone to take top off defenses. If a guy like George Pickens from Georgia is still there (his season was limited because of a prior injury), jump on him. He would be the Lions’ most talented wideout,” Mueller said.
On the defensive side, Mueller sees needs all over, but if the pick is a cornerback, versatility is also a key factor. As Mueller explained, there’s an obvious fit for Detroit in the early part of the second round.
“If it’s a corner, make sure that guy can play multiple techniques to fit their multi-faceted coverage schemes. The guy should be able to play press, bail, off-coverage and be equally adept with reactions in zone or man. If Trent McDuffie from Washington is there, boom, it’s a steal and great fit,” Mueller explained.
Either pick or both would boost Detroit in a couple of key ways ahead of the draft and shore up some major needs.
Mueller’s Overall Game Plan for Lions’ Draft
For Detroit, as Muller explains, the task is simple in 2022. The team must find talent wherever they can given their overall needs. That applies no matter where the Lions may be picking and will be relevant whenever they are on the clock all weekend long.
“They need to use the same theory at pick 32 and pick 34 (as with second-overall). They still will have multiple needs. Take the highest-rated player on your board,” Mueller said. “The Lions should get a player who is stacked in their top 25, maybe even top 20. You cannot limit yourself to filling any one particular need by taking a lesser valued player to do so.”
Given all of Detroit’s picks, the team looks positioned to come out ahead during the weekend, providing they don’t panic and force anything that might be eyebrow-raising.
“This should allow them to get four starters and build on a “core” that is void of good players. They do not need to force a trade or do something outside the box,” Mueller said.
The path to finding out begins soon, but the Lions would be wise to heed Mueller’s advice to continue their solid rebuild.
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