The Detroit Lions have plenty of options when it comes to what to do in the 2022 NFL draft and the team is casting a wide net when it comes to thinking about what prospects to take.
With visit season in full-swing for the next few weeks, the Lions will be getting a ton of appearances from players that could be in the mix for them during the draft. Some of these names will be in play for picks in multiple different rounds, but the most interesting name to visit in this whole time period may have surfaced.
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According to Jordan Schultz, Florida State defensive lineman Jermaine Johnson II made the trip to visit the Lions recently.
The 6-5, 262-pound Johnson was the ACC Player of the Year and a 1st-Team All-American for the Seminoles.
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“FSU DE Jermaine Johnson II is visiting the Cardinals today, per source. I’m also told he was in Detroit with the Lions yesterday. The 6-5, 262-pound Johnson was the ACC Player of the Year and a 1st-Team All-American for the Seminoles,” Schultz tweeted.
Johnson visiting is intriguing for the Lions to be sure. The player is seen as a major talent, and could be one of the best players in this entire draft class in terms of their ability to rush the passer. After putting on a show at the Senior Bowl, Johnson has seen his value spike in some major ways on the field to the point where he could easily be a first-round pick.
The Lions may not have the luxury of waiting until pick 32 to tap Johnson as their choice, however. That could set this up to be a fascinating case to watch over the next two weeks leading into the draft and one of the more interesting visits the team has lined up.
Why Johnson Could Be Dark Horse for Detroit’s Top Pick
The Lions have been hunting a defensive lineman in this draft, and Johnson is seen as potentially elite player at the position. Detroit coached Johnson during the Senior Bowl while he was in the process of blowing up and got an up-close look at what he can do on the field with their staff, so that could give them a heads-up to his talent and how he stacks up against the likes of players figured to go in the top 10 such as Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Truthfully, the Lions may have the best idea of what they want to do with Johnson more than many teams in the draft given this connection early on.
Already, Dan Campbell has revealed that the Lions plan to be aggressive in the draft, and may take a player if they like him higher than many of the experts think. Most have pegged Johnson as a first-round pick, but in the middle-stages of the draft rather than early on. The Lions could certainly jump the gun and pick him right away if they feel as if he is worth the gamble early on.
Johnson’s College Stats & Highlights
In college, Johnson showed a knack for rushing the passer in a big way, and has some explosive production to rely upon at this point in time. While playing for the Georgia Bulldogs and also the Seminoles, Johnson put up a total of 106 tackles, 24.5 tackles for-loss and 18 sacks in his college career. He has shown to have some NFL in him in terms of his pass rush explosiveness and ability as the highlights show:
Johnson has a case to be in the conversation for the Lions based on what he can do on the field. Whether or not he’s the choice remains to be seen, but given these facts, he should at the very least be in the conversation for Detroit which is interesting.
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