Getty Michigan's David Ojabo poses after a big play against Penn State in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have multiple different ways they can look to attack the offseason, and most figure the team needs to add playmakers both on offense and defense in order to supplement their roster and turn things around firmly for the future.
As a result, most mock drafts have the Lions balancing out their needs and adding a defender and then a wideout later on in the first round. If not a wideout, many see the team looking at the quarterback position for an upgrade. Rarely if ever are the Lions seen as a team that could look to target back-to-back defenders.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
Recently, Pro Football Focus deviated from that common approach and sent the Lions a pair of defenders in the first-round of a new mock draft. Writer Austin Gayle had the Lions making an easy choice in taking Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux with the second-overall pick after Aidan Hutchinson gets selected in the top slot. As he said, Thibodeaux is a premium player at a premium position, making him a must-take for Detroit in this scenario.
Where things get interesting is with the 28th pick. Gayle has the Lions selecting Michigan linebacker David Ojabo with the selection to bolster the defense. As Gayle wrote, Ojabo might be raw, but he could be athletic enough to work himself into the first-round conversation with a good NFL Combine.
As plans for the Lions go, this could represent a good one. The team needs defensive help both along the defensive line and at linebacker. Adding both these players could have the team on the upswing in a hurry.
Ojabo’s Stats & Highlights
Most Lions fans who watch Big Ten football will know Ojabo considering he was a major force for Michigan this past fall. While Ojabo’s teammate Aidan Hutchinson got all of the praise, he was sneaky good as well and is a big-time athletic threat. As a result, Ojabo could figure as a first-round pick or early second-round selection in Detroit’s wheelhouse. This past year, Ojabo put up 35 tackles, 11 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. He was a very active counterpart for Hutchinson and the Wolverines as the highlights show:
Pairing Ojabo with another solid player in Thibodeaux could give the Lions a similar style of defense that Michigan enjoyed with Ojabo and Hutchinson. To that end, it could be a fascinating move for the Lions if the draft plays out this way.
Lions Defense Could Benefit From 2022 NFL Draft
Could the Lions take a pair of defenders with pass rush ability to help their defese rush the quarterback in this draft? It might not be that much shocking of an outcome in the end given how the Lions roster looks at this point. This year, Detroit’s best pass rusher was Charles Harris, who is a free agent. The team got uncommon production elsewhere on the roster from names like Julian Okwara who had 5 sacks, as well as rookie Alim McNeill who had 2 sacks on the season. Other than that, though, there wasn’t much consistent about Detroit’s approach on defense. The team could need a pair of players to help really turn the tide in terms of sustaining pressure and making sure the opposing offense remains uncomfortable in a big way. No doubt this scenario would help them to do just that.
The good news for Detroit? They should have multiple early picks to work with, so the pressure is off as it relates to drafting for need. The Lions proved last year they can find players, snagging Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth-round as well as McNeill in the third-round. That kind of talent identification ability could allow them to take the best player available to them this April.
Whether it’s Ojabo or not, it could certainly be a defender and perhaps even a pair if edge rushers if the board falls the right way.
READ NEXT: Lions Will Coach Underrated Quarterback Prospects During Senior Bowl