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The Detroit Lions have plenty of different options when it comes to the 2022 NFL draft, and most of them have been intriguing, but for the first time, it finally seems as if there is a win-win scenario for the team.
While the names have changed in a big way the last few months, things could be coming back around for the Lions in terms of players that could be good fits. Now, the situation may have changed enough that the Lions may not lose at all in a situation.
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Specifically, if the Lions have to choose between a couple of elite pass rushers in Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibododeaux, they will win no matter who is left over. That’s according to Bucky Brooks of NFL.com. Recently, Brooks went on the Move the Sticks podcast and discussed with Daniel Jeremiah a situation in which the Lions have a choice between the players.
“I think they can’t go wrong. When you look at this team, the number one thing that we learn as scouts and evaluators, you have to build this team to win the division. When you think about the division, the team you are chasing is the Green Bay Packers, who have one of the best quarterbacks we’ve seen in our lifetime in Aaron Rodgers. What can you do to knock him around? The best thing you can do is have a pass rush that will enable you to rush four and drop seven in coverage,” Brooks said. “The only way the Lions can do that is have an explosive athlete, a dynamic player off the edge. Whether it’s Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux. Whoever’s left based on what the Jaguars do at one, they need to run in the card because that player is going to give them a chance to knock the quarterback down and that gives them a chance to close the gap on the division rivals.”
Detroit’s defensive front collected only 30 sacks in 2021 and finding more consistency in the trenches needs to be a huge focus of the team. With an elite pass rusher, Detroit’s defense could take a leap forward in the future and do more things well on the field. To that end, Brooks is right that the Lions might have to prioritize one of those elite players early on.
One of the two is likely to be available, and if both were, the Lions would have an even bigger decision to make.
Sentiment Shifting Back Toward Thibodeaux During Process
When the pre-draft process started for the Lions, many figured that the team would have their choice of either Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson or Thibodeaux from Oregon. As many saw it at the time, those players represented the top two in the entire 2022 class, and it wasn’t particularly close. As the process moved on, though, questions about Thibodeaux’s production and play surfaced, which made it so that the prospect slipped more than a bit in the minds of many mock drafts. As a result, many had him not being selected in the top two, but rather slipping into the top five and beyond.
Since, though, it seems as if there has been an about-face on Thibodeaux. The Lions have been zeroing in on him with a major workout delegation, as well as inviting him to town to get a face to face meeting with the team’s brass. As a result, it seems as if he could be in play for the Lions.
Thibodeaux’s Stats & Highlights
Thibodeaux is an interesting prospect considering his penchant for getting to the quarterback and making big plays up front. Coming into this season, Thibodeaux had collected 90 career tackles, 14 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss thus far in his college career. In 2021, he followed that up with a decent year given 49 tackles, 7 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Here’s some of his top work on the field:
It’s obvious that Thibodeaux has the physical tools to be great, and as a result, many believe he could be in play for the Lions and should be the pick for the team when everything gets settled. No matter who is the pick, if it’s him or Hutchinson, many believe Detroit won’t lose.
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