There's a growing consensus that Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson will be the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The team set to pick first overall apparently feels otherwise.
If they do wind up with the top pick, the Lions' "current mindset is to select Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux," according to Josina Anderson.
Dan Campbell dismissed the report Wednesday morning by saying, "Is the draft within the next day or so? Because then I would be very interested."
Indeed, the draft is more than four months away. There's not much separating Thibodeaux and Hutchinson at this point other than the final few games of the season when Hutchinson rampaged his way to a second-place finish for the Heisman. Thibodeaux is generally considered the more talented player, while Hutchinson's talent has recently shined brighter.
Thibodeaux had 9.0 sacks and 48 QB pressures in 11 games this season, finishing eighth at his position with a Pro Football Focus pass-rushing grade of 91.5. He was also hampered by an ankle injury in September.
Hutchinson had 14.0 sacks and 73 QB pressures in 13 games, finishing first at his position with a pass-rushing grade of 93.6 and first among all players with an overall defensive grade of 94.7. Half of his sacks came in Michigan's final four games.
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Either player would be an instant upgrade for a Lions defense that ranks in the bottom five in the NFL in basically every relevant category for the second year in a row, including second to last in sacks in 2021. Then again, Hutchinson, a Michigan native, didn't exactly sound thrilled at the prospect of joining the Lions during a recent interview with ESPN Radio in Houston.
"Growing up, it was a little bit hard being a Lions fan. The Lions have been struggling for a while," Hutchinson said. "I actually grew up a Patriots fan, just with Tom Brady and stuff like that, so I never really loved the Lions too much. But hey, if they pick me, they’re getting it all."
With four games to go, the 1-11-1 Lions have a half-game edge on the Texans and Jets for the top pick in the draft. They play the Cardinals, Falcons, Seahawks and Packers to close out the season. And by then, they'll still be three months away from reaching any kind of consensus on their pick.