The Lions' 2022 draft picks are set after the conclusion of the Super Bowl, pending a few comp picks coming their way next month. Detroit owns picks Nos. 2 and 32 in the first round, a ripe opportunity to jolt the rebuild.
The Lions will like how things shake out in front of them in Todd McShay's latest mock for ESPN, released Wednesday morning. The Jaguars take Alabama OT Evan Neal with the first overall pick, leaving the consensus two best defensive players for Detroit in pass rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
And the Lions go with the Michigan product in Hutchinson, "a slam-dunk scenario," says McShay, for a defense desperate for more talent.
Hutchinson "is a relentless pass-rusher who had 14.0 sacks and 66 pressures last year," writes McShay. "He can take over a game on defense, and Detroit needs more players like that, especially because its top pass-rusher in 2021 (Charles Harris, 7.5 sacks) is a free agent."
The Lions may well bring Harris back after his breakout season. But they can't go wrong adding Hutchinson, who could team up with a healthy Romeo Okwara to help a pass rush that had the third fewest sacks in the NFL last season.
McShay has Thibodeaux falling to the Giants at No. 5, by the way, after Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton goes No. 3 to the Texans and NC State OT Ikem Ekwonu goes No. 4 to the Jets.
With their second first-round pick, courtesy of the Rams via the Matthew Stafford trade, Brad Holmes and the Lions might be eyeing a wide receiver. In this case, they won't like how things fall in front of them: McShay has six receivers going in the top 30.
And if they're eyeing a quarterback, McShay has three passers going in the top 20: Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis and Matt Corral.
But Sam Howell is still on the board at No. 32, and McShay has the UNC product landing in Detroit -- a scenario he compares to the Ravens drafting Lamar Jackson 32nd overall in 2018 where the Lions get a fifth-year option attached to a rookie QB.
"Tough and competitive, Howell fits well with the Lions' organization," writes McShay. "He is super accurate hitting the deep rail shots, and he has a quick delivery and good touch."
Howell was viewed as a potential top-10 pick when last season began, but some early struggles diminished his stock. Still, he threw for over 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns to nine picks and added another 800-plus yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
All told for his college career, Howell threw for over 10,000 yards and 92 touchdowns to 23 picks. His burly frame should hold up well in the NFL, and the Lions would have the luxury of grooming him for a season (or two) under veteran Jared Goff.
"Let Howell sit behind Jared Goff, whose dead money falls from $30.5 million in 2022 to $10 million in 2023 and $5 million in 2024," writes McShay. "I'd like to see Howell link up with receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to jump-start the Lions' passing attack."
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