The 2022 draft won’t be one Lions fans are accustomed to experiencing year in and year out. However, with the ammo from the Matthew Stafford trade, the potential high comp pick for losing Kenny Golladay and their normal draft slots, the Lions could have five selections within the first 100 picks next year. iI done right, could speed up the rebuild process.
2022 mock drafts this time of year are about as pointless as Matt Patricia’s behind-the-ear pencil. Typically, these exercises give readers a preliminary view of potential draftees early in the draft process than slotting players to teams. Likely for draftniks, mock drafts are easily consumed by the general public throughout the year.
Luke Easterling from our brother site, DraftWire, laid out his early 2022 mock draft projections (based on the latest Super Bowl odds) on how the first two rounds could shape up. Below are his early projections on the potential draft haul for the Lions.
3rd overall: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
29th overall: John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
34th overall: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan
Get used to seeing a quarterback here, folks. With not much hope given to the Lions this coming season and almost a virtual certainty, the Lions will be picking high next draft; it only makes sense for them to select a player from a premium position. Also, with Jared Goff more than likely entrenched as the starter for the next two seasons, the Lions would be smart to grab someone who can learn behind Goff.
The 2022 draft does not have a consensus number one quarterback like Trevor Lawrence last year. With as many as five quarterbacks who could vie for that honor, it leaves many to debate who will end up leading that charge. With this mock, Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler went to the Houston Texans with the first overall pick, giving the Lions a few choices. Still, ultimately Sam Howell was tagged as the Lions future quarterback.
Howell has been the Tar Heels quarterback since arriving in 2019, setting the ACC record with 68 touchdowns through his first two years. He has great touch when it comes to ball placement, no matter the distance making it easily catchable for any playmaker. He is one of the shorter quarterbacks (6’1″), leading to a few tipped balls, and he may lock in on his initial read from time to time, but he seems like he makes any throw possible.
The biggest area Howell will be looked upon this year is if he can elevate the players around him. He lost Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, Dyami Brown, and Dazz Newsome to this past draft giving the Tar Heels a whole new look offense with Howell running the show. Daniel Jeremiah compared Howell to Baker Mayfield, highlighting their build, arm strength, and competitive nature. If Howell can follow Mayfield’s NFL trajectory so far, the Lions could be heading in the right direction.
It is no secret, especially from our own Jeff Risdon, that the Lions receiving corps is uninspiring and could lead to bad ripple effects later down the road. With such a massive hole, many thought the Lions would tag one of the Alabama receivers with their last first-round pick but waited until the fourth round to address the need. So now we will see how everything comes together but be prepared for the worst.
Fortunately for the Lions, another Alabama product is ripe for the picking with their second first-round selection. John Metchie III first arrived in Alabama with an already stacked receiver corps. Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle. And DeVonta Smith, so naturally, he had to wait his turn. However, when Waddle suffered his season-ending injury, Metchie was ready for the occasion and ended the season with 916 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
There was a common theme when it came to how the Lions addressed the receiving corps, and that was speed, and thankfully Metchie has that by the bucket load. It gives him the ability to get downfield quickly and create separation and maintain it throughout the process. In addition, he exhibits strong route-running ability in all facets, making him a versatile receiver who can line up anywhere on the field. So even though some may think he might get bullied downfield with a lack of contested catches, it shouldn’t be the key factor that holds back Metchie throughout the draft process.
The Lions attacked the defensive line hard this offseason by resigning Romeo Okwara, trading for Michael Brockers, and drafting Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeil back to back picks. However, Trey Flowers’ future may be up in the air depending on how well he fits in the scheme and a potential trade chip later on for a contender, which opens up a hole along the line, giving way to the Lions second-round selection.
Local Michigan product Aidan Hutchinson wore many hats along, lining anywhere from 0T to 4i along the defensive front due to his dominating presence and strong release. Due to his anchor, balance, and flexibility, he is lauded as one of the better-run defenders in this class. He does have a few pass-rushing moves, but that will be an area he will need to improve on. He will not be a prototypical edge rusher with speed along the edge, but he offers a set of traits that allow him to be a versatile lineman that Lions will have at their disposal.
With the new regime almost starting from scratch with their much-needed rebuild, this will be the draft. General manager Brad Holmes will put his stamp on this team, which would be a good start. They would secure their quarterback for the long haul in Howell, a speedster route runner in Metchie, and versatile lineman in Hutchinson. Of course, anything can change between now till the following draft, but these are players you might want to keep your eye on.