Mock draft watch: Breaking down The Athletic’s latest haul for the Lions

Our Max Gerber breaks down The Athletic’s haul for the Detroit Lions in its latest mock draft

It’s no surprise that most, if not all, media outlets project the 0-10-1 Detroit Lions to hold the number-one overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

What’s less of a no-brained for the Lions is who they might take with that draft pick.

Luckily, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has put in his two cents about who Detroit could select with their two first-round picks.

Thr first-overall draft selection for 2022 will most likely be an edge rusher, but there is much debate over which one the Lions will take. As of now, it’s either Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux or Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson.

With the first selection of Brugler’s mock draft, he opted to stay local and predicted that Hutchinson becomes a Detroit Lion. The Michigan edge rusher is coming off a historic win over Ohio State where he was credited with 15 pressures, seven tackles, and three sacks.

Detroit’s pass rush has been one of the weakest parts of the team so far this season, which is saying a lot given how poorly they have performed in all aspects of the game. Paired opposite of Romeo Okwara, Hutchinson could help the defense give opposing offenses much more of a push.

Brugler touts Hutchinson’s athleticism and character as two things that will help revive Detroit’s defense and provide Dan Campbell with some much needed talent on this bleak roster.

The Lions’ other first-round pick will be much harder to predict, but Brugler’s choice is one that made plenty of sense after watching Detroit’s offense this year.

Assuming that the Rams don’t get too far in the postseason, Brugler has the Lions picking 23rd and using the pick acquired from Los Angeles in exchange for Matthew Stafford.

With this pick, the Lions would be selecting Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks.

In this mock draft, Burks is the second receiver off the board and his size and physicality can back up that decision. At 6’3” and 232 pounds, Burks would be larger than any of the nine wideouts currently rostered by Detroit.

Tack on how poorly the wide receiver corps is doing right now, and suddenly that position is one of the highest needs for the Lions. Brugler specifically cites Kalif Raymond as being Detroit’s most productive wide receiver, which should be an instant sign that the team needs to make a big move in the draft for a better player at the position.

We are still months away from the 2022 NFL draft, but there’s already a lot to be optimistic about when it comes to who will be available when the Detroit Lions go on the clock.