Detroit Lions 2022 NFL Draft Primer

Read more on the 2022 NFL Draft primer for the Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions and general manager Brad Holmes enter the 2022 NFL Draft with plenty of work yet to do to improve the roster. 

During free agency, Holmes once again opted to avoid signing players to significant, long-term contracts, in favor of continuing to build via the draft. 

With the strategy clearly established to focus less on external signings, the draft has become ultra important to find playmakers and foundational pieces of the future. 

Despite the lack of aggressiveness in free agency, Detroit's second-year general manager explained his draft philosophy when it comes to balancing patience with being bold. 

“I’d probably sum it up like this, if there’s a player that we have buy-in and we want, I’m going to try to get that player," Holmes explained to reporters last week. "That’s just the bottom line. There is value in being patient and sitting back. You’ve just got to assess where the value is on your Draft board and what the volume and depth is. If the conviction is that high -- yeah, you can’t just sit, wait and be patient and see if that player’s going to be there or not. Sometimes you’ve got to be aggressive and go and get him. That’s how I stand often. Now, there are not a lot of those players throughout the draft always, but when that player is identified, I’ll always be aggressive.”

There are some larger holes to be filled, but that shouldn’t exclude the Lions from grabbing the best player available at each selection, regardless of just a few positions. In saying that, there are plenty of different directions Holmes could go in with the draft.

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2021 Lions record: 3-13-1 (fourth place in NFC North)

Key additions

• WR DJ Chark
• S DeShon Elliott
• CB Mike Hughes
• LB Chris Board
• LB Jarrad Davis
• TE Garrett Griffin

Key losses

• DE Trey Flowers
• LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
• WR KhaDarel Hodge
• S Dean Marlowe
• DT Nick Williams (unsigned)

2022 draft picks

• Round 1, Pick 2
• Round 1, Pick 32 from Rams
• Round 2, Pick 2 (34 overall)
• Round 3, Pick 2 (66)
• Round 3, Pick 33 (97) compensatory
• Round 5, Pick 34 (177) compensatory
• Round 6, Pick 2 (181)
• Round 6, Pick 39 (217) compensatory

Team needs

Linebacker – The Lions have plenty of bodies at the position, but no real standouts. Last year’s fourth-round pick, Derrick Barnes, showed flashes but struggled in passing defense. Looking long term, Barnes is the only linebacker who is under contract past this upcoming season. Fortunately, this draft is loaded with day 2 linebackers who could quickly help the linebacker room.

Safety – The addition of DeShon Elliot helps bring starting-quality ability to the safety group, but he is among the many one-year contracts that Holmes has signed. Tracy Walker inked a new three-year deal and will be a staple on the back end. Meanwhile, Will Harris is looking like he could continue to see snaps more at cornerback. That leaves the Lions desperately thin at a key position in the secondary. Much like at linebacker, there are plenty of solid safety prospects in the second and third round of this year's draft.

Defensive end - In a passing league, the pass rush is incredibly important. Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara -- who is recovering from an achilles tear -- are both productive players, but more rotational or No. 2 type of edge rushers. Neither are overly athletic or necessarily strike fear into opponents. Julian Okwara has shown some flashes getting to the passer, as well. In saying this, the best defenses have game-changers along the defensive line, and the Lions are currently lacking in that category. Typically, you need to draft athletic, productive EDGE defenders near the top of the draft.

Wide receiver – It’s not that the Lions don’t have receiving options, it’s more that they don’t possess a true No. 1 outside option. D.J. Chark and Josh Reynolds are serviceable, but that doesn’t mean the room still can’t be upgraded. Amon-Ra St. Brown operated mostly out of the slot and made the most of all the targets he saw down the stretch. To find a big, athletic X-receiver, there should be a couple options still on the table at picks No. 32 and No. 34 for the Lions.

Top targets

Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan 

If the Jacksonville Jaguars don’t select Hutchinson first overall, the local product makes a ton of sense for the Lions. Elite traits – outside of arm length – and elite production at a premier position is what a top pick should entail.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon 

The consensus top pick for a large majority of all last fall, Thibodeaux has seen his stock drop precipitously in recent months. Some say he has a little bit of stiffness to his game and has a personality that may not be a fit for every team. On tape, Thibodeaux looks the part.

Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia 

Walker is the classic college production versus NFL potential scenario that teams are willing to bet on. Due to off-the-chart measureables, organizations feel that he is a ball of clay that can be molded into one of the league’s best pass rushers. Due to a plethora of factors, the production never met the full potential while at Georgia. He is a big projection, but with a limitless ceiling and versatility.

Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati 

In terms of safe prospects, Gardner is towards the top. Cornerback is not the most valued position and it’s not high on the priority list of the Lions’ needs, yet Gardner has very few flaws in his game. If Holmes wants to play it more conservative, Gardner could be in play. At the end of the day, the Lions need talent across the board and can’t afford to miss on a prospect.

Malik Willis, QB, Liberty 

Drafting Willis would be a huge gamble. Oftentimes, it’s at the ultra-important quarterback position where teams are willing to “reach” for a player, though. Willis has exceptional arm strength and carries the ball like a running back in the open field. His dynamic plays will overshadow some of his current flaws. It’s easier said than done, but if, and a special emphasis on "if", Willis can clean up his accuracy issues and some of his head-scratching interceptions, he has a real opportunity to become one of the league’s best signal-callers.

How to watch 2022 NFL Draft

• Thurs, April 28 (8-11:30 p.m. ET): Round 1 -- ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
• Fri, April 29 (7-11:30 p.m.): Rounds 2 and 3 -- ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
• Sat, April 30 (12-7 p.m.): Rounds 4–7 -- ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
• Online/Streaming: fuboTV: Get 7-day Free Trial