Lions Select DE Aidan Hutchinson and QB Malik Willis in Latest Mock Draft

Read more on the two players CBS Sports has the Detroit Lions selecting in its latest mock draft.

The Detroit Lions will have two first-round draft choices in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

While it is likely Detroit's front office will target an impactful defensive lineman with its first selection, its pick later in the first round could go in a number of different directions. 

CBS Sports came out with its latest mock draft on Monday, and in it, it had Lions general manager Brad Holmes selecting at No. 1 overall and No. 24 overall (via the Rams). 

With the No. 1 pick, writer Ryan Wilson selected Aidan Hutchinson, and he took quarterback Malik Willis of Liberty with the Lions' second of two first-round picks. 

"Hutchinson is a great example of a player who got better each and every season, and instead of coming out early he stayed in school, balled out as a senior, and made himself into arguably the best player -- on either side of the ball -- in the country during the '21 college football season," Wilson writes. "The exclamation point came the last two weeks; first a three-sack performance against Ohio State and then, on Saturday, helping Michigan win the Big Ten Championship Game."

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© Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
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© Anntaninna Biondo, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Willis is expected to participate in this year's Senior Bowl, which may allow the Lions to get a closer look at his speed and quarterback acumen, should the coaching staff end up coaching one of the two squads. 

"We have a second-round grade on Willis but -- and stop us if you've heard this already (scroll up) -- that doesn't mean teams looking for a quarterback won't take one 15 to 30 picks before perhaps they should. If the Lions do, in fact, target Willis here it has to be with the understanding that he'll be a backup in '22 while Jared Goff continues to hold down the job," Wilson explained. "Willis has all the tools you look for in an athletic, strong-armed QB but he's also extremely raw. It would be reckless to throw him into the lineup as a rookie."

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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!