2022 NFL Draft Thread

[Jason_R]

The Lions are not in a position to be spending 3rd round picks on prospects with injury red flags. 

Maybe after three more Brad Holmes drafts they will have the talent base where they can play the boom/bust game. But it makes zero sense now, even if the player is a Michigan man. 

[RedRamage]

On 3/19/2022 at 3:03 PM, Hongbit said:

He was seldom mentioned in mocks prior the combine.    Now he’s #2 overalll after putting up insane numbers.  

I read or heard somewhere a number of years back that when players rise and fall in the mock drafts that this isn't the player rising and falling in NFL team's opinion, but rather it's based on what the media is hearing.  The teams have mostly decided how they are rating players obviously some fluctuation based on new info... but the majority of the movement is just that leaks* are happening that make the media go: "Oh, this guy is now being highly rated so he should move up on my mock draft!"

*And of course some of those leaks might be false leaks as well!

[Hongbit]

Huge day tomorrow Lions fans.  If he shows out then I can’t see them passing on him at 2   

 

[TP_Fan]

I’m definitely in on Willis.  I think he should be the pick at 2. 

[Hongbit]

He looks great throwing it around ( as he    should with no defenders or pass rush)

If Trey Lance can go #3 there’s no reason why he can’t do the same.   I think he’s a better prospect.  

[Mr.TaterSalad]

18 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

He looks great throwing it around ( as he    should with no defenders or pass rush)

If Trey Lance can go #3 there’s no reason why he can’t do the same.   I think he’s a better prospect.  

See, I think Lance is the better prospect. Lance had video game numbers with 28 TDs and 0 picks. Willis had 27 TDs but threw 12 picks. Lance had a 67% completion percentage and Willis had a 61%. From my 1,000 foot view, Lance seems to have the better football IQ too and be more capable of reading a defense, making adjustments, and going through progressions.

Edited March 22, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[1984Echoes]

2 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

See, I think Lance is the better prospect. Lance had video game numbers with 28 TDs and 0 picks. Willis has 27 TDs but threw 12 picks. Lance had a 67% completion percentage and Willis had a 61%. From my 1,000 foot view, Lance seems to have the better football IQ too and be more capable of reading a defense, making adjustments, and going through progressions.

It has been specifically noted that Willis is weak in those areas.

Which makes him a particularly dangerous prospect, especially at #2.

I take a trade down if there's interest from other teams at grabbing him in the #2 spot.

[Hongbit]

Lance had great numbers in FCS playing on the most talented team.    Hard to compare stats to Willis playing in D1. 

Very true there is danger.  Most prospects are dangerous even the “safe picks”  like Jeff Okudah.  

[Motown Bombers]

I can't wait until the Lions draft Willis and he dominates in training camp and people starting melting down wanting to fire Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson after they don't pull Goff after his first INT. 

[TP_Fan]

Draft Willis and sit him unless gets hurt.  Once playoffs door is shut then give Willis an opportunity.  Still need two more drafts.  None of it will ever matter if they don’t have a QB.

If the lions pass on Willis, or trade down with someone who wants to draft him, I’m ok with that too. I trust Holmes at this point.  He will draft the players he thinks is best to make this a winning franchise and he has an established record of being good at identifying who is going to excel at the next level.  

[djhutch]

Given the things Holmes has said & the moves he's already made, I'd be surprised if they went Willis at 2. Too many other holes to fill. I really hope another team falls in love with somebody & offers to move up.  I'd just as soon have some extra picks, maybe even in future drafts instead of this one.

[Motown Bombers]

If there was a draft to take a gamble on, this would be the one. There is no can't miss player in this draft. There is a realistic chance a safety could be the best player at 2. The Lions still have another 1st round pick and high 2nd round pick to fill holes plus two 1st round picks next year. 

[Hongbit]

3 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

If there was a draft to take a gamble on, this would be the one. There is no can't miss player in this draft. There is a realistic chance a safety could be the best player at 2. The Lions still have another 1st round pick and high 2nd round pick to fill holes plus two 1st round picks next year. 

Exactly.   They are going to have to take a shot at finding their franchise QB very soon anyway.    Also, if do it now, they have a veteran QB in place for next year so they can sit Malik and let him learn year one on the bench.   

[Motown Bombers]

I'm coming around to drafting Willis. The Lions are set up perfectly right now to draft a developmental QB. They have a veteran QB who is more than adequate to start next season, they already have a good offensive line and adequate run game, they still have another 1st round pick and two 1st round picks next year to add talent before Willis would even be asked to be the full time starter. Bonus if Goff plays as well as he did at the end of last year, they could trade him for a decent draft pick. 

[buddha]

if the lions dont like any qbs this year, then i hope they can trade down and get some picks because they will need a shit ton of ammo to trade up next year.

75% of the nfc needs a qb.  50% of the nfc will be just as bad as detroit next year.  there is going to be a lot of competition for qbs next year.

that said, the last thing they need is to draft the next akili smith...

[CMRivdogs]

Just for grins I ran the PFN Draft

Traded #2 to the Jets for #4 and #10

Traded #4 to Carolina for #6 and two picks next year...

6.

Malik Willis

QB Liberty

10.

Garrett Wilson

WR Ohio State

32.

Jermaine Johnson

EDGE Florida State

34.

Devonte Wyatt

DT Georgia

66.

John Metchie III

97.

Channing Tindall

LB Georgia

177.

Obinna Eze

OT TCU

181.

James Mitchell

TE Virginia Tech

217.

Ellis Brooks

LB Penn State

234.

Kana'i Mauga

LB USC

2023 Carolina 2ND

2023 Carolina 3RD

[buddha]

ive done that pff mock draft and the trade offers they give you for #2 are ridiculous (although not as ridiculous as the jets giving up 4 and 10 for 2, that will NEVER happen).  like carolina would have trade me their entire draft next year and this year for #2.  yeah, ok.  is mike ditka running the panthers all of a sudden?

[RedRamage]

This is guys... I found clearly the best mock draft by clearly a well informed, super heavily researched writer:

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/2022-nfl-mock-draft-eagles-get-help-wideout-defensive-line

With all those holes to fill, clearly we should draft a player to perhaps the strongest position on the team.  Makes perfect sense.

[Motown Bombers]

I still can't forget that Holmes passed on Fields and was over the top excited to draft Sewell. I can't imagine a lot has changed in the past year that would change their minds. I wouldn't be opposed to drafting Willis but I don't think they will do it. 

[RandyMarsh]

10 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I still can't forget that Holmes passed on Fields and was over the top excited to draft Sewell. I can't imagine a lot has changed in the past year that would change their minds. I wouldn't be opposed to drafting Willis but I don't think they will do it. 

Yeah I keep thinking about that too when talks of them taking a qb come to mind. Fields was viewed as much superior to any of the qb prospects this year so if he passed on him you would think he'd pass on all the guys this year.

I guess the caveat is that there also likely isn't a non qb available that is viewed as highly as Sewell was either, particularly among our regime and Goff just had a so so year where as a year ago they may have had more hope that he could get back to where he was a couple years prior. 

[Cruzer1]

This is my favorite result by far...

• 
  4.
  Travon Walker

  EDGE Georgia
  
• 
  10.
  Jordan Davis

  DT Georgia
  
• 
  32.
  Lewis Cine

  S Georgia
   
• 
  34.
  Devonte Wyatt

  DT Georgia
   
• 
  66.
  Christian Watson

  WR North Dakota State
   
• 
  97.
  Quay Walker

  LB Georgia
   
• 
  177.
  Grant Calcaterra

  TE SMU
   
• 
  181.
  Jamaree Salyer

  OG Georgia
   
• 
  217.
  Jack Sanborn

  LB Wisconsin
   
• 
  234.
  EJ Perry IV

  QB Brown

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Of course if the Jets gave us 4 and 10 for pick #2 that would be everyone's favorite. But as Buddha said, that simply isn't happening.

[Cruzer1]

11 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Of course if the Jets gave us 4 and 10 for pick #2 that would be everyone's favorite. But as Buddha said, that simply isn't happening.

It might if Hutch is available, although I don't see that happening as well.

[TP_Fan]

This is a great point (read the 2nd part of Jeremy’s thought too).  Holmes will likely only get one chance to draft a franchise QB. If he has to draft a second it probably went off the rails.  Is Willis the guy.  His leadership traits is something the lions talked about during the senior bowl. He fits what the lions are looking for.  It also sets up the QB to play in year 3 of the rebuild.  And you won’t have to spend a bunch of draft capital to move up next season. If he is your guy, go get him. 

[RandyMarsh]

This doesnt answer any of the question marks about him but just the fact that he threw a 65 yard pass on the button while moving to his left away from the receiver was enough of a reason to share. Not many guys playing on Sunday can make that throw.