Detroit Lions 7-Round 2022 mock draft: Super Bowl week
Fifth Round
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. LB. Texas A&M. Aaron Hansford. 176. player. 50
The Lions need help at linebacker, and if one or both of Alex Anzalone and Jalen Reeves-Maybin leaves in free agency we may really be saying that on the doorstep of the draft.
Hansford came to Texas A&M as a four-star recruit in 2016 (!) as a tight end. Injuries cost him essentially two seasons, with a medical redshirt as a freshman, but he started 20 games over his final two seasons and was the Aggies’ leading tackler in 2021 (89 total tackles, along with 8.5 tackles for loss).
Detroit could very well take a linebacker earlier than the fifth round, perhaps way earlier. But the available options and value did not come together until this point in this mock, and the Lions add talent to a group that’ll need it no matter who stays, goes or comes in via free agency
Sixth Round
player. 50. Scouting Report. CB. UTSA. Pick Analysis. Tariq Woolen. 180
To put it lightly, Woolen is a big corner (6-foot-3, 205 pounds), and he had a good showing on the bigger stage of the Senior Bowl. As a converted wide receiver with just two years of experience as a cornerback, there’s latent upside as the finer points of his game are molded to match his physical tools.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Gleen and defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant would surely love to get a chance to coach someone like Woolen.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. DL. Arizona State. D.J. Davidson. 218. player. 50
My original two picks here, Clemson defensive lineman Trevor Davis and Texas defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat, are on their prospect big board in the PFF mock simulator but don’t appear to be in the 2022 draft. Not knowing Davis was returning to school was a miss on my part, but it’s less clear (and looks unlikely based on lack of clarity or specific mention here in reference to Longhorns’ 2022 draft prospects) that Sweat declared early.
In any case, I’ve pivoted to D.J. Davidson out of Arizona State. In 2021 for the Sun Devils, he had 57 total tackles with six tackles for loss and four pass bat-downs. In 2019, before a truncated 2020 campaign, he had 51 total tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss.
The Lions interior defensive line could use another young piece, so Davidson is a worthy pick here.