Their decision with the No. 2 overall is obviously important for the Detroit Lions, but that decision also looks be a tipping point for the first round of the draft.
Once the Jacksonville Jaguars make their choice at No. 1 overall next Thursday night, the (draft) world will the Detroit Lions‘ oyster at No. 2. They could make the pick, choosing from remaining options, or trade down and add picks.
Whatever decision the Lions make, the teams picking after will be impacted. A recent piece from Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed pointed to how Detroit has stayed out of the offseason quarterback frenzy this offseason, with rumors they’ll consider Liberty quarterback Malik Willis at No. 2.
"Meanwhile, the Lions have hung back, and there’s been persistent buzz since the NFL Scouting Combine that Detroit could take a gamble and select Liberty’s Malik Willis at No. 2 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft."
If the Jaguars pass on Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson first overall, he’d fall into the laps of the Lions at No. 2. Hutchinson is the perceived easy pick for Detroit if he’s available.
Detroit Lions decision at No. 2 a tipping point for the first round?
The Lions could trade down from second overall, and one source of Kyed’s outlined a scenario where they trade the No. 32 or No. 34 pick into 2023 with an eye on Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud in that draft.
Kyed then landed on an interesting bottom line.
"But if the Jaguars take Hutchinson and the Lions really do take Willis at No. 2 overall, then it would set off some dominos in the draft."
If Willis is gone to the Lions with the second overall pick, then he’d not be available as an option for others who are possibly looking at taking a quarterback–starting with the Carolina Panthers at No. 6 overall. The Panthers, with no picks between that sixth pick and pick No. 134 overall, may be looking to trade out and add picks anyway.
That means those teams would picking from who remains as first-round possible signal callers (Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell, Matt Corral), considering a move around the board for one of those guys or possibly punting on this year’s quarterback class entirely.
Whatever they do, the Lions’ have to get it right at No. 2 overall. But their decision will have implications that stand to cover the rest of the first round, all the way to their own second first-round pick at No. 32 to wrap up the night.