NFL comparisons for all eight Detroit Lions 2022 draft picks

Here are some NFL comparisons for all eight of the Detroit Lions 2022 draft picks.

Far and wide, the immediate 2022 draft grades for the Detroit Lions are good. Nitpickers might say they should have taken a linebacker before the sixth round, a cornerback before the seventh and the trade up for Jameson Williams has a chance to blow up in their face.

But across all eight picks, the Lions added bodies at positions of need and plenty of athleticism.

Now, thoughts move to where expectations for each of the Lions’ draft picks should be set. Going further, are there any current NFL players they might compare to? Of course there are comps to be drawn for everyone, depending on how far you want to go into names who may not be stars.

With that, let’s look at some NFL comps that are out there for each of Detroit’s eight 2022 draft picks.

NFL comps for each of the Detroit Lions 2022 draft picks

DE Aidan Hutchinson

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Kyle Vanden Bosch
Christian Booher, SI.com: Joey Bosa
Bleacher Report and Walter Football: Maxx Crosby

I’ve also seen Hutchinson compared to Jared Allen, which feels like an apt comp too. Athleticism and motor invites the comps to Bosa, Allen and Crosby, with Bosa nearly matching Hutchinson’s draft status as the No. 3 overall pick in 2016.

WR Jameson Williams

Booher, Zierlein and Dave Richard of CBS Sports: Will Fuller
Nate Tice, Bleacher Report: DeSean Jackson
Walter Football: Will Fuller/Marquise Brown/Henry Ruggs

Given how Fuller’s career has gone, with promising stretches but a litany of injuries, I don’t love that wide-ranging comp for Williams. But there’s no denying the similar size and skill set. I do like the Jackson comp. A high-end comp, or hope, for Williams would be Tyreek Hill.

DE Josh Paschal

Booher, Zierlein: Emmanuel Ogbah
Derrik Klassen, Bleacher Report: John Franklin-Myers
Walter Football: Allen Bailey

Paschal has intangibles and versatility that will fit well with the Lions. Ogbah is the most favorable comp here, with nine sacks in each of the past two seasons for the Miami Dolphins and 12 passes batted down in 2021.

S Kerby Joseph

Booher: Juan Thornhill
Cory Giddings, Bleacher Report: Steven Parker

Joseph, who had five interceptions in his lone season as a full-time safety at Illinois and was general ballhawk when it came to forcing turnovers, could start right away as a rookie. The Thornhill comp is far more favorable.

TE James Mitchell

Booher: Mo Alie-Cox

LB Malcolm Rodriguez

Booher: Josey Jewell
Zierlein: David Long
Klassen: Discount Eric Kendricks

The “discount Eric Kendricks” comp got my attention here. Rodriguez was a highly productive player at Oklahoma State. Like Kendricks, he won’t really wow anyone in some areas but his savvy and instincts lead to him always being around the ball.

LB/OLB James Houston

Booher: Haason Reddick

Reddick was a much higher draft pick than Houston (13th overall by the Cardinals in 2017), and he’s only been properly used as an edge rusher the last two seasons (23.5 total sacks). But Houston’s initial college experience as an off-ball linebacker at Florida, before transferring to Jackson State and dominating off the edge, makes the comp to Reddick fit.

CB Chase Lucas

Booher: Kendall Sheffield
Giddings: Shaun Wade