Lions Select Travon Walker, Jaquan Brisker in Detroit News Mock Draft

Following the early wave of free agency, several pundits, beat writers and draft analysts have posted their latest 2022 NFL Draft projections.

The Detroit News came out with its latest mock draft on Wednesday and in it, it had the Lions selecting at No. 2 overall and No. 32 overall (via the Rams).

With the No. 2 overall pick, Lions beat writer Justin Rogers selected EDGE Travon Walker, and he took safety Jaquan Brisker with the Lions' second of two first-round picks.

In a bonus selection, Rogers has the Lions selecting wide receiver Christian Watson with the No. 34 pick overall.

As Rogers explains, "As frustrating as it is to admit this less than a month from the draft, there isn’t an obvious solution here, but an edge rusher still feels like a better value over a roll of the dice on a developmental quarterback or taking a safety earlier than any team in the past three decades. Walker possesses an ideal combination of size, length and athleticism, giving him a tremendous ceiling if his pass rush move set can be further developed."

Detroit's defense is in need of added depth in the secondary, especially at the safety position.

The team has Tracy Walker in the fold, after he signed a long-term contract extension.

"The Lions locked up half of their split-safety equation when they re-signed Tracy Walker, but it would be a mistake to lean on Will Harris being the complement in the back end. It’s fair to question whether Brisker is an ideal schematic fit, but there’s undeniable value in a physical run defender who is capable of covering a tight end one-on-one from the slot," Rogers wrote. "Brisker isn’t a big-time playmaker, but he did manage to come up with five interceptions in 34 games across three seasons for Penn State."

Wideout Christian Watson has been moving up many draft boards, but still has question marks at the next level, when he matches up against talented defensive backs.

"While we also like Georgia’s George Pickens at this spot, Watson is bigger and even more athletic, with a similar commitment to his role as a blocker in the run game. With the team’s current depth at the position, the Lions could ease him into the mix with an eye on a bigger role if Chark departs in free agency next offseason."

Add us as a preferred source on Google