As the draft proceeded, it became clear that GM Brad Holmes and the Lions front office wanted to infuse new talent into a defense that fell way below expectations last year. So even though it may be just how the board fell, the Detroit Lions were able to draft players from the front to the back with LB Malcolm Rodriguez, S Kerby Joseph, EDGE James Houston, and CB Chase Lucas. But the main focus will be on the two edge rushers, Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal, to make the most change to the defense.
Last year the Lions double dipped in the defensive tackles class; they pulled the same maneuver this year, but on edge rushers. Hutchinson and Paschal have similar skill sets but may be used differently, especially with a change of defensive philosophy, going from 3-4 to more of 4-2-5 with a 4-3 base coming into the 2022 season, especially after ranking near the bottom in the majority of defensive categories.
The Lions brass seemed quite pleased with how well their draft went along, with many media and draftniks giving out positive grades and critiques. Along with happy fans and leadership, defensive line coach Todd Wash is very happy with the new arsenal of players at his disposal in an interview with Lions Mike O’Hara.
