Fansided
Fansided

Devin Lloyd Has A Great Case For 2022 NFL Draft LB1

By Jacob Schyvinck

Utah LB Devin Lloyd, 2022 NFL Mock Draft. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Utah LB Devin Lloyd, 2022 NFL Mock Draft. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Utah Utes linebacker Devin Lloyd is making a strong case for the 2022 NFL Draft LB1.

The 2022 NFL Draft might not have a Devin White, a Roquan Smith, or a Micah Parsons. The elite size, elite athlete combination is a dime a dozen, and while this class doesn’t have one of those guys, there are a couple guys fighting for the LB1 title. Georgia’s Nakobe Dean (rightly) deserves buzz for that title, but Utah LB Devin Lloyd can make a compelling case as well.

Lloyd, a senior for the Utes this season, has had a wildly productive year doing unique things. He’s listed at 6’3″ and 235 pounds, which in today’s game, isn’t ridiculously small. So far in 2021, Lloyd has 91 tackles, a whopping 21 tackles for loss, six sacks, three interceptions, and six passes defensed. He’s been all over the place all season long for the Utes defense.

So, apart from the stats, why does Lloyd have an argument for LB1? It starts with his processing skills. His instincts near the line of scrimmage are excellent, and combining that with quick closing speed gives Lloyd an advantage. He reads what happens at the mesh point well, and reads the quarterback’s eyes well to get into passing lanes for deflections. His pursuit and angles in the run game is impressive, and he has a nose for the backfield as a blitzer.

Lloyd even brings the speed, quickness, and moves as a rusher. He’s displayed it a few times this year working on the edge, where he can threaten outside and has a wicked spin move. It’s not something that he can likely get away with in the NFL, but blitz-heavy teams will be able to allow him to blitz from different gaps.

The production, instincts, pass rush chops, and nose for the football make Devin Lloyd the potential LB1 in the 2022 NFL Draft. He will get to show off his skills down in Mobile for the Senior Bowl in coverage and during full team drills, and should have a good showing at the combine. He might not end up in round one, but some team will be very happy with his skill set on day two.

Home/NFL Draft