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2022 NFL Mock Draft: Jets Defense Rebuilt In 3-Round Projection

By Christopher Thomas

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 18: Derek Stingley Jr. #7 of the LSU Tigers warms up prior to a game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Tiger Stadium on September 18, 2021 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 18: Derek Stingley Jr. #7 of the LSU Tigers warms up prior to a game against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Tiger Stadium on September 18, 2021 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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2022 NFL Draft, Kayvon Thibodeaux
2022 NFL Mock Draft, Kayvon Thibodeaux. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

1. Detroit Lions: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge Rusher, Oregon

Every week that goes by makes this selection more possible and likely to happen. After the first 12 weeks of the season, it would be shocking if the Detroit Lions didn’t land the first overall pick and select Kayvon Thibodeaux with it. That is exactly how this 2022 NFL Mock Draft starts.

This past offseason the Detroit Lions started completely from scratch bringing a new general manager, head coach, and moving off of multiple veterans on this roster. The removal of Matthew Stafford from this team has shown how weak the rest of this roster is and how much work Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell have ahead of him.

Even though Detroit has invested a sizable amount of their salary cap in pass rusher Trey Flowers and Romeo Okwara, Detriot cannot pass up the opportunity to add a prospect like Thibodeaux to their roster. Detriot is lacking a franchise cornerstone on the defensive side of the ball. Thibodeaux could potentially be Detroit’s best defensive player by the end of his first season with the team.

Thibodeaux has proved this season what many thought coming into the year. He is a generational pass rusher that should be considered a similar caliber prospect as players like Jadeveon Clowney, Joey Bosa, Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, and Chase Young. All the previously named players were taken within the top three picks of all of their respective draft classes and are at least former Pro Bowlers. Thibodeaux should join that list of players shortly upon entering the league and Detroit could absolutely use a player like that to progress their rebuild and create an identity for this football team.

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