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Lions Make Shocking Pick in NBC Sports' Latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft

By Larry Rupp

The Detroit Lions make a shocking pick in NBC Sports' latest 2022 NFL mock draft.
The Detroit Lions make a shocking pick in NBC Sports' latest 2022 NFL mock draft. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
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People began to speculate if Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was simply trying to mask his team's draft plans when he mentioned that an elite quarterback is not necessary for success in the NFL. The Lions' shocking pick in NBC Sports' latest mock draft certainly backs up that speculation.

Lions Mock Draft

Tyler Forness projects Detroit to swing big by selecting Liberty QB Malik Willis with the No. 2 overall pick. Keep in mind this is a player that wasn't considered a top-10 pick until his performance at the NFL Combine in March. Seeing the 22-year-old jump all the way up to No. 2 would be surprising.

Willis is widely regarded as a project QB rather than a signal-caller capable of leading a franchise from day one. While his ability to elude tacklers when on the run gives him scary dual-threat upside (2,131 rushing yards in college), Willis' poor pocket awareness leaves a lot to be desired.

Yes, the Lions have a need at the position given Jared Goff failed to impress in his first season in Detroit. He averaged only 231.8 passing yards per game and 9.8 yards per completion. However, trading up from No. 32 overall and into the early 20s to land a QB seems much more logical here.

No one truly knows what the Lions are going to do, but improving in one way or another is a must. After all, this is a fan base that hasn't seen their favorite team win a playoff game in over 30 years. Maybe the front office believes Willis is the guy that can turn it all around.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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