Detroit Lions: The perfect 3-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft 2.0
By Bob Heyrman
With the no. 31 pick, the Detroit Lions select David Bell.
Things are beginning to shape up. With the Detroit Lions’ second first-round draft pick continuing to slide later and later each week, the chances of landing a player like Chris Olave, Treylon Burks, or Jahan Dotson are becoming less and less likely.
If you were to ask me a month ago who I’d like the Detroit Lions to pick with the second first-rounder, my answer was Drake London, but he’s starting to skyrocket up draft boards and, in all likelihood, won’t be available when the Detroit Lions are on the clock late in the first round.
There will be a few players later in the draft that some will consider bargain choices later in the second and third rounds, such as Wan’Dale Robinson, Skyy Moore, John Metchie III, and Justyn Ross, but are the Detroit Lions willing to forgo selecting a pass-catcher with the no. 31 or no. 34 choices they risk missing out on the consolation players just mentioned. I’d be selecting David Bell with confidence and moving on with my day.
David Bell is coming off a tremendous career with the Purdue Boilermakers. As a junior, Bell hauled in 93 balls totaling 1,286 yards and six touchdowns in 11 contests.
Bell burst onto the scene as a freshman three years ago, making 86 catches, amassing 1,035 yards, and scoring seven receiving touchdowns. Last season in only six games, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bell made 53 receptions in six games scoring a whopping eight touchdowns totaling 625 yards.
https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1486519328614727686?s=20
Bell is a physical pass-catcher standing 6-foot-2. He’s given college cornerbacks who try to press him at the line of scrimmage nightmares. Bell has a great release off the line and, despite having breakaway speed, still finds a way to get open and make contested catches.
With the Boilermakers, Bell played almost exclusively as an outside receiver and lacked versatility. Still, with already having Amon-Ra St. Brown and Quintez Cephus, who each can play inside or out rostered, Bell can be penciled in as an every-down outside receiver.
Players I decided to pass over: Sam Howell, Malik Willis, Lewis Cine, Jaquan Brisker.
Change from version 1.0: Nakobe Dean (not available)