There are eight new draftees entering the Detroit Lions depth chart after the 2022 NFL draft. But how do these new pieces fit into the existing Lions depth chart?
From No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson to seventh-rounder Chase Lucas, here is how the Lions draft class projects to initially impact the team’s roster and depth chart.
Aidan Hutchinson
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One of the big pre-draft selling points for Hutchinson was his ability to impact the opposing offense from multiple defensive alignments. For a defense like what Aaron Glenn and the Lions run, it frees up the No. 2 overall pick to do more than just one thing.
Hutchinson was at his best in college aligned as a strong-side (OT with a TE or FB to that side) inline DE. In the 4-man front the Lions plan to use as the primary base, that’s an ideal role. But Hutchinson’s quickness off the snap and speed around the edge also is far and away the best the Lions have at EDGE, which likey pegs him more for the starting weakside role, a spot primarily filled by Charles Harris in 2021. That’s the role Lions DL coach Todd Wash laid out in his discussion with team reporter Mike O’Hara.
In odd-man fronts — the Lions will continue to mix in 3-man lines and some 5-2 fronts as well — Hutchinson figures to occupy the weakside rush OLB role. That position flexes into a hand-in-dirt, tighter alignment in a 5-man front, which will be used when the opposing offense goes into a heavy package with 2 in-line TEs and especially when there is also a fullback in the game.
Jameson Williams
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As the fastest man on the Lions offensive roster, Williams’ early role is easy to see. He’ll align outside, likely as the “Z” receiver or flanker role. That spot is the wide outside receiver with the slot receiver or flexed-out TE aligned to that side on the inside. Williams’ speed and length make him an ideal candidate…