PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Detroit Lions already matched the NFL record for highest NFL draft pick ever spent on a cornerback. Could they really match the NFL record for highest NFL draft pick ever spent on a safety just two years later?Sure seems like they’re at least open to the possibility of bucking another historical trend.The Lions are believed to have eyes for star Michigan pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. But now the Jacksonville Jaguars have made huge investments in their offensive line during free agency — an area many thought they would target at the top of the draft — and Hutchinson has now emerged as the favorite for the No. 1 pick.RELATED: 2022 NFL Draft – Michigan Wolverines’ Aidan Hutchinson draft pick predictions & oddsIn which case, the Lions are going to need a Plan B at No. 2. Some believe Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton could make some sense, even though only one team has ever taken a safety that highly in the draft. And general manager Brad Holmes seems at least open to the possibility.“I’ve always said we want a game-changer at that pick,” Holmes said during a break at the NFL owners meetings this week in Palm Beach, Fla. “So whatever position that is, again, we’re comfortable at multiple positions. If the draft was today, we could turn in that card and sleep good at night. But at the end of the day, we’re looking for that game-changer. So whatever position that is, we’re looking for game-changers, whatever that position is.”Hamilton is certainly that. He racked up 138 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 24 passes defended and eight interceptions in 31 games during an All-American career at Notre Dame. He is one of the best players in this draft, and at a position of major need for the Detroit Lions. No one is questioning the talent or fit.But plenty of people are questioning the value of taking a safety that highly, because only one team has ever done it. The Cleveland Browns used the No. 2 pick in the 1991 draft on UCLA’s Eric Turner, who went on to make the Pro Bowl once but never came close to validating the pick. And since then, no safety has gone higher than No. 5, where Eric Berry went in 2010 and Sean Taylor in 2004.Since then, tight end is the only non-specialist position with fewer top-five selections.It’s just not viewed as a premium position. But if Hutchinson is gone, and the Lions can’t fetch the right price for the No. 2 pick, they have to take someone, and there are question marks everywhere elese too. Kayvon Thibodeaux is perhaps the highest-upside pass rusher in this draft, but there are concerns about his motor and fit for Dan Campbell. Travon Walker is a freak athlete, but the production didn’t always match it at Georgia and he could spend a lot of his time playing inside. Jermaine Johnson set the ACC record for most sacks by a first-year player in that conference, but also began his career at community college because of his academics, then transerred to Georgia for one season before moving on to Florida State because of his projected playing time. Malik WIllis is the highest-upside quarterback in this draft, but also a major project who will require at least a year to develop.The surest things might be offensive tackles like Evan Neal and Ikem Ekwonu, who are consensuse top-five prospects at a premium position, although Detroit just took an offensive tackle in the top seven last year (Penei Sewell) while paying $60 million to another (Taylor Decker). The club appears set at the position for the forseeable.And then there’s Kyle Hamilton, a guy some believe is the best player in this draft, period, but also plays a position that hasn’t been viewed as valuable as the others.“Normally I’d say this is too high for a safety,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr said, “but Hamilton is a unique and special defender.”Kiper has come around on Hamilton, and projected him to Detroit in his latest mock draft. But others have been more reticent to break the historical trends. The Ringer’s Danny Kelly has him going eighth to Atlanta and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has him going 11th to Washington, even though both analysts believe he’s also the third-best prospect overall.Such is the debate with Hamilton. Few quibble with his bonafides as a player, even after he ran a disappointing 4.59-second time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, second-slowest among the safeties. But many cannot get over the historical precedent of targeting more premium positions like offensive tackle, quarterback and pass rusher at the top of the draft.“(Offensive tackle and quarterback) are premium positions. They can really lay the foundation of your team’s success. I truly believe that,” Holmes said. “There’s other game-changers at other positions that you can find outside of those positions, but obviously when you want to have a quarterback that can lead your football team, you really (want) that guy that can protect your quarterback and then at the end of they day, you want that guy that can get after your quarterback, too. That’s why I think they’re all what you call premium positions.”But?“But I do think there are other positions that you can find some game-changers on,” he said.
