When Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft started, Detroit Lions fans began salivating. Why? Malik Willis, Nakobe Dean, Jaquan Briskers, and several others were available. And as the second round began, those players began slipping down the board to Detroit.

Judging by social media, Lions fans were ecstatic. Players many predicted as first round selections were on the verge of being available to the Lions. And when the Lions were on the clock with the 46th overall pick, those guys were.

Then something interesting happened. A curveball if you will. The Lions selected Joshua Paschal.

On paper, the idea is spot on. The Lions had a below-average defensive line last season. It needed some work.

However, Paschal was quite the shocker. So the million dollar question is: who is this guy?

Well, Paschal is a warrior on and off the field. And pertinent to this draft, let’s dissect his on-field achievements. Last year at Kentucky, he was first team All-Sec. In 12 games, he had 52 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. Along with Aidan Hutchinson, whom the Lions selected 2nd overall, the duo could become an interesting tandem.

As I mentioned, Paschal is also a warrior off the field. After all, he’s a cancer survivor. During his time at Kentucky, doctors diagnosed him with a malignant melanoma on his left foot. And he recovered en route to the SEC honors mentioned above. Additionally, CBS Sports recognized him as a second-team All-American last season.

This is an interesting pick for the Detroit Lions. They received rave reviews for their Day 1 picks on Thursday. Drafting Hutchinson 2nd overall and trading up to the 12th pick for Jameson Williams were major moves.

The selection of Joshua Paschal pick is a bit of a head scratcher. There were many reports there were high on Liberty’s Malik Willis. At one point, it was a wonder if they’d draft him in the first round. And with Nakobe Dean slipping, it appeared a steal would fall in their lap. Even with the concerns over Dean’s height, his leadership appeared it would overcome that.

Nevertheless, Brad Holmes has bought himself enough equity to make this selection.

Follow Kory Woods on Twitter at KoryEWoods.