
One of the big keys for the Detroit Lions’ turnaround from a 1-6 start to finishing out winning eight of the final 10 games was the emergence of several young talents on defense. Led by No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson, the runner-up to the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, the precocious collection of youngsters improved rapidly as the 2022 season progressed.
The Lions had the NFL’s youngest defense in 2022 — and it showed. However, the emphasis on talent development and coaching up promising young players really started working.