With the No. 97 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions selected Illinois safety Kerby Joseph. Joseph is the highest drafted Illini safety since Henry Jones went in the first round (No. 26 overall) to the Buffalo Bills in 1991.

"This is what I'm been dreaming about," Joseph said. "This is what I've been seeing on T.V. since I was a kid. I'm just filled with joy now."

Joseph had a breakout 2021 season. He was an All-Big Ten first team selection by the media after tying for the national lead in interceptions during the regular season with five.

He's is the first Illinois defender taken by Detroit since LB Terry Miller in 1968. The last Illini taken by the Lions was RB Mikel Leshoure in 2011.

Considered a sideline-to-sideline safety by NFL Scouts, Joseph totaled 57 tackles, 1.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, five interceptions, two pass breakups, and three fumble recoveries last season. He was the only player in the nation 5+ interceptions and 3+ fumble recoveries during the regular season.

The Orlando, Florida, native bounced between wide receiver and defensive back during his first three season in Champaign before landing at free safety in 2021. He was also a special teams standout for the Illini on kick and punt coverage.

"I started off on special teams, which is why I fell in love with it," Joseph said.

Once he became a starter at safety and was able to focus on that aspect of his game, he took off and was very productive. He was one of only 12 players in the FBS with at least five interceptions last season.

Joseph told reporters Friday night after the pick that his rise in production his senior season primarily because he could focus on one position.

"My senior year, I focused in on safety," Joseph said. "I feel like that really elevated my game. "

A hamstring injury prevented him from running at the Combine or his pro day, but he had a 38.5-inch vertical and a 10'3" broad jump, so he's an explosive athlete at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds.

He was a good special teams performer in college as well, starting as a gunner on punt coverage the last two seasons and playing over 400 special teams snaps.

Overview:

Free safety with average size and speed, good athleticism and only one season as a full-time starter at Illinois. Joseph worked for all five of his interceptions in 2021, using both his length and range over the top. He lacks prototypical instincts as a single-high safety but that might be due to a lack of experience. He's fluid in space but needs to play with better anticipation. Joseph is missing the demeanor and tackle strength for the box and is likely to be viewed as less versatile than some other safeties in the class, but he has potential in single-high and split-safety alignments.

Strengths:

· Able to gain depth quickly with his backpedal.

· Reasonable responses to route combinations.

· Movements are fluid and athletic in space.

· Swivels hips easily to transition into deep coverage.

· Acceleration to range off the hash and close the windows.

· Weaponizes length to make plays on the ball.

· Spots trouble brewing from deep safety perch.

· Strikes with some force to thwart pass-catcher.

· Patient to prevent open-field cutbacks.

· Easy lateral slide to tackle.

Weaknesses:

· Can be indecisive at times.

· Needs to trust his eyes and respond sooner.

· Angles to the ball lack consistency.

· Average burst to close.

· Needs earlier route squeeze in man coverage.

· Fooled by RPO for easy touchdown versus Penn State.

· Tardy to diagnose and trigger versus the run.

· Lacks thump-and-finish box characteristics.

· Head-ducker as tackler.

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