The Detroit Lions had one of the best seasons in franchise history in 2024. Unfortunately, they fell flat in the playoffs. Part of it was that they ran into one of the hottest teams in the league, the Washington Commanders, but the injuries on the defensive side of the ball became too much to overcome. The team is hungry to get to their first Super Bowl, and the 2025 NFL Draft could be where they find a missing piece. Here is the NFL Draft preview for the Detroit Lions.
Detroit Lions 2025 NFL Draft Picks
The Detroit Lions have seven draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
- Round 1: No. 28
- Round 2: No. 60
- Round 3: No. 102 (Compensatory Selection)
- Round 4: No. 130
- Round 6: No. 196 (from Buccaneers)
- Round 7: No. 228 (from Cowboys),
- Round 7: No. 244
The Detroit Lions have been making moves over the past two years to try and compete now, but they still have plenty to work with this year. Their third-round pick falls just outside the top 100, but this is considered to be a relatively weak draft, so they should still get some good value.
Team Needs
The Detroit Lions have one of the best edge rushers in the league, Aidan Hutchinson. In the five games he played last year before his devastating injury, he had 7.5 sacks. The issue even before he went out was a lack of a complement piece on the other side. Having a pass rush outside of Hutchinson will be one of the needs to fill in the draft. The good news for the Lions is this edge class is very deep so they could get a quality player staying up at 28.
From there, the Lions need to do what they’ve done for the past half-decade: build the trenches. Their offensive line is one of the best in the league, but nothing lasts forever. While their tackle positions are solid, they could use some interior line depth. On the defensive side of the ball, they could use more rotational pieces for the interior line. This team learned the importance of depth last year. Anything can happen, but having depth makes it easier to weather the storm of injuries.
Mock Draft
- Round 1: No. 28: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
- Round 2: No. 60: TJ Sanders, DL, South Carolina
- Round 3: No. 102: Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU
- Round 4: No. 130: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
- Round 6: No. 196: Seth McLaughlin, IOL, Ohio State
- Round 7: No. 228: Isaac TeSlaa, WR Arkansas
- Round 7: No. 244: Jordan James, RB, Oregon
Mock Draft Analysis
The Detroit Lions would be very happy with this draft. Pearce Jr. is a very good edge rusher and would get plenty of one-on-one opportunities opposite Hutchinson. Sanders is considered one of the most underrated defensive tackles and would be a great rotational piece. Getting two offensive linemen in the middle to late rounds helps build depth for the future, and Burke helps a young secondary with depth as well.
It may seem weird to take a running back in the seventh round, but this is the luxury a team like the Lions has. I’m of the opinion that anything a team does in the seventh round shouldn’t be analyzed. You’re taking a flyer on a player at that point, hoping they turn into something, even if that is a solid special teams contributor.
Final Thoughts
The Detroit Lions will be one of the favorites in the NFC this season. However, if they are going to continue to be dominant, getting solid draft classes is key. GM Brad Holmes has done well in the past and is looking for another strong draft to continue this team’s dominance of the NFC North.
