The director general of Detroit Lions, Brad Holmes, can say that he does not write for needs, but in 2025, he may not have much choice. The NFL 2025 draft class is filled with defensive talents which take place deeply in day 2. And although Detroit can get out of it in 2025 without adding an immediate impact player at the end of defensive, the long -term extreme need that it is difficult to ignore.
Planned from previous lions:
2025 Detroit Lions draft seen: defensive ends
Under contract: Aidan Hutchinson (2025 *), Marcus Davenport (2025), Josh Paschal (2025), Al-Quadin Muhammad (2025), Nate Lynn (2026), Mitchell Agude (2025), Isaac Ukwu (2025)
* Lions should activate the Hutchinsons fifth year option, which would extend its contract throughout the 2026 season
Short -term need: 6/10
Long -term need: 9/10
For 2025, the Lions could theoretically ride with Hutchinson, Davenport, Paschal, Muhammad and anyone can win the battle of the training camp at Edge Defender and be in a decent place. That said, it is difficult to have a lot of confidence in Davenport given its history of injuries. The Lions have clearly indicated that they wanted to use Pascal inside this year, and the rest of the crew did not show that they can provide much more than the replacement game. Hutchinson is a beast and should return to its form now that it is almost clear with its rehabilitation, but the ground of this room could use a significant increase.
When you look to the future, the need is even greater. Currently, the only defensive end signed beyond this year is Nate Lynn, and it is only because it is still on the UDFA contract after having spent all its recruited season on the injured reserve. An Hutchinson extension is essentially a formality, but beyond, there is not a single player in this position which should be considered a lock on the list in 2026. Detroit needs talent now, and they need it even more for the future.
Pff Top-100
- Abdul Carter, Penn State (# 2)
- Mike Green, Marshall (# 13)
- Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College (# 16)
- James Pearce Jr., Tennessee (# 23)
- Walker milestone, Georgia (# 24)
- Nic Scourton, Texas A&M (# 31)
- Shemar Stewart, Texas A & M (# 33)
- Mykel Williams, Georgia (# 38)
- Landon Jackson, Arkansas (# 39)
- Bradyn Swinson, LSU (# 46)
- Principle Umanmelen, Ole Miss (# 50)
- JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State (# 56)
- Oluwafemi Oldojo, UCLA (# 60)
- Jared Ivey, Ole Miss (# 62)
- Josaiah Stewart, Michigan (# 71)
- Kyle Kennard, South Carolina (# 81)
- Elijah Roberts, SMU (# 86)
- Jack Sawyer, Ohio State (# 92)
- Ashton Gillotte, Louisville (# 97)
- Jordan Burch, Oregon (# 99)
If you keep the score, it’s 20 of the 100 best PFF prospects in the Edge position – or one in five.
We have already talked a lot about many of these guys. Al Karsten has already made beautiful screening profiles on Oluwafemi Oldojo, Jordan Burch and Landon Jackson – who are probably more candidates of day 2 than options with the 28th overall choice of Detroit. Erik Schlitt broke down the adjustment of Donovan Ezerrieku with the lions in his choice of first round in the draft of the community of the Pod community.
As for the other candidates in the first round, this is a preference question. With six to eight guys potentially in the first round – and very different profiles for everyone – it is difficult to know which (if necessary) will be there while waiting for lions. Only one thing seems to be sure: Abdul Carter is far from their reach.
Walker milestone is a candidate for the Lions secondary position as a person who has played major second -hander snaps, but has made his skills in precipitation in the past two years with 11.5 combined bags. Mike Green is a difficult adjustment for Detroit for two reasons: he is undersized (6 feet 3 inch, 251), leading him to fight in the race game, and with a pair of accusations of sexual assault in his past (no condemnations), his character must be carefully dissected. Mykel Williams has the prototypical size that lions want in a Run Defender edge adjustment (6 feet 5 inches, 260 and 34 inches) and violence to go with it. Shemar Stewart has the rare sporting features which are almost unanimous in the best rushers of NFL passes today, but the production has not yet followed. And James Pearce has a nice mixture of rude sizes and skills, but the anonymous questions about his work ethics will have to be checked.
Detroit will have many options to choose from 60 and 102. Among my favorites, JT Tuimoloau and Ashton Gillotte. Tuimoloau is large, large and has enough speed in the short area to be a weapon in his rush to the pass. Gillotte is short (6 feet 2 inches), but is 264 pounds and plays with the type of ferocity and effort that will make him a good choice in the defense of the Detroit race.
The work should also be noted that the Lions would have done research on Josaiah Stewart from Michigan. He is probably candidate for the second sam because of his size (6 feet 1 inch, 249), but he has no experience outside the ball. However, its tenacity and its ability to transform the speed into power could simply do it as a rotation piece on the defensive line.
Notable players of day 3
That Robinson (Alabama), Fadil Diggs (Syracuse), Jah Joyner (Minnesota)
Seeing that the Lions called on Robinson for a visit to the Top 30, it is worth lending him a little more attention. A final candidate for the secondary position SAM given his experience as a ball and his size (6 feet 4 inches, 243), Robinson has never become a full -time starter with the Craims tide. However, his last year was quite productive, totaling seven plated for the loss, four bags and a forced escape despite only nine games (and five departures). He was also a special team with four hearts, which could bring immediate value on day 3 for Detroit.
Diggs had a virtual interview with the lions and has a fantastic mixture of size and speed (9.35 Ras). A three -year starter separated between Texas A&M and Syracuse, Diggs has had a productive career (32.5 plated for loss and 15.5 bags in total). He was also captain twice at A&M and plays the physical type of play that the Lions would like. But his game needs a lot of technical refinement.
Joyner is large (6 feet 4 inches, 262) a quick (4.6 40 yards), but its production in Minnesota was disappointing (5.5 TFL, 4.5 bags in 2024). But with this frame and this arm size, the lions may think that they can model these tools in an effective log.
