The Detroit Lions just keep finding ways to win, as Dan Campbell’s squad is 8-1 and has won seven consecutive games after starting 1-1. Though quarterback Jared Goff had his worst game of the season in Week 10, tossing five interceptions, Detroit still came away with a 26-23 road victory over the Houston Texans and clawed back from a 23-7 deficit.
One of the primary reasons the Lions are one of the best teams in football and will compete for the Lombardi Trophy this season and for years to come is their masterful drafting. General manager Brad Holmes has done an excellent job building his team through the draft and hitting on Day 2 and 3 picks, including safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, just to name a few.
With Detroit atop the NFC conference and contenders to win the Super Bowl, Holmes and his front office will likely have one of the final picks in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Though April’s draft is still months away, analysts have started constructing their mock drafts and who they believe would be seamless fits on the Lions.
NFL Mock Draft 2025
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Iyer: “Sawyer has the relentlessness to fit the Lions’ current aggressive makeup, and Aaron Glenn would like his chess-piece ability to help well beyond the complementary pass rush for Aidan Hutchinson.”
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: EDGE Landon Jackson, Arkansas
Edwards: “The acquisition of Za’Darius Smith probably eliminates pass rush as a need for the Lions this off-season, but there is a scenario in which they overinvest because of the predicament they have found themselves in the past few years.”
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY: OT/G Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
Middlehurst-Schwartz: “With Kevin Zeitler playing on a one-year contract and turning 35 in March, Detroit might be due for a change to a front that has paved the way for the league’s second-highest scoring attack. With his massive frame (6-5, 330 pounds) and punishing approach, Savaiinaea is a natural fit to move back to guard after starting his career there prior to a switch to right tackle.”
Luke Easterling, Athlon Sports: EDGE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Easterling: “This was a fit I loved heading into the 2024 draft before Tuimoloau ultimately decided to return for another year with the Buckeyes. I still love it now, as the Lions desperately need another high-quality edge defender who can make plays on all three downs against both the run and pass. Tuimoloau would be the ideal bookend to pair with a healthy Aidan Hutchinson next season and beyond.”
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