Taking a closer look at the prospects from the 2025 NFL Draft that have been projected to the Detroit Lions over the past week.
As a reminder, the Detroit Lions hold pick No. 28 and with that slotting comes a lack of consistency in mock drafts. For example, of the 17 mock drafts we examined this week, 12 different players were mocked to the Lions over five different position groups.
As expected, defense dominated this week’s projections, with just one mock draft pairing the Lions with an offensive player. And while the other 16 mocks produced 11 different players, seven of those players were edge rushers—the only real pattern amongst the early offseason mock drafts.
Let’s take a look.
Offensive linemen
Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
Source: Kyle Crabbs (33rd Team )
“The Lions boast a strong reputation for their offensive line but are facing the outlook of potential change at both spots. Kevin Zeitler is an expiring contract and was the better of the team’s two starting guards — Graham Glasgow signed a 3-year deal last offseason and struggled in 2024. Amid all of the changes in Detroit with coaching upheaval, staying true to the DNA of the team will help ease the transition — and that makes a mauling guard like Tyler Booker a perfect fit.” — Crabbs
Erik’s Thoughts:
Early projections had Booker slotted as a late first round-second round pick, but NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah listed him as the No. 14 overall player on his latest top 50 board and then slotted him to the Bears with the No. 10 overall pick in his mock draft. He would go on to Twitter to later explain that “guys at Alabama tell me he’s the Will Anderson of offense- leadership, work ethic and competitiveness.”
While his stock should rise after Jeremiah’s report (he tends to influence other rankers), guards don’t tend to get drafted high unless they’re true game-changers, and even the best can slide into the 20s of the first round. So there’s certainly a chance the Lions could find themselves in striking range.
Defensive tackle
Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Source: Blake Brockermeyer (CBS Sports )
“Derrick Harmon is a disruptive interior force who fills a position of need for the Lions. With 40 hurries, five sacks, and 8.5 tackles for loss in 2024, Harmon’s quickness and burst make him a valuable addition to Detroit’s defense. His ability to knock back the line of scrimmage and penetrate gaps fits the Lions’ aggressive defensive philosophy.” — Brockermeyer
Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
Source: Chris Dodson (Pro Football Network )
“Tyleik Williams has the potential to be a disruptive force in the middle, with his high motor and ability to penetrate. The Lions could have used that against Jayden Daniels in the NFC Divisional Round.” — Dodson
Erik’s Thoughts:
With Alim McNeill coming off injury, DJ Reader in a contract year, and Levi Onwuzurike a pending free agent, Detroit could find themselves in need of interior depth and a potential future starter.
We talked a bit about Williams last week but this is Harmon’s first time being mocked to the Lions. Harmon, a Detroit native, is a position-versatile interior lineman who can play up and down the line and would be a nice complement to McNeill, as he can push the pocket while also anchoring the line against the run.
Edge Rusher
Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Source: Max Chadwick (PFF )
“One of the Lions’ top priorities this offseason should be to find a long-term answer at the edge defender spot opposite Aidan Hutchinson. While Williams is still developing as a pass-rusher, he’s a high-ceiling player who earned 80.0-plus PFF run-defense grades in each of the past two seasons.” — Chadwick
Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Source: Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com ), Bucky Brooks (NFL.com ), Nate Tice and Charles McDonald (Yahoo Sports) , Theo Gremminger (Player Profiler )
“It will be huge for the Lions to get Aidan Hutchinson back next season. Green would be a perfect complement with his speed and quickness off the edge. This team values production off the edge and Green had a ton of it during his college career.” — Jeremiah
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Source: Theo Mackie (Arizona Republic )
“Beyond [Abdul] Carter, this class is filled with edge rushers who could go anywhere in the first round. That could create nice value for a team such as Detroit, which is in the market for an edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson. Based on this board, Texas A&M ’s Nic Scourton and Ohio State ’s J.T. Tuimoloau are also options for the Lions.” — Mackie
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
Source: Josh Edwards (CBS Sports )
“Perhaps this is an instance of being a prisoner in the moment, but Nic Scourton is good value at this stage of the first round and the franchise really struggled with depth as a result of injuries. The Lions will not be in that position next year with Za’Darius Smith, Josh Paschal, Aidan Hutchinson and now Scourton.” — Edwards
JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
Source: Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman (The Athletic )
“Tuimoloau (6-5, 270) was a machine during Ohio State’s championship run. In four College Football Playoff games, he had a combined 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, nearly doubling his season totals (six sacks, 11 TFLs during the regular season).
“With oft-injured Marcus Davenport likely hitting free agency and Za’Darius Smith possibly in need of a reworked contract, the Lions could rotate Tuimoloau for a year opposite Aidan Hutchinson, then have him step in as a long-term starter.” — The Athletic
Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas
Source: Joe DeLeone (Pro Football Network )
“A running mate to play alongside Aidan Hutchinson needs to be found by the Lions this offseason. Landon Jackson has the motor and power to direct attention away from Hutchinson.” — DeLeone
Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
Source: Keith Sanchez (The Draft Network ), Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports ), Curt Popejoy (The Draft Wire )
“Last offseason, the Lions addressed their secondary by spending two top-100 picks on corners. This year, I think they’ll be aggressive again, but this time, they’ll focus on the trenches and draft edge rusher Jack Sawyer. Sawyer had a great run through the College Football Playoff and has the mental makeup that the Lions want to continue building their culture around. Sawyer could serve as a strong complementary piece to Aidan Hutchinson when he returns healthy.” — Sanchez
Erik’s Thoughts:
At this moment, there could be as many as 10-12 edge rushers taken in the first 50 selections, which is why we see so many different players mocked to the Lions at the end of the first round.
While the Lions have historically preferred bigger edge rushers, Mike Green—the only edge rusher projected to the Lions under 265 pounds (he’s 251)—may look like the odd man out. However, of the seven edge defenders paired with the Lions, Green was projected to the Lions the most this week. So why is he paired so frequently? First, he showed well at the Senior Bowl this week but he also is arguably the most tenacious pass rusher in the group.
Linebacker
Jalon Walker, SAM, Georgia
Source: Kent Weyrauch (Fantasy Pros )
“Despite being listed as a linebacker, Jalon Walker projects more as a 3-4 OLB at the next level. His pass rush is fueled by elite athleticism and extremely high motor. His versatility should have him on several teams’ boards as we approach the NFL Draft .” — Weyrauch
Erik’s Thoughts:
Walker is going to be a player connected to the Lions a lot this offseason because, while he played off-the-ball linebacker at Georgia, his best attribute is as a pass rusher, making him a perfect fit for the SAM role, which has been occupied by pending free agent Derrick Barnes.
Defensive backs
Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
Source: Ayrton Ostly (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel )
“Just three of the seven cornerbacks on the Lions’ final active roster are signed with the team in 2025. Thomas is getting more buzz as a potential first-round pick thanks to impressive strength and athleticism packed into a 6-foot-1, 191-pound frame. He’s a willing tackler, too. He’ll need some development and lacks ideal ball skills, but that’s not a problem in a secondary featuring ballhawks Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.” — Ostly
Erik’s Thoughts:
If the Lions stay in the market for an outside corner, Thomas could be a player who works his way up into the back end of the first-round conversation. With good size, length, and man-cover skills, Thomas is a stylistic fit for the Lions scheme.