There are already several rumors regarding the Detroit Lions’ 2025 NFL Draft. Let’s try to separate fact from fiction.
With the 2025 NFL Draft now just hours away, reporters are dropping every last piece of information they have on what teams are doing, who’s calling who, and predictions for what will happen Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
It’s incredibly hard to know who to trust during this team. Are teams feeding inaccurate information in order to throw smokescreens out there or lead teams astray? Are teams trying to drum up legitimate interest in trading up and down—or trading away a current player? Or is some of this information legit?
It’s all hard to know, but it is possible to apply some common sense to each rumor. So this post will not only track NFL Draft rumors pertaining to the Detroit Lions , but we’ll do our best to try and break down the rumor—and give it a “believability” score. Because, quite frankly, I think we tend to give all “rumors” too much oxygen, and sometimes if we really stop and think about it, we can likely dismiss many right on the surface.
So, without further ado, here are some of the rumors on the Detroit Lions. This post will update with more rumors if they come in.
A run of defensive linemen may hit early in the draft
The rumor:
“On the subject of (Mason) Graham, my current belief is that the early part of Round 1 could be very heavy on defensive linemen,” Graziano wrote. “There are a ton of good edge rushers and pass-rushing defensive tackles this year. And in a draft where teams don’t seem thrilled about the choices at quarterback, cornerback, offensive tackle and wide receiver, I wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch of teams default to pass rusher on Day 1.”
The source: Dan Graziano, ESPN
Analysis:
The wording of this rumor leans a little more on speculation than actual reporting. Still, Graziano is a well-respected reporter, and he is likely basing this on conversations he has had with other teams. Plus, we’ve talked all spring about the depth and talent at defensive end and defensive tackle.
Believability score: 7/10
The Lions are trading Jameson Williams this week
The rumor:
The Lions are going to trade Williams this week.
The source:
There are a few tea leaves here:
1. Tucked away in an Albert Breer (of SI) article about team needs was this short sentence:
“Receiver’s another spot to consider—with a fifth-year option decision coming on Jameson Williams, and some in NFL circles believing he could be traded.”
2. Additionally, people have speculated that a few vague Instagram stories from Williams about loyalty were veiled shots at the Lions. People have also noticed that Williams is not following the Lions on Instagram—while some debate whether he unfollowed them or never followed them in the first place.
3. Brad Holmes’ own words at the owners meetings certainly seem to suggest that Detroit is not yet fully committed to a long-term deal with Williams.
“In terms of extension, again, there’s a lot of extensions that are hopefully coming. But it’s just one that you just don’t know what’s going to happen from a financial standpoint. Because a wide receiver, it’s expensive. It’s very expensive. Look, these are good problems to have.”
Analysis:
Breer’s rumor is pretty flimsy. “NFL circles believing he could be traded” does not indicate that the Lions are interested in trading him, just that there is a perception from other teams out there. The Williams social media snooping is complete nonsense. Even if the Lions were thinking about trading Williams, why would they tell him ahead of time—before they even drafted their replacement? That would be a terrible management move. This is just standard overreacting to vague social media posts.
The most compelling evidence of this rumor is Holmes’ own words. But even then, if you look at the totality of what he said about Williams three weeks ago, it certainly sounds like they want to see what he’s got for at least one more year.
“Look, he was a tremendous player for us last year. He’s still scratching the surface. I do think he’s got more in him as well. So I just think it just makes sense for us to do what we can to keep him around.”
Believability score: 2/10
The Lions are interested in trading for CB Jalen Ramsey
The rumor:
The Lions are one of several teams who have talked to the Dolphins about trading for the veteran cornerback.
The source: Armando Salguero of Outkick posted this in his “Draft Day Intel”
“The Dolphins have talked to the Rams, Falcons, Lions, Commanders, Eagles and others.”
Analysis:
A team talking to another team doesn’t necessarily indicate a lot of interest. Sometimes, it’s just due diligence.
I don’t have a great pulse on Salguero’s track record, but he has covered the NFL for decades and is an All-Pro voter. So he’s not just a random person. It’s also worth noting that the Lions were reportedly interested in Ramsey back in 2023 when he was available for trade via the Rams.
However, this still doesn’t pass the sniff test. The Lions have three starting capable cornerbacks on the roster who are still under contract for three more years. They just spent $48 million on D.J. Reed. And Ramsey just signed a three-year, $72.1 million extension last year. For a team that is in savings mode, it does not make much sense for Detroit to acquire an expensive 31-year-old cornerback.
Believability score: 4/10