The Detroit Lions have seven draft picks, including compensatory selections, and could make some intriguing mid-round selections. Here are three potential draft candidates for Brad Holmes to target in the third and fourth rounds.
Intriguing Mid-Round Draft Prospects for the Detroit Lions
One of the advantages the Lions have going into the draft is GM Brad Holmes’s ability to spot underrated players . Holmes is a genius in finding that rare exceptional mid-round talent, just as he did with Amon-Ra St. Brown . In the 2021 draft, NFL analyst Lance Zierlein rated St. Brown as “an average starter” and predicted he wouldn’t be drafted until the third round. As it turned out, St. Brown wasn’t drafted until the fourth round by the Lions with the 112th pick. Now, in recognition of everything he’s accomplished, it’s hard to comprehend how 16 other wide receivers were drafted before him.
Day Two -Third Round – Pick 102
Perhaps Holmes will spot another rare diamond again this year. One of the more intriguing prospects the Lions have their eye on is EDGE defender Josaiah Stewart. Like Aidan Hutchinson, Stewart hails from the University of Michigan. One of the Lions’ top draft prospects, Stewart could provide depth in a much-needed position. According to the Lions Pre-Draft Visit Tracker, Stewart has met with the Lions on multiple occasions. In addition to a “Top-30 Pre-Draft” visit, he participated in a virtual meeting and a local Pro-Day invitational. He is the only prospect on the Lions’ radar to have three formal meetings.
Grading the Prospect
A native of the Bronx, NY, Stewart has several qualities the Lions seek in their defensive players. An explosive speed rusher with a high motor, Stewart exhibits a relentless pursuit and an aggressive contact-ready intensity. He received a 92.3 pass-rush score from Pro Football Focus .
What makes him even more attractive to Detroit is his coachability. According to reports, Stewart possesses a strong work ethic and an unflagging desire for improvement. Transferring to Michigan for his final two years of eligibility from Coastal Carolina, he exhibited tremendous performance growth in the past year.
Stewart had the fifth-highest Production score of all EDGE participants at the NFL Combine with 81 and finished with a respectable overall score of 6.33. Graded as a prospect who “Will Eventually Be a Plus-Starter,” he ranked 25th out of a deep 33-man EDGE class.
Stewart’s relatively small physical appearance could be the issue. At 6’1” and 249 lbs, he lacks the size and bulk of a desirable NFL EDGE rusher. With hands measuring only 9 1/2” and arms shorter than average at 31 7/8, Stewart doesn’t fit the physical mold of your typical defender. Nonetheless, he finds a way to get the job done and achieve the desired result.
According to SI, “What makes Stewart particularly dangerous is his ability to use his quickness and change of direction to his advantage. His speed forces offensive linemen to rethink how they approach him. Stewart can change angles at the drop of a hat, getting to the edge faster than linemen can even react. This ability to beat blockers to the edge before they can get into their stance is one of his most dangerous weapons.”
Stewart is an impact player with drive and great bendability who has shown improvement every year. For the Lions to invest so much time in a prospect indicates serious interest. Holmes might even trade up to acquire him. Pairing Stewart with Aidan Hutchinson on the EDGE is a tantalizing prospect.
Day Two – 4th Round – Pick 130
With a solid receiving corps headed by star receiver St. Brown, plus Jameson Williams and Tim Patrick, the Lions are in pretty good shape with their offense. However, in keeping with Homes’ draft strategy of selecting the “Best Player Available” without regard to position, taking TCU wide receiver Savion Williams in the fourth round would be a solid choice.
Ranked number 77 in Eric Edholm’s Top 100, Williams is a talented prospect who could still be available when the Lions are on the board with the 130th pick. Williams offers explosive speed, agility, and optimum size for wideout. At 6’4” 225 lbs, with generous 10 1/2” hands, Williams has experience playing quarterback and even scored a passing touchdown in addition to his six receiving and six rushing touchdowns last year at TCU. That ability to throw a football could play nicely into the Lions’ new offensive scheme under OC John Morton. Described by NFL analyst Lance Zierlein as a “developmental wideout who offers an alluring blend of physical gifts and untapped potential,” Williams offers dual usage to score in short goal line plays as well as a dynamic gadget runner.
With coaching, Williams could develop into a strong, reliable receiving option for the Lions.
Different Direction
Or, if the Lions wanted to go in another direction, Holmes could select Toledo DT Darius Alexander. At 24 years old, Alexander is one of the older players in the draft. Standing 6’4″ tall and 315 lbs. with 10″ hands and 34″ arms, he has the physicality of the ideal defender. In 2024, Alexander recorded 40 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 7.5 TFLs. He also had a 58-yard pick-six in the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Pittsburgh.
Alexander performed extremely well at the Senior Bowl and had an impressive NFL Combine where he stood out as one of the top defenders in every drill. His 6.17 overall score rated him as a “Good Backup With The Potential to Develop Into A Starter.” Zierlein described Alexander as having “above-average rush acumen. He does a nice job of utilizing his traits and crafting a plan of attack. His best football could be ahead of him, but for now, he projects as an average rotational player or backup.”
His profile suggests some weakness in his game that could land him as a late third or fourth-round selection. Alexander is still regarded as a developmental prospect in many ways. However, a defender who rises to the occasion to play his heart out in the biggest games sounds like a good fit for the gritty, leave-it-all-on-the-field Detroit Lions.
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