The 2025 NFL Combine is in the books. Out of all the numbers and interviews that happened, what was your biggest takeaway?
The 2025 NFL Combine is in the books, and we are officially on draft watch.
Prospects will have their pro days in the coming weeks, but the Combine was the biggest stage to impress scouts. Although it is jokingly called the Underwear Olympics, the Combine highlights the athleticism—or lack thereof—of many prospects. Additionally, the meetings and medical reviews can prove just as important. Finding the right culture fit is becoming as important as finding the right on-field fit. Those types of questions are not answered by tape, but by meeting and talking to players.
Now that most of the testing is wrapped up and attendees are departing Indianapolis, it begs the question: what did we take away from this year’s event?
Today’s Question of the Day is:
What was your biggest takeaway from the 2025 NFL Combine?
My answer: The Lions will have plenty of options at positions of need.
The worst case scenario for an NFL team is entering the draft needing to acquire a specific position, only for the draft board to fall the wrong way and leave you with scraps. We have seen it before at positions like quarterbacks—names like Paxton Lynch or Brandon Weeden stand out as first rounders that had no right going that early. The 2016 Denver Broncos had no replacement plan for Peyton Manning, and it forced their hand to select a raw passer like Lynch. The Browns , meanwhile, missed out on the trio of Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Ryan Tannehill back in the 2012 NFL Draft (they opted to select running back Trent Richardson third overall, however). In order to secure an upgrade over Colt McCoy, they selected the 29-year-old Weeden, a pick that provided neither immediate nor long-term help for the ruinous franchise.
The Detroit Lions under general manager Brad Holmes, however, do not have a history of painting themselves into a corner. In Holmes’ first draft (2021), the Lions had endless options because of how gutted the roster was. The following year (2022), the select was an easy one once Aidan Hutchinson fell to pick 2. However, they also made a bold move to grab an injured Jameson Williams in the first round. This move was not to fill an immediate need, it was a calculated risk to buy-low on a rare talent. In 2023, the Lions’ roster had come along that they could afford to spend their first three picks on traditionally low-value positions like running back, linebacker, and tight end. The Lions were never forced to pick these positions, they instead had the ability to play the board how they wanted.
The 2024 draft was the first time that the Lions under Holmes only churned out one immediate starter (Terrion Arnold), but that still speaks to Holmes’ success with roster construction. The Lions had addressed most of their weakness in prior years or in free agency. When time came to make their picks, they could have afforded to go in multiple directions. I think 2025 will be a similar case.
There are three positions that stand out to me as needs for the Lions also happen to be strengths of the draft, both in terms of top talent and overall depth.
The Lions could use long-term help at edge, and this class is thankfully stacked . Not only could the Lions get a viable starter in the late first round, but Day 2 should also prove fruitful as well. The Lions don’t need to select a pass rusher early because of the talent beyond the first round.
With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams already in the fold, the Lions do not need an immediate star on offense, but it could be a phenomenal landing spot for a rookie. That WR3 role is a substantial one, and there are multiple receivers throughout the draft that could fill that void. I would be excited about any receiver chosen by the Lions, regardless of round.
Finally, the offensive line is a bit of a mystery for the Lions going forward, but the draft is an excellent path to success. The Lions could look to add an immediate starter, a long-term replacement, or a combination of both. Short-term, the Lions could look to replace Graham Glasgow (due to a dip in play) and Kevin Zeitler (due to free agency), meaning a rookie could slot in at guard right away. Looking further down the road, an eventual replacement for Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow could be needed, depending on the growth of players like Giovanni Manu and Kingsley Eguakun. A rookie with inside-outside versatility would make sense for the Lions, and the draft has plenty of them .
The 2025 NFL Combine only confirmed my initial thoughts: the Lions have set themselves up for success with their drafting and other roster moves, and it has allowed them to play into the strengths of the draft, not the weaknesses of their team.
What are some of your takeaways from the NFL Combine? Let us know in the comments below.