Which Day 3 Detroit Lions draft pick is most likely to have a prestigious NFL career?
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has managed to find some diamonds in the NFL Draft . While he’s done an amazing job with his first-round picks, what has made him a special drafter is what he’s done in Day 3 of the draft. He’s managed to find the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez in his first two drafts alone. And early returns on Sione Vaki and Christian Mahogany are encouraging, as well.
This year, the Lions had four Day 3 picks—tied for the most Holmes has selected during his time as Lions general manager.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Lions 2025 Day 3 draft pick has the best chance to succeed?
My answer: I’m tackling this question for the long term, not just their chance at contributing in 2025.
As a reminder, here are the four Lions picks made on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
- Round 5: OL Miles Frazier
- Round 6: EDGE Ahmed Hassanein
- Round 7: S Dan Jackson
- Round 7: WR Dominic Lovett
The easiest answer is probably Miles Frazier, seeing as he was selected highest among the group, and some believed he should have gone earlier in the draft. Add on that the future of Detroit’s interior offensive line is very much up for grabs, and Frazier has a realistic path to eventually become a starter along the offensive line. Granted, it would take ideal development from all three players, but it’s possible Detroit’s future offensive line has already arrived: Frazer and Mahogany at guard with Tate Ratledge at center.
Hassanein is likely to be a popular answer simply because of the unknown ceiling for a player who is still just learning the game. His athletic traits aren’t quite elite , but it’s clear his football character is—and it’s hard to bet against guys like that. His 2025 contributions figure to be somewhat limited, but his long-term potential could eventually lead him to topping this list.
My pick, however, is Dan Jackson. I just got done wrapping a podcast with Georgia beat writer Anthony Dasher (coming to Pride of Detroit Direct subscribers on Monday), and he raved about Jackson above and beyond any other picks we’ve discussed with college beat writers so far. Immediately, Jackson should be a four-phase special teamer for Detroit. And while there’s no clear path to him becoming a starter at safety considering the Lions have two top-10 players at that position, I do believe Jackson could win the backup job sooner rather than later and eventually get some playing time on defense. He has the football IQ and instincts to play the position well, and his character is also outstanding—as evidenced by his commitment to playing (and staying) at Georgia as a walk-on, despite not being a full-time starter until his final season.
In short, I think Jackson has the highest floor, and should be—at a minimum—a long-term special teams contributor.
Which Day 3 pick do you think will go on to have the best Lions career? Vote in the poll below and share your reasoning in the comment section.