Looking at players we ranked 50 through 41 on the Detroit Lions’ 2025 roster.
As we continue to move on in our 2025 Detroit Lions roster rankings, we’ve reached the players we believe will start training camp from inside the roster bubble rather than outside of it. Of the 10 players listed below—who are ranked from 50 to 41 in our countdown—it seems quite likely that at least eight or nine of them will make the 53-man roster. Still, there is work to do for a handful of them.
Let’s dive into the players we ranked 50-41 on the Lions’ roster
Note: For methodology and more details, check out the first installment of this series.
Previously:
50. LS Hogan Hatten (Highest ranking: 44, Lowest ranking: 60)
I believe Hatten jumped higher than anyone else on this year’s list. That’s what happens when you go from second-string long snapper to first. It’s hard to place a value on a long snapper compared to the rest of the roster, but just inside the top-53 seems fair.
49. EDGE Ahmed Hassanein (Highest: 39, Lowest: 55)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Hassanein has quickly become a fan favorite of the 2025 NFL Draft class due to his relentless attitude, bright personality, and unique story. He’ll also have a crack at making Detroit’s defensive end rotation, with many questions about the team’s depth there. But with him being so new to the game of football, there will be a significant amount of development early in his career.
48. TE Shane Zylstra (Highest: 42, Lowest: 62)
Of this group, Zylstra may be on the shakiest ground. He likely enters training camp as the favorite for the TE3 position , but the additions of Kenny Yeboah, as well as undrafted rookies Zach Horton and Luke Deal, will be legitimate competition. Still, Zylstra has been with the organization since 2021, so there is some trust built in there.
47. OT Giovanni Manu (Highest: 38, Lowest: 80)
No one has a wider range of rankings than Manu, which makes sense considering we’re in the dark about his development (although the 80 ranking is a huge outlier; most had Manu in the 40s). Coming out of British Columbia, Manu was extremely raw in training camp last year, but the entire Lions organization insisted he made dramatic improvements as the season went on . We’ll have to wait and see if that’s actually true.
46. EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad (Highest: 41, Lowest: 49)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Muhammad was a midseason addition after the Lions had suffered serious injuries at defensive end. With 34 starts to his name, he gave the Lions some much-needed experience at the position, and he delivered some solid play at times. He finished the year with 11 tackles, 3.0 sacks, five quarterback hits, and 24 pressures (per PFF) in nine game appearances.
That was enough to earn him a new contract with Detroit and for him to enter training camp with a presumed roster spot—although it’s not guaranteed.
45. QB Hendon Hooker (Highest: 41, Lowest: 51)
Hooker climbs a few spots on this year’s list, likely because it doesn’t appear the Lions brought in strong competition for the backup job. Say what you will about Kyle Allen (ranked 76 on our countdown), but there is likely a good reason the Lions are his fifth team in the last five years.
Like Manu, we’ll have to see how much of the hype around Hooker’s development is real when training camp starts in over a week.
44. iOL Kayode Awosika (Highest: 36, Lowest: 55)
After sliding down the depth chart and being inactive in the latter parts of last season, Awosika slides in our rankings this year. Detroit is making a youth movement on the interior offensive line, and that could mean Awosika’s days are numbered. That said, the sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow has left Detroit almost too young on the interior, which could work to Awosika’s advantage. Still, he’ll have to compete with the likes of Netane Muti, Trystan Colon, and Michael Niese—among others—for a depth spot.
43. DT Mekhi Wingo (Highest: 34, Lowest: 57)
Last year’s sixth-round pick, Wingo, showed some serious flashes in brief appearances across 11 games. Though the statline doesn’t look impressive (nine tackles, 1 QB hit), Wingo had a little juice as an interior pass rusher.
“He was playing so dang good for us,” Dan Campbell said midway through the season. “He’s been a staple for us, defensively, especially with the injuries, and even before that, he was playing for us. Not like he wasn’t. He was really a spot starter anyway and then took over that role with the injuries, special teams guy for us.”
Unfortunately, he lost the back half of the season to a knee injury that required surgery. However, at the end of the season, Wingo said he expects to be back in time for training camp .
42. LB Grant Stuard (Highest: 37, Lowest: 47)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Stuard was a free agent signing that must have had special teams coordinator Dave Fipp all giddy. Prior to Detroit’s matchup with the Colts, Fipp pointed specifically at Stuard as one of the best special teamers in the league. While Stuard won’t be handed a job—particularly in a linebacker room filled with special teams talent—he is considered one of the top reserves going into camp. He also got his first taste of serious defensive play with Indianapolis last year and seemed to hold up particularly well.
41. iOL Miles Frazier (Highest: 36, Lowest: 48)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Frazier was considered by many to be Detroit’s biggest steal of the 2025 draft. Taken in the fifth round, Frazier has the talent and schematic fit in Detroit to become a future starter. However, it’ll be a challenge for him to win that job as a rookie, as he finds himself behind the likes of Graham Glasgow, Christian Mahogany, and Tate Ratledge at the start of camp. Still, Frazier could be important depth as early as this year.