The Detroit Lions saw a dream 15-2 season end in a nightmare as the team lost in the divisional round to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
As good as the Lions were offensively, the defense proved to be an issue as the team had a tough time stopping Daniels and the Commanders’ offensive attack. The Lions’ defense did face a significant loss during the season when Aidan Hutchinson went down with a season-ending injury. They also faced other injuries throughout the season that impacted the team ranking in the bottom five of yards allowed with 350.1.
While health will help the team be better in 2025, the Lions will look to the 2025 NFL Draft to tweak key areas on defense and add depth in other areas to help them take that next step to the Super Bowl. This NFL Mock Draft explores their options.
Detroit Lions 2024 NFL season
2024 NFL season record: 15-2 2n 1st in the NFC North
Team offense: Rank 2nd (415.7 yards per game)
Team defense: Rank 26th (350.1 yards per game)
Playoffs: Lost to Washington Commanders in NFC Divisional round
2025 NFL Draft position: No. 28
Top positional needs: Edge, OL, S, DL, WR
2025 NFL Draft outlook
The Lions had one of the top offenses in 2025, but a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in yards allowed per game. Part of the reason centered around the loss of Hutchinson, but Dan Campbell and company will be looking to improve defensively through the draft. The focus is to find a top option opposite Hutchinson. Along with some help in the interior of their defensive line, the Lions also need a safety to help hold down the defensive secondary.
Offensively, the Lions don’t have many needs but could use a starting right guard. They may also look to add another explosive playmaker to team with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Below is a list of players who could be available at No. 28 or Day 2 who could help fill the team’s top two biggest needs.
Potential Edge prospects:
- Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
- Princely Umanmielen, Ole Miss
- Bradyn Swinson, LSU
- JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
- Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Potential OL prospects at guard:
- Tyler Booker, Alabama
- Tate Ratledge, Georgia
- Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
- Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
- Willie Lampkin, North Carolina
Here is a look at what General Manager Brad Holmes and the Lions will do in this three-round NFL Mock Draft.
2025 NFL Mock Draft (three-round)
The Missouri star wide receiver shouldn’t slip this far down in the first round, but given the team’s needs selecting ahead of them, the Lions eyes light up with the opportunity of adding another explosive playmaker on offense. In Luther Burden III, the Lions get a player coming off a down year statistically, but his speed and elusiveness still makes him one of the top wide receivers in the draft. The Lions get him at No. 28, which makes their top 5 offense from a season ago even more multi-dimensional and hard to defend.
The Lions continue to have players fall to them in this draft with the selection of Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer. As a key contributor in OSU’s National Championship run, Sawyer is a playmaker off the edge who shows relentless pursuit in getting to the quarterback. Paired with Aidan Hutchinson, Sawyer gives the lions another high impact defender who has a tendency of making a big play at the right time. He proved that with Ohio State in 2024 with 9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 INT.
With the No. 102 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Lions find their right guard in Georgia’s Tate Ratledge. One of the top guards entering the draft, Ratledge is a 6-foot-6, 308-pound powerhouse who has that typical offensive lineman nastiness in his blocking style. With his thick frame, he controls defenders at the point of attack and is a solid in his pass protection which will only help Jared Goff and the Lions’ high-octane offense.