The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching and the Detroit Lions have the 28th pick. This is a breakdown of their team needs and potential players they could select in the Draft.
State of the Union
The Lions are looking to finally take the next step in the 2025-26 season. Dan Campbell has completely turned this franchise around, from one of the laughingstocks of the league into back-to-back NFC North champions. However, the Lions have not been able to turn that regular-season success into a Super Bowl berth. In 2024, they were road underdogs to the 49ers in the NFC Championship and put up a good fight but couldn’t come away with a win. However, in 2025, they were the team to beat in the NFC, holding the top seed in the conference. That is before they inexplicably gave up 45 points to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels on their home turf and got bounced in the Divisional Round. It’s hard for Lions fans to complain too much with how great of a job Dan Campbell has done, but this era would feel like a disappointment if it didn’t result in at least a Super Bowl appearance.
Free Agency Recap
Departures
RG Kevin Zeitler (Titans) – Per PFF grading, Zeitler was the fifth-best guard in football last season, so this is a huge loss for Detroit. Zeitler only spent one season in Detroit, but he started 16 games and performed exceptionally well. Zeitler also brought a lot of experience to the Lions’ offensive line room. He will leave a massive hole that needs to be filled at right guard.
CB Carlton Davis (Patriots) – Davis also only spent one year in Detroit after winning a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. Davis had a great season in Detroit but got hurt at the end of the regular season and ended up missing the postseason. His loss was very apparent in that playoff loss to the Commanders.
Potential Departures
EDGE Za’Darius Smith – Za’Darius Smith was brought in midseason by the Lions to fill the hole that Aidan Hutchinson left when he got injured. Between the Browns and Lions last season, Smith combined for nine sacks and is a really solid EDGE. However, the Lions decided they could not afford to offer him a big contract this offseason. It looked like he was set to find a new home, but Smith is yet to sign anywhere, and there are reports that he could actually return to Detroit on a cheaper contract. If Smith returns, that will have a huge impact on what the Lions want to do in the draft.
Key Additions
CBs D.J. Reed (Jets), Avonte Maddox (Eagles) – The Lions wasted no time filling the gap that Carlton Davis left in their secondary. They signed arguably the most sought-after name in this year’s free-agent market, D.J. Reed. Reed was a key contributor to the Jets’ elite defenses of 2022-23 and 2023-24. Playing across from Sauce Gardner, they formed one of the most dangerous cornerback duos in the NFL over the last three seasons. The Lions are hoping that Reed can be a veteran presence for last year’s first-round pick, Terrion Arnold, and that they can develop a partnership like Reed and Gardner had. The Lions also added veteran corner and Super Bowl champion Avonte Maddox as an additional depth piece.
Team Needs
Defensive Line – The Lions need to address the defensive line in the draft. If Za’Darius Smith doesn’t return, they need another EDGE to add to their roster. Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport would be the current starters at EDGE, and both are coming off of major injuries from last season. Hutchinson is one of the best pass rushers in football when healthy, so if they can pair him with another great young talent and have Davenport as a depth piece, that could be the ideal depth chart. They could also use some extra depth on the interior defensive line with multiple players coming off of major knee injuries in that group as well.
Guard – The Lions need to fill the gap left at guard by Kevin Zeitler, plain and simple.
Potential Draft Picks
Guard Tyler Booker (Alabama) – Tyler Booker could be the ideal candidate to replace Zeitler at right guard. Booker has faced criticism for not being an elite athlete, but at the college level, he made up for that with amazing technique and a relentless work ethic. That sounds like a perfect fit for Dan Campbell’s culture in Detroit. Booker was a team captain at Alabama and has a high football IQ, both things the Lions look for when drafting. Booker could slot into that role and be a Week 1 starter for Detroit.
EDGE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee) – If the Lions opt to take an EDGE, James Pearce Jr. could be waiting for them at 28. There were times when Pearce was thought of as a top-10 pick in this class, but in a loaded EDGE class, Pearce has moved down the board. Pearce is quick, has great length and has shown at the college level that he can produce. He just needs to add some more muscle mass to make him more formidable against NFL offensive tackles and improve his rushing techniques so that his game is more unpredictable. Hitting the weight room with Dan Campbell and learning from Aidan Hutchinson could be the best thing for Pearce’s NFL career.
DT Derrick Harmon (Oregon) – Derrick Harmon is an underrated name in this year’s draft class. If he is still available for the Lions at 28, Dan Campbell might be pushing hard to take the big man. Harmon is a big body with great length and does a great job of taking up space in the middle of the line. He likely won’t put up high sack numbers in the NFL, but he is a great run stuffer and can disturb the pocket so that guys like Aidan Hutchinson can have an easier path to the quarterback. Watching Harmon on tape, he plays Dan Campbell-style football and could be a great fit in Detroit.
