The NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the Detroit Lions are once again in an enviable position: building from a place of strength. After a 15-win season, back-to-back NFC North titles, and a near Super Bowl run in 2023, this team isn’t scrambling to fill gaping holes like in years past. But that doesn’t mean GM Brad Holmes is kicking back with his feet up.
Let’s talk about where the Lions stand — and where they still need to get better — heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Detroit Lions 2025 NFL Draft Capital
Here’s the Lions’ full set of picks:
- Round 1: No. 28 overall
- Round 2: No. 60 overall
- Round 3: No. 102 overall
- Round 4: No. 130 overall
- Round 6: No. 196 (from Buccaneers)
- Round 7: No. 228 (from Cowboys)
- Round 7: No. 244 overall
Seven total picks. A mix of early opportunities and late-round swings — and plenty of ammo to move up or down the board, depending on how the draft shakes out.
Remaining Needs: EDGE Rusher
Detroit’s most glaring need is still along the edge.
Aidan Hutchinson is a beast. No debate there. But he can’t do it alone, especially as he returns from the leg injury that ended his 2024 season. The Lions brought back Marcus Davenport on a one-year prove-it deal, but with only six games played over the last two years, relying on him as a full-time running mate for Hutchinson feels more like wishful thinking than a long-term solution.
Expect Brad Holmes to have his eye on some pass-rushing help in the first two rounds.
Depth + Future Needs: Guard and Wide Receiver
With Kevin Zeitler gone, the team seems ready to roll with Christian Mahogany at right guard. And hey — he did flash serious promise in limited action. But with Graham Glasgow showing signs of decline and Mahogany having limited snaps under his belt, it wouldn’t hurt to have another interior lineman in the pipeline.
At wide receiver, the future is a little cloudy. Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond are both entering contract years. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are locked in, but depth beyond them is a little thin. Don’t be surprised if Detroit targets a developmental receiver in the mid to late rounds.
Bottom Line
The Lions don’t need to hit a home run with every pick — but if they can find a true EDGE complement to Aidan Hutchinson, some plug-and-play interior depth, and a receiver with upside? This roster could be even stronger than the one that took the NFL by storm over the past two seasons.
And that’s a scary thought for the rest of the NFC.
