The Offseason Thread

[Mainevent]

Tier 2 Group: Tyler Booker OG , Grey Zabel OG, Donovan Jackson OG, Derrick Harmon DT, Kenneth Grant DT

I realized just now that I totally left Walter Nolen (DT Ole Miss) out of this group. He should have for sure been included.

Also considering removing Grant and Booker from this group. Booker isn't quite on the level of Zabel or Jackson IMO because he's a pure OG without any positional versatility. He's also not as athletic as those other two and is more of just a full on masher. That's fine, but I just think it puts him a bit behind those other guys.

As for Grant, sort of the same story, Harmon and Nolen have much higher rush upsides in 305/310lb bodies. That's a rare commodity. Grant has a bit of that but is still a traditional NT for the most part. If the Lions are prioritizing NT as a next year replacement for Reader, that works. But they can also look to get one of those guys in the 2nd or 3rd, like El Ax did with his Harmon/Tyleik Wililams combo pick.

[Blue Lagoon58]

Yep, I hope that’s the case and the fact that they just want more opportunities to get him live reps. The other side of that coin is that after a year of work at OT that they don’t think he has the chops to be a starter out at OT and want to transition him to the inside.

And even if that is the case, getting a starting G in the 4th is pretty good.

[Mainevent]

A 4th and this year’s 3rd. For a guy that’s sitting the bench for at least 2 years.

[El Axe]

B077 came out with his 5th mock

28: Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
60: South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders.
102: Texas OL Cameron Williams
140: Illinois WR Pat Bryant.
196: LSU G Miles Frazier
228: Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter.
242: Ohio State ILB Cody Simon

https://old.reddit.com/r/detroitlions/comments/1jqqmsl/bo77_fit_mock_draft_v_5/

He's not as excited about this one, and I agree. Ezeiruaku is a good player, but would overlap with Barnes.

[DanO]

B077 came out with his 5th mock

28: Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
60: South Carolina DT T.J. Sanders.
102: Texas OL Cameron Williams
140: Illinois WR Pat Bryant.
196: LSU G Miles Frazier
228: Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter.
242: Ohio State ILB Cody Simon

https://old.reddit.com/r/detroitlions/comments/1jqqmsl/bo77_fit_mock_draft_v_5/

He's not as excited about this one, and I agree. Ezeiruaku is a good player, but would overlap with Barnes.

I don't know the players but I like the positions. I'm sure Holmes et al have that figured out.

[El Axe]

Yep, in general B077 has been drafting a guard, a DL/DT and a DE/Edge with his first 3-4 picks. Usually, he drafts a DE who fits the Lions type (Big/powerful and long who holds the edge and defends the run first) instead of a prototypical Edge (athletic pass rusher who can drop into coverage).

[Mainevent]

Not sure that Ezaruaku overlaps with Barnes in that I think if you play him at off the ball LB, you're wasting his primary skill. Barnes, for all the talk about him as a pass rusher, really hasn't done it that much or been that successful as a pro (4 sacks for his career). The idea of him as a regular, impactful pass rusher is a bit wishcasting.

Ezaruaku's ideal position may be as a OLB but that would be in a 3-4 where he could play the TJ Watt type of role of getting after the QB. If the Lions were to draft him, then they are either thinking about deploying 3-4 front, or they will use him as DE pass rusher, similar to how Philly used Hassan Reddick or Nolan Smith - more 7-technique probably than anything.

[edindetroit]

I'm at a funeral for our friend Al and I was looking at the photo gallery and here is a picture of Al shaking hands with Harry Boil!
20250405_103926.jpg

[-Deborah-]

Sorry for your loss.

[-Deborah-]

RDT_20250405_1825321002579870007106885.png

[El Axe]

My latest mock. Worked out really well, I like every single one of these players. Traded back from 28 to get 34 & 99, standard value trade, when my top targets were already gone.
- All but one pick are B077-approved in that they fit Holmes' drafting profile and all were value picks
- For whatever reason, all guard prospects were really overdrafted, so I was left with drafting a high-RAS high work ethic sleeper IOL in the 7th.
- The only non B077 pick was Martinez, who instead was the player that the RAS inventor, a Lions fan, really hopes the Lions pick this year.
- This gives us needed immediate quality depth on the DL with an Edge, a DE & a DT. Paul is a future Anzalone replacement; Martinez will be able to add to the RB room immediately; TeSlaa is Jamo insurance; Moore is a versatile safety from Alabama and would immediately fit in with Arnold/Branch.



image.png

[Mainevent]

If the Lions don't go edge in the first, I'm warming up to the idea of Ashton Gillotte, DE from Louisville on Day 2.

- 6'3", 264, under 32" arms at the combine; did not run but had good jumps (36.5, 10.0). At his pro-day ran a 4.65 40, 6.94 3-cone, which are excellent. Overall RAS of 9.75, which is outstanding
- 4.5 sacks last season, but 11 the year before and 25.5 for his career (at least 4 sacks each year).
- Has all the football character traits the Lions look for - plays his ass off, team leader, plays with bad intentions and to the whistle, consistently productive, that kind of stuff.

He doesn't always look as athletic on the field as those testing numbers suggest, straight line speed is good, but can appear a bit lumbering when changing directions or chasing plays to the edge, but part of that could be because he has a very thick build. He really made me think of Paschal quite a bit - and looking back at it, the measurements are pretty close. Gillotte's not as strong of a run defender but definitely more agile and with better acceleration. He's not overly sophisticated with pass rush moves (spin move not great, doesn't have a counter when the power rush gets stymied) but has some good hand usage.

I actually didn't want to like him at first, I really want somebody that is that long-armed, elite level burst guy, or a the true physical specimen type. But I do like him, think he'd fit right in with this team. Also would join Anzalone and Stuard in the hair brigade.

https://youtu.be/uFce0t-8n_Q?si=s5PhKgradPuR42Ha

[El Axe]

BO77 Thoughts on the draft. (I really enjoyed this):

Fits list should be fully assembled and completed next week. As I've mentioned before the final piece I usually use in it is Dane Brugler's The Beast, which he has said should be released tomorrow. That piece without a doubt the best, most insightful draft piece where I double check most of my notes on players and then also dive into the more inside tidbits that Brugler tends to get from scouts. Those pieces tend to help fill in a few of the intangible pieces that are harder to surmise from watching film, which is the player's work ethic off-field, their leadership, grit, character, etc. So once that is out tomorrow, I pretty much just need some time to finalize everything and that'll be out.

In the meantime, here's a handful of thoughts on the Lions and the upcoming NFL Draft to argue about.

(1.) The player I think I'd most likely bet on to end up a Detroit Lion is...

Right now, Ohio State G Donovan Jackson. There's definitely a case to be made for Oregon DT Derrick Harmon, but I do think Harmon's draftable range is probably a bit higher than Jackson's and so the more realistic pick is Jackson right now. From a fit perspective, we don't have RAS testing numbers as Jackson did not do much at the Combine, but the film evaluation is fantastic. He's got the perfect build at 6-4, 320 pounds, the power to smash around in the run game, and has shown some fantastic stuff in protection, both at guard and even kicking out to tackle.

For the Lions, adding Jackson as a plug-and-play left guard allows them to effectively move Graham Glasgow back to right guard, where he's played a bit better I'd say throughout his career, and then have Christian Mahogany compete with essentially both of them for a starting spot. Ideally you see Jackson locked in at left guard and Mahogany at right guard, and Glasgow gets to finish out his Lions career as the well-respected veteran who can provide depth at multiple spots.

This isn't to say they won't take an edge early on but...

(2.) I think an EDGE in round one is actually a somewhat unlikely scenario...

Now obvious caveat, it depends who is on the board. I don't think Detroit would hesitate if it were Mykel Williams falling to them at twenty-eighth overall, for instance, but I also don't think Williams is a guy who will actually be on the board then. Could probably say the same about Shemar Stewart, but most mocks have Stewart and Williams gone before the Lions are up with the 28th pick.

Instead, I think the more plausible names for EDGE that would be available all are a little less clean of fits for the Lions than the players available at guard (Donovan Jackson, Grey Zabel), or even defensive tackle (Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen). And a reminder, a DT like either of those two names mentioned also helps the pass rush. This, however, is simply to say that Brad Holmes has never been the type of dude who forces a pick at a specific position, and so noting how irregular and difficult to project it can be near the end of the first-round, assuming that the Lions will just simply pick the next best edge is a very tough bet to make.

Especially when all the potential fits there get kind of wonky by comparison to how clean the fits are at other positions. For example...

• Donovan Ezeiruaku is a fantastic fit as a SAM linebacker, but is lacking in the size to really fit the truer vision that Detroit has. That vision can be seen with the other edge rushers they have there, namely Marcus Davenport (6-6, 265 pounds), Josh Paschal (6-3, 275 pounds), and then formerly John Cominsky (6-4, 285 pounds). So Ezeiruaku is a clean fit at SAM but the Lions also just extended Barnes as their SAM to a noteworthy contract.
• James Pearce has been rumored to have some off-field stuff that the Lions probably won't really appreciate, and thus he's probably not a huge factor for them. Even beyond that, Pearce is a finesse player who lacks weight and strength to hold his own on the edge. That just doesn't mesh with what the Lions want.
• Nic Scourton is the best fit outright, with the requisite size (6-3, 265 pounds and has played heavier!) and power, but he's very non-explosive outright and that's the other major piece that Holmes has looked for. Now, I do love Scourton's game overall, as I believe I have mentioned already, but even then he's missing one of the two biggest requirements Holmes has operated with.
• Femi Oladejo is someone whom I think Mel Kiper may have mocked to Detroit at 28th overall. Again, same kind of thing as Ezeiruaku where he's a pretty great fit as a SAM, but not a true hand in the dirt defensive end that the Lions need more so than a SAM. Unlike Ezeiruaku however, he's also a bit of a reach here.
• And then you get into Landon Jackson, J.T. Tuiomolau, and Jack Sawyer who all are pretty decent fits in that same sense, but I do not think any of them are anywhere near first-round talents. Jackson and Tuimoloau would be quality picks at 2.60, but significant reaches in the first-round.

Short to say, Holmes has tended to really only draft really clean fits in the first- and second-rounds, and I just don't really think we're going to see a scenario where there actually is a super clean fit for the Lions at 28th, and there's likely to be some very clean fits at other spots.

Might just be me, but I think both guard and defensive tackle are a lot more likely than an edge rusher, and more in one second here, but Malaki Starks as well as a safety.

(3.) However, I do think 2.60 is ripe for an edge rusher...

As mentioned, the Lions do have a type, and that type tends to be bigger, explosive edge rushers who win with power and edge setting. That's not to say they won't take a more SAM-oriented player, as I still would suggest that Ezeriuaku or maybe Michigan's Josaiah Stewart are very good options for Detroit if they want to do more 3-4 looks. But the reality of it is that the Lions tend to draft by the standards that Holmes has identified. He's a terrific general manager and seems to have a formula, so trusting that tends to be easier projections. And thus, that brings me to this point which is that while I do not think an edge rusher is the pick in the first-round, I think the options at 2.60 are fantastic.

At that point, most of the guys you tend to see projected there are much easier projections for the roles the Lions look for, such as:

• The aforementioned J.T. Tuimoloau, a 6-4, 270 pound edge rusher with a lot of power, a quick first-step, and about as much football intelligence as you've seen from a defensive end lately.
• Oregon's Jordan Burch, a very strong and explosive dude at 6-5, 285 pounds who is the definition of a freaky athlete. He's needing some refinement but checks all the top boxes that Holmes likes.
• Landon Jackson, as well, is a lot more appropriate selection here, as he's a pretty high-floor player with good fundamentals and length to set an edge, but hasn't managed to translate his traits into a consistently good pass rush.
• Ole Miss' Jared Ivey lacks some of the athletic measurements and testing, but plays the way they like, with toughness, power, and length at the point of attack, and can kick inside and rush from interior shades.
• South Carolina's Kyle Kennard who is a very well-rounded end at 6-5, 260 pounds who has a very solid array of skills and traits, but needs a little bit more refinement to put it all together.
• UCLA's Femi Oladejo (6-2, 260 pounds) is also more a bit like a SAM than in the same mold as someone like Davenport, but the talent and upside there is a good match at that point.

So again, the summary here is really just that when you're trying to match fit and talent, the likely options at 1.28 are not all that promising because most of the players who meet the talent threshold really don't meet the fit threshold as much, but at 2.60, it's a lot more players who manage to reach both thresholds.

Obviously Holmes will evaluate how he evaluates, but the reality too here is that Brad Holmes really is not a "oh my word where'd this come from" pick kind of guy. Whereas Bob Quinn consistently selected players the media had pegged as Day 3 players on Day 2, Holmes usually operates a lot more within the media consensus, and so I do think this is fair sentiment to hold.

If Holmes do edge in round one, I think Scourton followed by Ezeiruaku make the most sense, and still are very good picks personally.

(4.) One position to expect early however? Safety...

Let's quick note the following drafts we saw in LAR when Holmes was top lieutenant to Les Snead towards the last several years there when he was most firmly in his role:

• 2020: Terrell Burgess (third-round), Jordan Fuller (sixth-round)
• 2019: Taylor Rapp (second-round), Nick Scott (seventh-round)
• 2017: John Johnson (third-round)

Which is an interesting note that Holmes and Snead drafted safeties early and often, and often used a strategy of adding a lot of versatile bodies there and making sure it's a deep room. Right now the Lions have a top tier duo with Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, but the depth behind them is very concerning at this point.

The Lions have recently set visits with Penn State SS Jaylen Reed and Virginia S Jonas Sanker, both of whom do project as third-round fits for the Lions, and I also do think that Georgia S Malaki Starks is the quintessential "don't overthink it due to positional value" in the first-round this season. So one way or the other, I do think I'd be a little shocked if the Lions do not take a safety fairly early. Effectively, short of Starks falling, I am fairly confident that we see a safety added between the duo of picks 3.102 and 4.130, though the second-round also just would not surprise at all.

The Lions need more depth here, Holmes has a lot of experience finding very quality safeties on Day 2, both looking at the Rams picks there as well as Kerby Joseph (2022 third-round pick) and Brian Branch (2023 second-round pick) in Detroit, Holmes' formula tends to be to regularly add safeties on Day 2 of the draft to keep that room fresh and well-stocked.

(5.) There are a handful of positions that the Lions can be savvy and future forward at...

One issue fans tend to have is they do not look at the Draft long-term, but rather look at it as the final chance to significantly shop for what you need in the moment. Which is to say that most fans spend a lot of time overly focused on the needs for the upcoming season, but general managers tend to also be looking more long-term than fans do. Roster building is a multi-year evaluation, not simply checking off a need-to-do list for the current season.

And particularly, as the Lions have their cap situation condense due to the excellent drafting that Holmes has shown that now requires extensions for top players, the Lions need to be even savvier in how they approach roster building, and so usually that means shifting the perspective away from "who do we need just for this season" to an approach that also looks at who could they take that can develop into a cheaper, cost-controlled starter for them in a season or two.

For example, the two positions here that really stick out are wide receiver and linebacker. At the wide receiver position, this one has been more commonly mentioned, but the Lions have two veterans set to hit free agency after this season in Tim Patrick (X-WR1) and Kalif Raymond (Z-WR2 and return specialist). Add in Holmes' recent comments that Detroit would only be doing the fifth-year option for Jameson Williams right now, rather than a full-on extension, and the speculation on how long Williams will remain in Detroit has taken off. Now, that's not to say it's decided, far from it actually, but rather that the Lions could pretty easily take a wide receiver in the second thru fourth rounds that they believe can become a full-time starter in 2026, perhaps replacing Tim Patrick for example. Let's use Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins here as an example. If the Lions grab Higgins, work him in during the 2025 season and like him, then Tim Patrick isn't needed back as a starter in 2026, and if then in 2026 Higgins showcases some really good stuff, the Lions would have a productive Amon-Ra St. Brown, and then a cost-controlled Higgins and Jameson Williams needing an extension, it makes it much easier to deal Jameson Williams for further picks while ensuring you keep a capable WR room that, in this scenario, would have two quality players still in St. Brown and Higgins. Again, just using him as an example here.

[El Axe]

The other position for this one is linebacker. Why? The Lions have just two players under contract in 2026 at the position, and that's Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes, the latter of whom they've signed to be their primary SAM backer, meaning he's still even a slightly different position than what linebacker tends to mean, as this refers to off-ball (though Barnes can still play off-ball linebacker at a sufficient enough caliber). Alex Anzalone turns 31-years old this season, and while he's been a key leader for the Lions defense, the reality is that the Lions will need to be making business decisions with Jack Campbell needing an extension, Derrick Barnes under contract, and whether or not to extend Anzalone on another deal in that $5-7 mil range or so. You know what kind of of solves the cap crunch there? Someone like Ole Miss LB Chris Paul Jr. being drafted in like the third-round this year, worked in and developed in 2025 and inserted in as a starter for 2026 alongside Campbell. That allows Detroit to play things a bit more practically with Anzalone, able to welcome him back as a veteran rotational player and locker room leader, but not being dependent on matching whatever price he'd be asking or else losing a starter with no one waiting in the wings.


This is not me saying the Lions need to be drafting to make sure Anzalone walks or ensure that Jameson Williams gets traded. Rather the reality is you cannot pay everyone, and so something drafting players with their future role in mind does weigh quite prevalently for smart general managers, and so do not be surprised if noted smart general manager Brad Holmes acts like a smart general manager and drafts some players to be able to help navigate a tighter cap situation in a season or two.

(6.) If the Lions trade up...

https://preview.redd.it/3112x1lhvnte1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp& s=960cdc803665386b4289b6641a6b4ae97817ae0b

I nailed this one last year as well, noting that Terrion Arnold and Jared Verse would be the two most likely trade up guys for the Lions. Lo and behold, the Lions moved up for Arnold and Les Snead, Holmes' original mentor, took Verse, so I'd call that about as close for 2/2 as can be, short of a Draft Day scenario of trading every day 2 pick for half a decade to move and grab another first rounder themselves. But, pivoting the focus here to 2025, I think there's three guys who really stick out as guys the Lions would be willing to move up for:

• Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams - A tough-nosed edge rusher with elite size, length, and power to set a firm edge, and has a decent bit of burst off the snap and explosiveness to continue to take steps towards becoming a significant pass rusher.
• Texas OL Kelvin Banks Jr. - Think he's a terrific fit for a plug-and-play contender at left guard early on, even though he played LT in Austin. Comes in at 6-4, 320 pounds, very athletic and with excellent strength and anchoring ability. If he improves his hand timing, he could even still be an NFL tackle at some point as well.
• Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan - Fits in the same camp as Terrion Arnold where the latest you really ever saw him mocked was like in that 12-15 range and no one figured he'd slide. But if he does, McMillan is a big wide out with excellent leaping and toughness in the air. Would be a natural replacement for Tim Patrick and probably honestly overtake him quickly as a rookie.

I go back-and-forth on Jihaad Campbell as a candidate to this section.

(7.) My annual "Ball Knowing Litmus Test" is...

A player I've mentioned recently on this post: Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams.

Each year, I always find there's one prospect that's just such an easy evaluation that so many people miss because, in my incredibly humble and in-no-way-shape-or-form-arrogant opinion, you'd have to absolutely not know ball to miss on. Yes, that was sarcastic for anyone who wasn't picking up what I was putting down. In my arrogance, I do always tend to find one player that I can't help but treat as an all-or-nothing evaluation, where I truly just can't respect folks who come in with a negative opinion on these prospects.

So far my annual litmus test has stood up quite well, with this being the list as of late:

• 2019 - Mississippi State EDGE Montez Sweat
• 2020 - Auburn DT Derrick Brown
• 2021 - Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
• 2022 - Utah ILB Devin Lloyd
• 2023 - Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
• 2024 - Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

Each instance, these players tended to be varying degrees of controversial for a number of different reasons. People said Montez Sweat was too linear to be an effective pass rusher in the NFL, Derrick Brown was just a run stuffing nose and not valuable enough to be picked over icons like Jeff Okudah or Isaiah Simmons. People said Gonzalez lacked the actual feel to break up passes, and all sorts of criticism about J.J. McCarthy's merit as a top-10 selection.

Each one is one I've felt is a very easy evaluation, and the folks tending to side against these players are usually overthinking things imo. So far, I feel as I've done a steady job with this process, as obviously Sweat and Brown have gone on to sign major money contracts, and both Bateman and Lloyd have put up solid enough production, though are not necessarily a star by any means. And that's part of the evaluation here, which is just that sometimes people try to overthink things and only lock in guys they think can be some 8x All-Pro Hall of Fame candidate, rather than just simply acknowledge, respect, and give some praise to high floor football players. And then now too you have Gonzalez who has already emerged as a true CB1 for the Patriots and someone they'll definitely be wanting to pay. McCarthy had the injury wipe his rookie year, and so thus we aren't running a victory lap yet, but so far the rumors are that he actually might've ended up ahead of Darnold last fall already and seems to have already cleared the field for the QB1 role in Minnesota, chasing off any further QB pursuits on their end to let McCarthy show what he's made of.

Again, I feel good about my list, particularly since I'm not choosing like the no. 1 overall prospect for each one, but diving more into the second-tier when prospects really aren't perfect.

This year, the one that fits that category the most for me is EDGE Mykel Williams. Edge rusher is an easy one to get all out of sorts about, because fans tend to be very locked in just on the pass rush aspect of it, and thus why you see one dimensional players like James Pearce so high on some fans' wishlists. Football coaches, however, tend to respect and appreciate dudes who can do the little things and the behind the scenes pieces. Guys like Williams who can set the edge, squeeze the pocket, maintain their gap, get their hands up as the QB throws, tackle well, give great effort on the backside pursuit, get the eyes up to make lateral run stops, these are guys who tend to go on to become, at a minimum, quality starters who will produce and play hard, even if they aren't a bonafide Madden cover type of superstar. In Mykel Williams we trust this season.

I debated as well between Williams, who is just a ridiculously high floor player, with a similar one in Alabama's Tyler Booker, who is a mauler in the run game but tested awfully for a first-round pick, and thus some confidence has wavered in the media sphere.

(8.) I do not believe much in positional value, sorry...

Whether from the financial or on-field impact, I don't really believe all that much in taking positions into consideration when drafting. I do believe the rewards and benefits are genuine and full of merit, however, my philosophy of disregard comes from the reality that those benefits are only realized if the player is actually good and hits, and so drafting good football players tends to be of greater importance to me than what position they play. Here's a few elaborations, examples, not to say they definitively prove my position, but rather just a good reminder for fans if the Lions don't take an edge rusher or wide receiver in the first-round.

• The Lions got hammered for the lack of positional value with RB Jahmyr Gibbs and ILB Jack Campbell, and now they're both top-10 players at their respective positions in the league and key pieces for a top team. Can also probably say the same thing about C Frank Ragnow back in 2018, a now 4x Pro Bowler, 3x All-Pro player at a "non-valuable" position.
• The Raiders, in the 2019 NFL Draft, took EDGE Clelin Ferrell (high positional value) and he was a bust for them and thus provided no real benefit or impact to the team (he provided a whopping total of 10 sacks in 4 years, which is backup caliber stuff) whereas RB Josh Jacobs (low positional value) was one of their marquee players for the next five seasons, scoring 46 touchdowns and making the Pro Bowl twice as a Raider.
• 2020 Draft saw a lot of folks scoff at the notion of Derrick Brown as a good choice for Detroit (or anyone else really in the top ten or so picks) because as a more run-oriented DT, he clearly wasn't "good value" when compared to the likes of premium position players like Jeff Okudah, C.J. Henderson, Jedrick Wills, or others. Brown is now a Pro Bowler who signed a 4-year, $96 million deal to remain a franchise centerpiece.

Again, these are all imperfect examples, but the reality I try to highlight is that I am not necessarily concerned about the position that Holmes chooses someone at. And that actually even includes a needs based philosophy on it too. The Lions need another EDGE and another G relatively badly, but my hope remains that Holmes sticks to what he's always done and determine who can play at a high level, and choose those people. If that means we end up with another WR, another S, and a DT, but no EDGE or G early on, that's fine with me, because Holmes has largely shown he drafts good football players, and those kind of moves help everything else come together down the road anyways.

Now I say much because there are some exceptions to the rule here, like no one is really ever seriously going to draft fullback or a kicker or a long snapper in the first-round, no matter how good they might be. Again, I am saying I don't believe in positional value because its tertiary to the player actually being good, and I think drafting enough good football players is already a hard enough ask to now also try and balance that and filling positional needs with finite resources. Just short to say, don't get too overly focused on a singular position.

Just to say, don't expect to find me complaining that the Lions didn't take the edge rusher or guard you wanted. Holmes clearly knows what he's doing, and so while I may different on my player evaluations, you won't ever catch me complaining about the position of the player he drafted.

(9.) Some players I am personally higher on, fit evaluations aside...

Loveland will be my top choice this year in my dynasty fantasy league draft.

Casual readers tend to get a little confused, because I actually do not offer much of my opinion or assessment on things, but rather try to put myself in Brad Holmes' shoes and note what he has historically done. Thus, this is the first section here I'll really go ahead and share some personal thoughts and assessments. A few guys I am a lot higher on then most:

• Texas A&M EDGE Nic Scourton - I think he's terrific, frankly, with a very nice blend of power and force and slipperiness to add with it. He's lacking the elite burst that others have, but the dude is a tank who is hard to stop once he is moving.
• Oregon DL Jordan Burch - I think it's quite rare to find dudes who moves the way he does at 6-6, 295 pounds, and with the positive developmental chops of the Lions coaching staff, I am quite confident that Burch would be able to become a quality contributor for the Lions.
• Georgia G Tate Ratledge - I personally would be very comfortable with Ratledge in the first-round at the end of the day, even though he's universally mocked as a Day 2 pick. Think he's a perfect blend of toughness, power, athleticism, and experience. What's missing?
• Michigan TE Colston Loveland - I think Loveland here is TE1 in this draft class, though I don't say that as any type of knock on Warren. He's just such a smooth operator in the seams, and would be an absolute menace in the Lions passing game. Plus, probably also solves the "who do we not pay?" question that is likely coming up.
• Colorado State WR Tory Horton - He's a very smooth player with good cuts and sharpness to his routes, good hands, good speed, and a two-time team captain. His biggest issue is he needs to bulk up a bit, but excellent upside as an outside receiver for the Lions style if he does so.
• Pittsburgh DE Nate Matlack - A 6-5, 250 pound edge rusher who excelled at both Pitt and Kansas State. Also a fantastic athlete to pair with it. Very explosive and loose athlete, he's got the tools to develop into a regular contributor as a Day 3 pick.

I like all of these guys a good deal more than you tend to see in mock drafts.

(10.) So my "best guess mock draft" for this year is probably something like this...

Round 1, Pick #28	G	Donovan Jackson	Ohio State
Round 2, Pick #60	EDGE	Jordan Burch	Oregon
Round 3, Pick #102	S	Jonas Sanker	Virginia
Round 4, Pick #130	WR	Tory Horton	Colorado State
Round 6, Pick #196	ILB	Ruben Hyppolite II	Maryland
Round 7, Pick #228	RB	Jarquez Hunter	Auburn
Round 7, Pick #244	DT	Elijah Williams	Morgan State

A few other names that just wouldn't be shocking at all that could easily belong here are EDGE Femi Oladejo (UCLA), WR Jalen Royals (Utah State), SS Jaylen Reed (Penn State), EDGE Ashton Gillette (Louisville), ILB Chris Paul Jr. (Ole Miss), and G Tate Ratledge (Georgia).

Anyways, see you folks next week with a fit list. Have a fun feeling this will be our worst performance in years do to how crazy this draft is shaping up to be.

[El Axe]

B077 liked my sleeper pick of WR Jalen Royals of Utah State and Main's sleeper pick of EDGE Ashton Gillette (Louisville)

What's interesting is that Mykel Williams is not a consensus pick in mock drafts for any one particular team, though they concede that he's generally a top-15 pick. That could imply that he might fall a bit. If he makes it to 20, I bet Holmes is making phone calls

https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/mock-drafts/2025/consensus-mock-draft-2025