Detroit Lions mock draft roundup: 52 predictions for who Brad Holmes picks in first round

[ASFN Admin]

The Detroit Lions aren't on the clock yet, but that hasn't stopped experts from weighing in.

The Lions have the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin from Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26. The first round of the draft takes place on Thursday night and is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Lions GM Brad Holmes has already created a reputation as an elite drafter, and NFL experts will be waiting to see what talent he can add to his team's roster. Many believe Holmes will focus on adding players to the defensive unit, as the Lions suffered from many injuries to defenders down the stretch in 2024.

Many draft analysts believe the Lions will take an edge rusher or a defensive end to compliment star Aidan Hutchinson, who led the team with 7½ sacks in 2024 despite only playing in five games. Others believe the Lions will take a cornerback to further strengthen a steadily improving secondary. And if the Lions choose to acquire help on the offensive side, they might choose to draft more size for the offensive line.

Draft analysts have a lot of differing ideas about what the Lions will do with their pick, and their opinions have greatly evolved over time. Here's a list of 52 recent mock drafts that have outlined who the Lions might take with their first-round pick in the upcoming draft:

Free Press​

Our Lions insiders Dave Birkett and Rainer Sabin have each focused on the Lions bolstering their pass rush.

Birkett 4/20: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Sabin 4/19: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Birkett 3/16: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Sabin 3/14: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Birkett 2/19: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

USA TODAY​

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USA TODAY writers have had a similar focus ... with one exception courtesy of an AI chatbot.

Nate Davis 4/21: TRADE with the Cleveland Browns

Google Gemini 4/19: CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina

Tyler Dragon 4/18: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Tyler Dragon 3/28: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Tyler Dragon 3/3: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

ESPN​

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ESPN's many draft analysts tend to agree with the idea that the Lions will zero in on a pass rusher, though Jordan Reid's most recent mock draft has the Lions choosing an offensive lineman.

Jordan Reid 4/21: OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Mel Kiper Jr 4/18: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

Mel Kiper Jr 4/8: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Field Yates 4/2: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon

Matt Miller 3/27: OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Mel Kiper Jr 3/18: OLB James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Jordan Reid 3/4: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Fox Sports​

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Fox Sports' experts were initially all-in on a pass rusher, but Geoff Schwartz has recently pivoted to the Lions taking a cornerback.

Geoff Schwartz 4/18: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

Nick Wright 4/18: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

Nick Wright 4/8: DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Geoff Schwartz 3/28: DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

NBC Sports​

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NBC's Connor Rogers was convinced the Lions would take a pass rusher until his most recent mock draft.

Connor Rogers 4/9: OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

Connor Rogers 3/24: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

Connor Rogers 1/9: EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

CBS Sports​

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CBS' many mock draft analysts all have different opinions about who the Lions will draft.

Jonathan Jones 4/21: OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon

Ryan Wilson 4/21: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Garrett Podell 4/20: DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon

Tyler Sullivan 4/19: EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Tom Fornelli 4/18: OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon

Chris Trapasso 4/16: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Ryan Wilson 4/14: OG Gray Zabel, North Dakota State

Pro Football Focus​

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Most of PFF's mock drafters have the Lions selecting a pass rusher.

Staff list 4/21: LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

Jordan Plocher 4/14: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Mason Cameron 4/7: OLB James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Dalton Wasserman 3/31: OLB James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Josh Liskiewitz 3/24: OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Josh Kosko 3/17: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Max Chadwick 3/10: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

Trevor Sikkema 3/3: OLB James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Dalton Wasserman 2/24: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Jordan Plocher 2/17: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Trevor Sikkema 2/10: LB Jalon Walker, Georgia

The Athletic​

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The Athletic's Dane Brugler is one of the few draft experts to have connected the Lions to a Michigan player.

Dane Brugler 4/18: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky

Dane Brugler 4/4: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan

Dane Brugler 2/27: EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Yahoo Sports​

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Though they're unsure who, Yahoo's Nate Tice and Charles McDonald think the Lions might draft an Ohio State player.

Nate Tice and Charles McDonald 4/16: OG Donovan Jackson, Ohio State

Nate Tice and Charles McDonald 4/8: OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas

Nate Tice and Charles McDonald 3/18: EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State

NFL Network​

Could the Lions take a wide receiver with their first-round pick? NFL Network's Marc Ross seems to think so.

Chad Reuter 4/18: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama

Marc Ross 4/17: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

Mike Band 4/14: OG Tyler Booker, Alabama

Gennaro Filice 4/11: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Who were the most popular choices?​

Here's a tally of all the players with at least three selections in the above mock drafts:

EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M - seven picks

EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M - six picks

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College - five picks

OLB James Pearce Jr., Tennessee - four picks

EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia - four picks

OG Grey Zabel, North Dakota State - three picks

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions mock draft roundup: 52 predictions for first-round pick

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