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By many accounts, the Detroit Lions fared well during the draft, attacking the trenches on both sides of the football. But do the grades match the effort?
As is customary, the major outlets all handed out immediate grades for each team's draft haul. Grades are typically based on that person or outlet's boards and opinions on the players -- Mel Kiper, unsurprisingly, gave the Cleveland Browns at A+ thanks to their selection on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.
Let's see how Kiper and other outlets graded the Lions for the 2025 draft.
Kiper Jr. was actually pretty lukewarm on the Lions' haul, giving them a C+.
"I had the Lions taking an edge rusher in Round 1 in all four of those mock drafts I mentioned. Twice it was James Pearce Jr., then it was Oluwafemi Oladejo, and finally it was Donovan Ezeiruaku. Part of that is because of the value -- there are really solid pass rushers to be had late in Round 1, where Detroit was poised to make its first pick. Part of that is because it's a severe need for this roster. Aidan Hutchinson led the Lions in sacks last season, racking up 7.5, doing so in just five games. When he broke his leg in mid-October, the pass rush struggled the rest of the season; no other player had more than Za'Darius Smith's four sacks."
At NFL.com, Chad Reuter went with a B for the Lions.
"The Lions chose to take the talented Williams over an edge rusher, offensive lineman or receiver in Round 1. Time will tell as to whether they found value in hard-nosed guard Ratledge in Round 2 and receiver TeSlaa in Round 3, with the latter player secured via an unusual trade in which Detroit moved up in the round by shipping Jacksonville a pair of 2026 Day 2 picks, getting a sixth-rounder this year and next year in return."
Nate Davis of USA Today went with a B grade.
"It’s gotten to a point where GM Brad Holmes and HC Dan Campbell are almost above reproach as it pertains to their roster-building acumen. Did DT Tyleik Williams seem like a bit of a reach at the end of Round 1? Maybe … but you tell Holmes and Campbell they’re wrong. Second-round G Tate Ratledge seems made to order for this culture while patching a hole."
Chris Trapasso at CBS Sports went with a B grade, saying the Lions could have addressed EDGE earlier.
"Every Lions draft seemingly gets a giant Dan Campbell stamp of approval every year. Williams in Round 1 was much earlier than I'd pick a run-stuffing nose tackle. The Lions did need more beef up front. Rateledge and Frazier are nasty, athletic guards, and TeSlaa makes the middle of the field even more dangerous when facing the Lions. He's a big slot with serious vertical juice who catches everything.
"Hassanein was a sneaky-good add late because of his burst and bend around the corner. I would've liked to see the Lions address defensive end earlier, though -- Aidan Hutchinson still needs help!"
At the AP, Rob Maaddi gave the Lions a B-.
"DT Tyleik Williams (28) is a massive run defender taken higher than expected. G Tate Ratledge will upgrade the run game. Traded up to get WR Isaac TeSlaa (70), who gives Jared Goff a big target in the slot. G Miles Frazier (171) fits offense nicely. Edge Ahmed Hassanein (196) has strong sleeper potential in the sixth round."
Another B- from the folks over at PFF. Here's what they said about Tyleik Williams.
"It was inevitable that the Lions were going defensive line, and they didn’t disappoint with a run-stuffing tackle. Williams’ 88.6 PFF run-defense grade was one of the best of the class, as was his 7.8% run-stop rate. While he doesn’t win as a pass-rusher consistently, he fits the Lions' need for pocket pushers from the interior to let Aidan Hutchinson clean up on the edge. While he has the frame to play 3-technique, he likely fits better as a nose tackle for the Lions."
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald at Yahoo Sports went with a B for the Lions, noting they like WR Isaac TeSlaa as a sleeper.
"It was a very “eat your vegetables” draft for the Lions. Four linemen and a big, athletic wide receiver to develop in Isaac TeSlaa. Tyleik Williams and Alim McNeill are going to be an incredibly imposing duo for teams to try and block on the interior and Tate Ratledge gives Detroit a potential starting guard to develop. These guys might not be the sexiest players to add, but this team has consistently shown the value of good trench play and the Lions tried to keep it strong with this draft."
Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame at SI gave the Lions a B-.
"The Lions didn’t care about value or best player available, and went with their successful formula of adding mean dudes to the trenches. Williams might have been a reach in the first round, but he was regarded as the best run stopper in this class. Ratledge is another physical player, one who could compete for the opening at right guard. Taking TeSlaa on Day 2 was a surprise, but he has the size and athleticism to possibly give Jared Goff another versatile weapon. Once again, the Lions thought outside the box and went away from what the draft boards were saying on the internet."
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions draft grade recap for 2025
Continue reading...
As is customary, the major outlets all handed out immediate grades for each team's draft haul. Grades are typically based on that person or outlet's boards and opinions on the players -- Mel Kiper, unsurprisingly, gave the Cleveland Browns at A+ thanks to their selection on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round.
Let's see how Kiper and other outlets graded the Lions for the 2025 draft.
ESPN
Kiper Jr. was actually pretty lukewarm on the Lions' haul, giving them a C+.
"I had the Lions taking an edge rusher in Round 1 in all four of those mock drafts I mentioned. Twice it was James Pearce Jr., then it was Oluwafemi Oladejo, and finally it was Donovan Ezeiruaku. Part of that is because of the value -- there are really solid pass rushers to be had late in Round 1, where Detroit was poised to make its first pick. Part of that is because it's a severe need for this roster. Aidan Hutchinson led the Lions in sacks last season, racking up 7.5, doing so in just five games. When he broke his leg in mid-October, the pass rush struggled the rest of the season; no other player had more than Za'Darius Smith's four sacks."
NFL.com
At NFL.com, Chad Reuter went with a B for the Lions.
"The Lions chose to take the talented Williams over an edge rusher, offensive lineman or receiver in Round 1. Time will tell as to whether they found value in hard-nosed guard Ratledge in Round 2 and receiver TeSlaa in Round 3, with the latter player secured via an unusual trade in which Detroit moved up in the round by shipping Jacksonville a pair of 2026 Day 2 picks, getting a sixth-rounder this year and next year in return."
USA Today
Nate Davis of USA Today went with a B grade.
"It’s gotten to a point where GM Brad Holmes and HC Dan Campbell are almost above reproach as it pertains to their roster-building acumen. Did DT Tyleik Williams seem like a bit of a reach at the end of Round 1? Maybe … but you tell Holmes and Campbell they’re wrong. Second-round G Tate Ratledge seems made to order for this culture while patching a hole."
CBS Sports
Chris Trapasso at CBS Sports went with a B grade, saying the Lions could have addressed EDGE earlier.
"Every Lions draft seemingly gets a giant Dan Campbell stamp of approval every year. Williams in Round 1 was much earlier than I'd pick a run-stuffing nose tackle. The Lions did need more beef up front. Rateledge and Frazier are nasty, athletic guards, and TeSlaa makes the middle of the field even more dangerous when facing the Lions. He's a big slot with serious vertical juice who catches everything.
"Hassanein was a sneaky-good add late because of his burst and bend around the corner. I would've liked to see the Lions address defensive end earlier, though -- Aidan Hutchinson still needs help!"
Associated Press
At the AP, Rob Maaddi gave the Lions a B-.
"DT Tyleik Williams (28) is a massive run defender taken higher than expected. G Tate Ratledge will upgrade the run game. Traded up to get WR Isaac TeSlaa (70), who gives Jared Goff a big target in the slot. G Miles Frazier (171) fits offense nicely. Edge Ahmed Hassanein (196) has strong sleeper potential in the sixth round."
PFF
Another B- from the folks over at PFF. Here's what they said about Tyleik Williams.
"It was inevitable that the Lions were going defensive line, and they didn’t disappoint with a run-stuffing tackle. Williams’ 88.6 PFF run-defense grade was one of the best of the class, as was his 7.8% run-stop rate. While he doesn’t win as a pass-rusher consistently, he fits the Lions' need for pocket pushers from the interior to let Aidan Hutchinson clean up on the edge. While he has the frame to play 3-technique, he likely fits better as a nose tackle for the Lions."
Yahoo Sports
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald at Yahoo Sports went with a B for the Lions, noting they like WR Isaac TeSlaa as a sleeper.
"It was a very “eat your vegetables” draft for the Lions. Four linemen and a big, athletic wide receiver to develop in Isaac TeSlaa. Tyleik Williams and Alim McNeill are going to be an incredibly imposing duo for teams to try and block on the interior and Tate Ratledge gives Detroit a potential starting guard to develop. These guys might not be the sexiest players to add, but this team has consistently shown the value of good trench play and the Lions tried to keep it strong with this draft."
Sports Illustrated
Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame at SI gave the Lions a B-.
"The Lions didn’t care about value or best player available, and went with their successful formula of adding mean dudes to the trenches. Williams might have been a reach in the first round, but he was regarded as the best run stopper in this class. Ratledge is another physical player, one who could compete for the opening at right guard. Taking TeSlaa on Day 2 was a surprise, but he has the size and athleticism to possibly give Jared Goff another versatile weapon. Once again, the Lions thought outside the box and went away from what the draft boards were saying on the internet."
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions draft grade recap for 2025
Continue reading...
