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The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books and it was about as wild and unexpected as we imagined. We saw the Jaguars make an unexpected trade up for Travis Hunter and the Browns gained additional capital and drafted Mason Graham. Meanwhile, we saw the Giants build their identity on defense by selecting Abdul Carter and then they built for the future by trading back into the first round for quarterback Jaxson Dart.
As for the Detroit Lions, it may not be sexy but they attacked the draft by selecting a need. Adding Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams helps you now and in the future. We'll dive into more of that another time. For now, we shift our focus to the "meat and potatoes" of the draft. It's day two of the 2025 NFL Draft and the Lions have the 60th overall pick and the 102nd overall pick.
In the past, we've seen Brad Holmes get aggressive by trading up or down. That may be the case with either pick tonight. Or he could wait until day three of the 2025 NFL Draft to make a move up or down the board. For now, let's take a look at some of the top options that could be available for the Detroit Lions tonight!
Early in the draft process, there appeared to be a connection from the Lions to Oladejo. After all, Mel Kiper Jr from ESPN had Oladejo as the 28th overall pick to the Lions at one point. Obviously, that's changed and the expectations may have become a little bit more realistic. Especially for Oladejo, who moved from playing off-ball linebacker to defensive end during the season for UCLA. However, there's plenty to like when watching him play.
His motor immediately stands out with how he chases down tackles with good backside pursuit. He's got adequate play strength, good versatility and hits with heavy hands. His pass rush plan needs refinement but the tools are there for him to be successful. The glimpses and flashes of his skill-set happen in every game and with the high character praise that he's received during the process, it feels like only a matter of time before he puts it all together.
The last time the Lions drafted a player from West Virginia was in the 2006 NFL Draft. They selected defensive back Dee McCann in the 6th round with the 179th overall pick. Tonight that could change if they decide to select Wyatt Milum with the 60th overall pick in the 2nd round. On my board, Milum is ranked 72nd overall and he earned a 3rd round grade.
When watching Milum on film, he explodes of his stance and looks to destroy the opposition. He's aggressive with a flexible lower half and is more than capable of operating in space. There are times that he's overly aggressive and gets himself out of position and his arm length may force him inside to guard or center. That said, he'd be an ideal fit for the Lions as they could take a liking to his style of play and they have the need for depth on the interior part of their offensive line.
At West Virginia, Milum started 35 games at left tackle and he made 8 starts at right tackle as a true freshman. Prior to committing to the Mountaineers, he was committed to play baseball at Marshall. Fortunately, he changed his mind from baseball to football and now the hope is that he ends up becoming a day two pick that carves out a long career. Possibly he can do that here in Detroit.
We've talked about Ratledge quite a bit on Bischoff and Brown because he just plays and looks like a Detroit Lion. He's bigger than you think at 6' 6" and 308 pounds and he moves faster than you think with a 10-yard split of 1.72 seconds. Best suited to play guard, it wouldn't be surprising if a team like Detroit viewed Ratledge as a five-position player on their offensive line.
On film, he's an aggressive, mauling type of player that has good leg drive and heavy hands. There are times that his pad level can be problematic and his aggressive play style puts him in bad positions against more skilled defenders. However, he plays with good balance, can operate in space and stays attached on combo blocks. That's very important when looking at how the Lions want to run different variations of duo or inside zone.
Last season, he did have to get tightrope surgery on his left ankle so that's worth monitoring but overall, he could be in play for the Lions tonight. While it wasn't reported on if the Lions met with Ratledge or not, they did meet with his teammate, Dylan Fairchild. Maybe they met with him to get an understanding of what type of teammate and person Ratledge is and was for the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Lions haven't doubled down on prospects from the same school in the first and second round since the 2017 NFL Draft. That's when they selected Florida LB Jarrad Davis in the 1st round and then followed it up in the 2nd round by selecting Florida CB **** Tabor. They weren't ideal picks based off their production but fortunately for the Lions, they appear to have a much more consistent and steady process in the draft with Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell.
That said, they could be intrigued by Ohio State EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau. He's right on par for that size threshold the Lions look for in a defensive end at 6' 4" and 265 pounds. When watching Tuimoloau, he's able to set the edge with good play strength and he's got the desired arm length to create separation on a consistent basis. He strikes with quick hands and displays a good blend of power and speed as a pass rusher.
At only 21-years old, it's clear he needs some refinement as he doesn't show that he has a consistent go-to counter move(s). Fortunately, the production really increased this past season for the Buckeyes with 21.5 TFLs and 12.5 sacks. Pairing him with this Lions defensive front could pay off in a big way moving forward.
Outside of the 2021 NFL Draft, Brad Holmes has selected at least one player from Alabama in every draft for the Lions. Whether it be on day two or day three of the 2025 NFL Draft, I would expect another Alabama player at some point. Regardless of what the consensus grades are on players, the Lions could be very much intrigued with Que Robinson from Alabama. After all, he is one of the few edge rushers they had a top-30 visit with during this draft cycle.
No question, not all top-30 visits matter. It doesn't always mean that a team is highly interested in the player. They could be interested in a teammate of that player or they could have doubts on the players character or injury concerns. For Que Robinson, there are some injury concerns. Against LSU this year, he suffered a season ending elbow injury and it's put some limitations on Robinson's pre-draft process.
During his tenure with the Crimson Tide, he never really tied it all together. He only started 5 games and had under 400 career snaps played, per PFF. However, he did play close to 700 career snaps on special teams. We all know the Lions value those types of players. You could say that drafting Robinson tonight would be too early and rightfully so but, there's still potential with him as a pass rusher. He has a good motor, shows the desired burst to turn the corner and close to the quarterback and he uses his length to create separation. He'll need to stay healthy and develop more consistent hand usage but the flashes are there for him to be a good football player.
There may not be a more popular pick for the Lions tonight than Josaiah Stewart out of Michigan. They've spent a lot of time talking with him in-person and virtually. Despite the lack of size or length with Stewart, he plays the same whistle-to-whistle and he's got the production to match. Through 51 career games, he recorded 30 sacks and 48 tackles for loss so it's understanding why the Lions could have so much interest in him as a player.
When watching the tape, he provides a spark off the edge as a pass rusher and is more than capable of dropping into coverage. There's a good blend of speed and power to his game. He uses a club-rip move and understands how to win with leverage. Effective when dropping his shoulder and locks out his arm(s) to read and react. Despite not meeting the exact size threshold that the Lions look for at defensive end, Stewart could find himself as a SAM linebacker if selected by the Lions.
The Lions haven't been connected to many receivers during the pre-draft process but that doesn't mean they don't have interest. After all, Brad Holmes mentioned that it will be difficult to pay all of their players, including Jameson Williams due to the going rate for receivers. Meanwhile, Dan Campbell has stated he'd like to see the Lions get younger at wide receiver.
That doesn't mean they won't pay Jameson Williams. However, they could be looking to fill the shoes of Tim Patrick or Kalif Raymond after this season. Neither of those players are getting any younger and they've had a history of injuries. While it would be intriguing to see the Lions target receivers such as Luther Burden III or Jayden Higgins, they have been connected to Isaac TeSlaa from Arkansas. He's one of the few receivers they had a pre-draft visit with so maybe he could be an option for the Lions tonight.
If they were to select him, they'd be getting one of the better athletes at the position in this draft. TeSlaa checked into the Combine at 6' 3" and 214 pounds with a 39 1/2" vertical jump. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds and his short shuttle time of 4.05 seconds is 89th percentile on Mockdraftable. When watching TeSlaa on film, he's a very good run blocker and shifty route runner. Which is impressive for a player of his size. The production gaps leave you wanting more but landing in a spot like Detroit could be ideal for a player that doesn't need to be the featured presentation.
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Top Targets for the Detroit Lions on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
As for the Detroit Lions, it may not be sexy but they attacked the draft by selecting a need. Adding Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams helps you now and in the future. We'll dive into more of that another time. For now, we shift our focus to the "meat and potatoes" of the draft. It's day two of the 2025 NFL Draft and the Lions have the 60th overall pick and the 102nd overall pick.
In the past, we've seen Brad Holmes get aggressive by trading up or down. That may be the case with either pick tonight. Or he could wait until day three of the 2025 NFL Draft to make a move up or down the board. For now, let's take a look at some of the top options that could be available for the Detroit Lions tonight!
Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA
Early in the draft process, there appeared to be a connection from the Lions to Oladejo. After all, Mel Kiper Jr from ESPN had Oladejo as the 28th overall pick to the Lions at one point. Obviously, that's changed and the expectations may have become a little bit more realistic. Especially for Oladejo, who moved from playing off-ball linebacker to defensive end during the season for UCLA. However, there's plenty to like when watching him play.
His motor immediately stands out with how he chases down tackles with good backside pursuit. He's got adequate play strength, good versatility and hits with heavy hands. His pass rush plan needs refinement but the tools are there for him to be successful. The glimpses and flashes of his skill-set happen in every game and with the high character praise that he's received during the process, it feels like only a matter of time before he puts it all together.
Wyatt Milum, IOL, West Virginia
The last time the Lions drafted a player from West Virginia was in the 2006 NFL Draft. They selected defensive back Dee McCann in the 6th round with the 179th overall pick. Tonight that could change if they decide to select Wyatt Milum with the 60th overall pick in the 2nd round. On my board, Milum is ranked 72nd overall and he earned a 3rd round grade.
When watching Milum on film, he explodes of his stance and looks to destroy the opposition. He's aggressive with a flexible lower half and is more than capable of operating in space. There are times that he's overly aggressive and gets himself out of position and his arm length may force him inside to guard or center. That said, he'd be an ideal fit for the Lions as they could take a liking to his style of play and they have the need for depth on the interior part of their offensive line.
At West Virginia, Milum started 35 games at left tackle and he made 8 starts at right tackle as a true freshman. Prior to committing to the Mountaineers, he was committed to play baseball at Marshall. Fortunately, he changed his mind from baseball to football and now the hope is that he ends up becoming a day two pick that carves out a long career. Possibly he can do that here in Detroit.
Tate Ratledge, IOL, Georgia
We've talked about Ratledge quite a bit on Bischoff and Brown because he just plays and looks like a Detroit Lion. He's bigger than you think at 6' 6" and 308 pounds and he moves faster than you think with a 10-yard split of 1.72 seconds. Best suited to play guard, it wouldn't be surprising if a team like Detroit viewed Ratledge as a five-position player on their offensive line.
On film, he's an aggressive, mauling type of player that has good leg drive and heavy hands. There are times that his pad level can be problematic and his aggressive play style puts him in bad positions against more skilled defenders. However, he plays with good balance, can operate in space and stays attached on combo blocks. That's very important when looking at how the Lions want to run different variations of duo or inside zone.
Last season, he did have to get tightrope surgery on his left ankle so that's worth monitoring but overall, he could be in play for the Lions tonight. While it wasn't reported on if the Lions met with Ratledge or not, they did meet with his teammate, Dylan Fairchild. Maybe they met with him to get an understanding of what type of teammate and person Ratledge is and was for the Georgia Bulldogs.
J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
The Lions haven't doubled down on prospects from the same school in the first and second round since the 2017 NFL Draft. That's when they selected Florida LB Jarrad Davis in the 1st round and then followed it up in the 2nd round by selecting Florida CB **** Tabor. They weren't ideal picks based off their production but fortunately for the Lions, they appear to have a much more consistent and steady process in the draft with Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell.
That said, they could be intrigued by Ohio State EDGE J.T. Tuimoloau. He's right on par for that size threshold the Lions look for in a defensive end at 6' 4" and 265 pounds. When watching Tuimoloau, he's able to set the edge with good play strength and he's got the desired arm length to create separation on a consistent basis. He strikes with quick hands and displays a good blend of power and speed as a pass rusher.
At only 21-years old, it's clear he needs some refinement as he doesn't show that he has a consistent go-to counter move(s). Fortunately, the production really increased this past season for the Buckeyes with 21.5 TFLs and 12.5 sacks. Pairing him with this Lions defensive front could pay off in a big way moving forward.
Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama
Outside of the 2021 NFL Draft, Brad Holmes has selected at least one player from Alabama in every draft for the Lions. Whether it be on day two or day three of the 2025 NFL Draft, I would expect another Alabama player at some point. Regardless of what the consensus grades are on players, the Lions could be very much intrigued with Que Robinson from Alabama. After all, he is one of the few edge rushers they had a top-30 visit with during this draft cycle.
No question, not all top-30 visits matter. It doesn't always mean that a team is highly interested in the player. They could be interested in a teammate of that player or they could have doubts on the players character or injury concerns. For Que Robinson, there are some injury concerns. Against LSU this year, he suffered a season ending elbow injury and it's put some limitations on Robinson's pre-draft process.
During his tenure with the Crimson Tide, he never really tied it all together. He only started 5 games and had under 400 career snaps played, per PFF. However, he did play close to 700 career snaps on special teams. We all know the Lions value those types of players. You could say that drafting Robinson tonight would be too early and rightfully so but, there's still potential with him as a pass rusher. He has a good motor, shows the desired burst to turn the corner and close to the quarterback and he uses his length to create separation. He'll need to stay healthy and develop more consistent hand usage but the flashes are there for him to be a good football player.
Josaiah Stewart, EDGE, Michigan
There may not be a more popular pick for the Lions tonight than Josaiah Stewart out of Michigan. They've spent a lot of time talking with him in-person and virtually. Despite the lack of size or length with Stewart, he plays the same whistle-to-whistle and he's got the production to match. Through 51 career games, he recorded 30 sacks and 48 tackles for loss so it's understanding why the Lions could have so much interest in him as a player.
When watching the tape, he provides a spark off the edge as a pass rusher and is more than capable of dropping into coverage. There's a good blend of speed and power to his game. He uses a club-rip move and understands how to win with leverage. Effective when dropping his shoulder and locks out his arm(s) to read and react. Despite not meeting the exact size threshold that the Lions look for at defensive end, Stewart could find himself as a SAM linebacker if selected by the Lions.
Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas
The Lions haven't been connected to many receivers during the pre-draft process but that doesn't mean they don't have interest. After all, Brad Holmes mentioned that it will be difficult to pay all of their players, including Jameson Williams due to the going rate for receivers. Meanwhile, Dan Campbell has stated he'd like to see the Lions get younger at wide receiver.
That doesn't mean they won't pay Jameson Williams. However, they could be looking to fill the shoes of Tim Patrick or Kalif Raymond after this season. Neither of those players are getting any younger and they've had a history of injuries. While it would be intriguing to see the Lions target receivers such as Luther Burden III or Jayden Higgins, they have been connected to Isaac TeSlaa from Arkansas. He's one of the few receivers they had a pre-draft visit with so maybe he could be an option for the Lions tonight.
If they were to select him, they'd be getting one of the better athletes at the position in this draft. TeSlaa checked into the Combine at 6' 3" and 214 pounds with a 39 1/2" vertical jump. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds and his short shuttle time of 4.05 seconds is 89th percentile on Mockdraftable. When watching TeSlaa on film, he's a very good run blocker and shifty route runner. Which is impressive for a player of his size. The production gaps leave you wanting more but landing in a spot like Detroit could be ideal for a player that doesn't need to be the featured presentation.
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Top Targets for the Detroit Lions on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
