Who Should the Lions Target in the NFL Draft?
The Detroit Lions are coming off one of the most successful regular seasons in the team’s history. As great of a season as it was for Detroit, the playoff run ended quickly in a defeat against the Washington Commanders. Despite a large returning cast coming back next season for the Lions, like quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, the Motor City has seen a majority of its coaching staff head to other teams in the off-season. These include both coordinators, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. With the 2025 NFL Draft just weeks away, the Lions could use some more weapons that can not only help them this upcoming season but also become future stars for many years to come.
Detroit currently holds seven picks in the draft, with its first selection being the 28th pick. After a season where Aidan Hutchinson went down, and it’s unknown how he will look when he returns, the Lions were already in need of someone who could play opposite him. Luckily for Detroit, it’s a deep defensive line class this year, so while some players may be taken before its pick, there will still be plenty of options. Donovan Ezeiruaku from Boston College may be a perfect fit for the Lions. The six-foot-two edge had 16.5 sacks last year, an FBS-leading 65 pressures, while also proving to be a great run-stopper for Boston. He was also a two-time captain, proving leadership qualities that the Lions have come to adore.
The 60th pick also belongs to the Lions in the second round, where going to the offensive line seems most likely. NC State offensive lineman Anthony Belton could be a huge help for the offensive line in Detroit. Standing at six-foot-six, 336 pounds, Belton was a three-year starter at left tackle. In 2,146 career snaps in college, Belton only missed 11 of them. He stands an incredible chance at becoming a year-one starter for Detroit, if still available in the draft.
After the Lions’ first two selections, they will still have five more picks to carry them across rounds three to seven. Certain position groups will still need to be covered through these picks for the team. The safety position is one of the thinnest position groups on the Lions right now, so hunting for more depth may be a good idea for Detroit. They also could use another linebacker to work their way up the depth chart, after both of their starting linebackers last season suffered season-ending injuries. While the Lions are still in position to make another playoff run, they will hope to build new stars once again through the draft, which has become a Dan Campbell special.
