• CB Shavon Revel is first off the board for Detroit: Revel tore his ACL in September, sidelining him for most of the 2024 season, but his 2023 performance placed him among the nation’s elite. He forced incompletions on 26% of targets into his coverage, ranking ninth in college football—just one percentage point behind Super Bowl-bound Quinyon Mitchell.
• Help for Aidan Hutchinson: At just under 6-foot-1 and 248 pounds, Josaiah Stewart’s Senior Bowl measurements could keep him out of the first round. However, his outstanding 2024 production at Michigan and well-rounded skill set make him look NFL-ready.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

A franchise-best 15-2 regular season ended abruptly in the divisional round of the playoffs, leaving a bit of an empty feeling for the Lions’ faithful.

While there’s plenty of reason for optimism heading into 2025 — despite the departure of both coordinators — uncertainty remains regarding the roster on both sides of the ball.

Several key defensive players — including Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and Malcolm Rodriguez — are expected to return for the 2025 season. However, the Lions must decide how to handle the expiring contracts of cornerback Carlton Davis, interior defender Levi Onwuzurike and right guard Kevin Zeitler.

When it comes to the draft, the Lions should prioritize strengthening the defense—particularly by adding legitimate pass-rush complements for Hutchinson. This seven-round mock explores how Detroit could not only address that need twice but also bolster all three levels of the defense.

Round 1, Pick 28: CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina

Revel tore his ACL in September, sidelining him for most of the 2024 season, but his 2023 performance placed him among the nation’s elite. He forced incompletions on 26% of targets into his coverage, ranking ninth in college football—just one percentage point behind Super Bowl-bound Quinyon Mitchell.

Round 2, Pick60: Edge Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

At just under 6-foot-1 and 248 pounds, Stewart’s Senior Bowl measurements could keep him out of the first round. However, his outstanding 2024 production at Michigan and well-rounded skill set make him look NFL-ready. His 48% win rate on true pass sets led the nation last season.

Round 4, Pick 131: Edge Jah Joyner, Minnesota

At 6-foot-4 and 263 pounds, Joyner has the prototypical size for an NFL edge rusher, but a dip in production as a senior could make him a value pick for Detroit. In 2024, he recorded just four sacks and six quarterback hits, but his junior season was far more productive, tallying 10 sacks, 49 total pressures and an impressive 23.3% win rate.

Round 6, Pick 195: G Dylan Fairchild, Georgia

Fairchild allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits over two seasons as a starter for Georgia.

Round 7, Pick 230: LB Teddye Buchanan, California

Buchanan transferred to Cal in 2024 after three highly productive seasons at UC Davis. Opposing quarterbacks posted an 81.1 passer rating when targeting him last season, while that number remained below 61.0 in each of his three years at UC Davis.

Round 7, Pick 246: WR Joey Hobert, Texas State 

Hobart has steadily improved throughout his career, emerging as a dynamic weapon in Texas State’s passing game. At Utah Tech in 2022, he struggled with drops, letting 13 passes slip through his hands. However, after transferring to Texas State in 2023, he significantly progressed, dropping just one of 75 catchable targets last season. He also racked up 360 of his 713 receiving yards after the catch, largely thanks to forcing 21 missed tackles.