The Detroit Lions are in a tricky spot. For two years in a row, they’ve looked like one of the best, if not the best, teams in the NFC. However, both years saw their season ending far earlier than people anticipated. Detroit is now faced with the challenge of having two new coordinators following the departures of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
A ton of upheaval combined with the emotional letdown in back-to-back years has taken a toll on the team. But if they want to fight back and make a legitimate Super Bowl run, the latest seven-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft from PFSN’s Brentley Weissman has the Lions getting some crucial pieces to help them accomplish that goal.
28) Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
“Derrick Harmon helped himself this season after a strong year with the Ducks. He is a highly disruptive player who possesses great length and athleticism,” Weissman said.
“Inserting Harmon into this Detroit Lions defensive line would be unfair. He is a legit interior rusher who would get a lot of one-on-one looks, with Hutchinson occupying much of the double teams. I would love this team-player fit.”
Their defense tapered off toward the end of the year, largely as a byproduct of the injuries the unit had to sustain. Building up a more well-rounded rotation on that end has to be a priority, and in Harmon, they get a legitimate weapon to deploy.
60) Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
“The Lions double-dip here on the defensive line after drafting Harmon in Round 1 and now taking Princely Umanmielen in Round 2. Umanmielen oozes burst and bend and has legit sack potential at the next level,” Weissman said.
Similar to the case with Harmon, help is a necessity on the defensive end, particularly to round out the unit’s depth and durability in case of injuries. Umanmielen offers them another valuable piece to add to their defensive line.
102) Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
“The Lions signed D.J. Reed this offseason and still returned Terrion Arnold, so their starters are set, but they certainly could use some depth. Dorian Strong is an instinctive corner with good length and quickness,” Weissman said.
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As you’ll see throughout this mock draft, the Lions are investing heavily in the corner position. The middle and front of their defense are set for the most part. However, help on the perimeter could turn this into a genuinely terrifying unit.
130) Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois
The best offense on PFSN’s Offense+ metric might suffer a slight regression with the loss of Johnson on the sidelines. However, they have an elite roster in place to absorb that loss. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are two legitimate receivers on the team. Adding Pat Bryant as a deep threat, coming off a year where he averaged over 18 yards per reception, might be an interesting wrinkle to add to Detroit’s attack.
196) Jaylin Smith, CB, USC
As mentioned above, Jaylin Smith joins Strong as another candidate to round out Detroit’s corner depth. A nickel safety and corner hybrid, Smith has a great football IQ to pair with genuine quickness. Experienced as an outside corner, he could be an immediate asset for the Lions.
228) Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane
The third cornerback coming off the board, Caleb Ransaw is as physical as they come. A big nickel/safety hybrid, he has dangerous sideline-to-sideline speed and plays with an aggressive mindset. He can immediately contribute to specific schemes while rounding out the rest of his game.
244) Tyler Cooper, OG, Minnesota
One of the five best offensive lines in the league, per PFSN’s OL+ metric, didn’t see any upheaval in the offseason. Adding a potential project to grow into the role in Tyler Cooper might be a smart bet in the long run.