Pride of Detroit
Checking in on five players who should be on the Detroit Lions draft board come April.
2025 NFL Draft hopefuls have been putting their talents on display this week at the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama. With practices complete, the Senior Bowl event culminates in an All-Star game set to be played on Saturday (February 1) at 2:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
Here’s a look at five players the Detroit Lions, and their fans, should be keeping an eye on.
6-foot-5 1/2, 316 pounds
One of the biggest winners from the week of practices, Zabel showed off his power and positional versatility during practices. While he played left tackle last season, he has experience playing right tackle and both guard spots for the Bisons. In Mobile, his best work was inside at guard (he also took snaps at center). In his one-on-one clips from Mobile, you can see his quick feet, balance, hand placement, and anchor are all plug-and-play NFL-ready.
6-foot-3, 314 pounds
Farmer is another trench player whose game is based in power and scheme flexibility. His ability to play in both 1- and 2-gapping schemes will make him appealing to most NFL teams, and especially to those who like to change up their defensive fronts. His pass rush is pretty straightforward, but his run defense is what will get the Lions' attention.
6-foot-5, 281 pounds
If the Lions stick with their previous defensive scheme and target larger/anchor edge rushers to play opposite Aidan Hutchinson, Shemar Stewart’s blend of size and athleticism will be very appealing. While tipping the scales over 280 pounds, he has the athleticism and explosion of a much smaller edge player. He’s nowhere near his ceiling as a pass rusher, and has loads of potential, but his run defense is what will get him on the field early on in his rookie season.
6-foot-1, 248 pounds
Heading into the season, I had projected Stewart as a fringe top-100 pick, loaded with talent but lacking size. He checked in bigger than I expected, and after a very impressive senior season, he’s now looking a lot closer to a top-50 pick. His lack of length could end up keeping him out of the first round, but his pass rushing skills, scheme versatility, burst, and coverage skills should have the Lions' attention.
6-foot-1 1⁄2, 191 pounds
A rising prospect, Thomas’ size, physicality, and ability to play press man in coverage should have him on Detroit’s radar. Typically projected as a late-second/third-round prospect, the buzz around him right now suggests he should be in the top 50 conversations. There are some questions about his long speed—which he can answer at the Combine—but the rest of his skill set matches what the Lions prefer.
