Pride of Detroit
What’s a pick the Detroit Lions should have—but didn’t—make in the 2025 NFL Draft? Our staff makes their choices.
When looking back on NFL Draft results, sometimes it’s not the decision that a general manager made, but a decision they didn’t make that sank their careers. For example, the New York Jets selected safety Jamal Adams with the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Adams turned out to be an All-Pro defender and three-time Pro Bowler.
However, the Jets desperately needed a quarterback at the time—although some within the organization thought Christian Hackenberg was the answer. They would end up passing on Patrick Mahomes, a decision that likely haunts the franchise to this day.
It’s unlikely that the Detroit Lions messed up on that scale in the 2025 NFL Draft. They didn’t pick until 28th overall and the chances of passing on a generational talent that late is relatively low—and far more excusable than the Jets’ mistake.
Still, we all had some opinions on what the Lions should do on draft day, and it’s likely they didn’t do everything we wanted. So in the next installment of our Lions draft roundtable, we ask:
Previously:
Ryan Mathews: Trade up for Derrick Harmon
Harmon was right there for the Lions to move up and grab in the first round after not getting selected in the top 20. His pass-rushing ability, combined with his effectiveness in run defense, would have been a welcome sight for the Lions defensive line.
Al Karsten: Day 2 edge rusher
I won’t re-litigate the TeSlaa trade-up—X receiver was a legitimate need, and defensive tackle was just as pressing as edge—but it still stung to watch Landon Jackson, Jordan Burch, Josaiah Stewart, and even Princely Umanmielen all slide past soon after pick No. 70. Adding a familiar face in Za’Darius Smith, or a productive veteran like Carl Lawson, would go a long way toward easing concerns about the full season sustainability of Detroit’s edge group.
Erik Schlitt: WR Elic Ayomanor at 102
I viewed Ayomanor as a legitimate starting WR-X in 2026, with the opportunity to see the field as a rookie due to his blocking prowess. Isaac TeSlaa likely has a higher developmental ceiling, but I’m not sure the difference between the two players was significant enough to justify the two 2026 third-round draft picks used to acquire him.
Hamza Baccouche: EDGE Josaiah Stewart in third-round trade up
I wouldn’t have minded seeing the Lions use their third-rounder on Josaiah Stewart from Michigan. He’s a bit undersized, but he’s young and has shown a ton of potential; I wrote about him as one of my favorite pre-draft visits. Early third round might have been a bit soon for my taste, but so was the TeSlaa pick, so what...
