Fresh off an NFC Championship appearance, the Detroit Lions are flying high — but Dan Campbell wants to go even higher.
There’s early optimism for the 2024 NFL season. Campbell is back, along with his two coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. Veteran quarterback Jared Goff is playing his best football, and young stars Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs are ascending.
Everything on paper says that hope has been renewed for the Lions, whose win count of 12 in 2023 was their highest since 1991. But Detroit needs to deliver on its newfound hope. That means converting on the opportunities in the 2024 and 2025 NFL Draft.
In the latest 7-Round Mock Draft at PFN, the Lions shore up potential needs in the trenches on both sides of the ball and add to their weapons core. But will it be enough to send Campbell to the promised land?
Who Could the Detroit Lions Draft in 2025?
1.29) Detroit Lions: Fernando Carmona Jr., OT, Arkansas
Taylor Decker will be a free agent in 2024. And the Lions will need to reinvest to ensure that their vaunted offensive line doesn’t miss a beat. If he plays as well as he can at Arkansas, Fernando Carmona Jr. could be a candidate for Detroit in the first round.
At around 6’5″, 324 pounds, Carmona is an absolute powerhouse with a mauler mentality. He can still improve his independent hand usage and leverage maintenance, but he’s an explosive, energized athlete with rare recovery and torque output.
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
On one hand, moving from Decker to a less refined rookie isn’t ideal, but the Lions’ sudden abundance of hefty contracts makes keeping Decker — who’ll soon be 30 years old — a tricky proposition. Eventually, they’ll have to move on, and Carmona is an investment that makes sense.
The Lions have proven they can develop high-level talent on the offensive line, and Carmona is one of the most talent-rich prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. And a season against SEC competition in 2024 could take his game even higher.
2.61) Detroit Lions: Fadil Diggs, EDGE, Syracuse
Fadil Diggs can still add more to his pass-rush repertoire, but the 6’5″, 260-pound edge defender has every tool in his toolkit: Explosiveness, length, arc-running speed, and bend. And as a bonus, his motor runs hot on second-effort attempts and in pursuit.
One of the lone knocks you could make regarding the Lions’ 2024 NFL Draft class was that they did far too little to address the EDGE room. Beyond Aidan Hutchinson, there’s very little proven utility in the team’s rotation. Marcus Davenport’s health has been an issue, and James Houston is mainly a pass-rush specialist.
Though the 2025 class itself looks a little uncertain past the first-round EDGE group, prospects like Diggs ensure that raw talent will not be in short supply.
Rounds 4-7
4.126) Detroit Lions
Oronde Gadsden II, WR/TE, Syracuse
5.158) Detroit Lions
Maik Verdon, S, Iowa State
6.171) Detroit Lions
CJ Daniels, WR, LSU
7.216) Detroit Lions
Jason Marshall Jr., CB, Florida
7.222) Detroit Lions
Ty Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
