Top 12 best fits for the Detroit Lions in the 2025 NFL Draft, walking out with any of these guys would be huge

The 2025 NFL Draft is finally going down later this week, and after staring at all these guys' names, watching their film, interviewing some of them learning about what the Detroit Lions want, I'm ready to list my top 15 best draft fits for the Lions. If Detroit walks out with any of these guys, […]

Mike Payton Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Jihaad Campbell, LB Alabama
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The 2025 NFL Draft is finally going down later this week, and after staring at all these guys' names, watching their film, interviewing some of them learning about what the Detroit Lions want, I'm ready to list my top 15 best draft fits for the Lions.

If Detroit walks out with any of these guys, the draft was a big success for them.

The top guys

Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

There's just so much potential and versatility here. While he's a linebacker by trade, I think he could also be an edge rusher, too. He showed at Alabama that he can go anywhere on the field, and if you asked me to trade up in the first round for a player, I'd want to do it for the guy who gives me a bunch of options.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

It's a pipe dream. It's never going to happen, but if McMillan somehow found his way to Detroit, it would be a game-changing move for the Lions. This guy is a monster on that field. Contested catches, speed, size, and agility. It's all there. He should be the top receiver off the board this year, but it feels like some teams might be overthinking it with him.

I'd trade for this guy if I were the guy making the decisions. The Lions' offense goes from very good to unstoppable.

Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M

The thing I like here is that he is just 20 years old, and he hasn't scratched the surface of what he can fully be yet. To me, that says long-term guy who has a good chance of getting a second deal with Detroit and maybe even a third. If the goal is to find someone opposite Aidan Hutchinson, I like the guy who can be there for a long time instead of a short time. Plus, I just like the upside of the player.

Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia

That arm length is insane, and it just makes you think what someone with that and the athletic ability he has could do once he reaches the top level of his game. You draft this guy because of how scary he can be, not how scary he is right now.

Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State

There's a lot of versatility here that the Lions can build upon. If they were to take him, they'd have a starting guard right off the bat. Someone who could possibly supplant Graham Glasgow. Then, when it's time for Frank Ragnow to retire, the Lions could slide Zabel into the center spot, and he'd be able to help them have minimal drop-off there.

Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

I really like the versatility here with Harmon. He could work inside and outside, and there's potential to see him more on the edge than you do on the inside. Harmon is a strong run-stopper as well and really fits the mold of what the Lions like.


The mid-rounders

Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois

I said no order, but I lied. This guy is my favorite player in the entire draft class for multiple reasons. The first one is that he loves blocking, and he's good at it. He's a "no block, no rock" type of guy to the core.

He's also a guy who can go up and make the big catch, and if you watch his highlights, he is a guy who just keeps moving forward after the catch.

Pooh Paul, LB, Ole Miss

At one point, I guaranteed that the Lions would draft him. I still feel the same way about him now as I did when I wrote that. I see a guy who has a lot of green dot potential and could be the Alex Anzalone replacement. Really good in coverage, but can run through a hole and get after the quarterback, too. Plus, he just has a lot of leadership qualities. There's a lot to like here.

Ahmed Hassanien, Edge, Boise State

He reminds me of Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig. People used to say he was such a good athlete that he could just pick up any game and be good at it. Hassanein just started playing football a few years ago after moving to America from Egypt, and he might be one of those Hennig guys who is such a good athlete that he just gets it. I'm really curious to see his growth in the NFL.


The late-round steals

Willie Lampkin, OL, North Carolina

If you've been following me since the Dan Vitale days, then you know I love a Swiss Army Knife kind of guy. That's Lampkin. He can play guard, fullback, tight end, and defensive tackle. Plus, he's one of those guys who has to fight being undersized. Those guys are almost always relentless effort players.

Jabbar Muhammad, CB, Oregon

Maybe I'm just an underdog guy at the end of the day. Muhammad is small, but he's a lot like D.J. Reed in that sense. He doesn't let that affect his game. This guy is scrappy, and sure, he might have some problems with the bigger receivers, but he's going to fight these guys regardless. I love a player like that.

Shaun Dolac, LB, Buffalo

Here's a guy who is likely to be a sixth or seventh-round pick this week, and if he is, he's a mega steal for Detroit.

The MAC Defensive Player of the Year had a huge season with 125 tackles, 16 pressures, five sacks, five interceptions, and two pass breakups.