Initial impressions: If Lions seek a pocket-crushing edge to complement Hutchinson, draft offers several options
When the Detroit Lions were consistently bad and frequently selected in the top 10, it was easy to start thinking about the draft well before the regular season ended. Nowadays, it's essentially an afterthought until February.
Ahead of last year's combine, I had a cram session similar to preparing for a college exam. I rounded up several top-100 lists from analysts, creating a consensus position-by-position list of the prospects. I then focused on what I viewed as Detroit's top needs heading into the draft.
For the next two weeks, I watched some tape (2-3 games) of those 70 or so players, jotting down 1-3 paragraphs of shorthand notes. That way, when I showed up to Indianapolis, I would at least be familiar with the talent and have a plan of attack.
In the spirit of continually trying new things with this platform, I'm taking the same approach this year, only formatting those notes so that I can share them with readers. I believe there’s value in sharing these initial, film-based observations of the 2025 draft class to help those of you who don't consume mock drafts year-round.
As noted, I’m going to concentrate on Detroit's perceived positions of need. For example, I won’t be spending much time on this year's crop of quarterbacks. We'll begin this experimental series with the edge rushers. The group of 17 prospects will be sorted into three categories: Top of the board, other first-round considerations and Day 2 options.
With the first-rounders, I'm not limiting it to players who will likely be available at No. 28, when the Lions are first scheduled to pick. I'm working under the assumption general manager Brad Holmes could trade up for the right player, as he did with wide receiver Jameson Williams and cornerback Terrion Arnold in recent years.
I acknowledge this list may not include every player in your top 100. Remember, I'm working from a loose consensus. Each sub-list will be in alphabetical order.
Top of the board
Abdul Carter, Penn State
Listed height/weight: 6-foot-3, 252 pounds
2024 stats: 16 games, 68 tackles (24 for a loss), 12 sacks, 66 QB pressures
Penn State typically deployed Carter well wide of the right tackle, often in a 9-technique, where he rushed from a 3-point stance. On third downs, he moved around a bit, frequently floating off the ball between the tackles, similar to how the Lions used Za'Darius Smith after acquiring the veteran at the trade deadline.
While watching a dominant Nittany Lion defender wearing No. 11, it's easy to flash back to Micah Parsons coming out in 2021. I'm assuming Carter is a little smaller than he's listed, which would make the two nearly the same size. I'm certain Carter will also test exceptionally well when he goes through the drills at the combine or his pro day.
Carter has an electric first step, quickly closing ground on the right tackle and forcing them to react. The defender's preferred route is around the edge, which he gets with impressive frequency.
As a run defender, Carter is average at the point of attack. Still, he demonstrates impressive awareness and instincts in pursuit, often scraping over the top to provide overlapping support. Doing this, he's occasionally afforded an opportunity to showcase his sideline-to-sideline speed to make a tackle.
First-round talent
Mike Green, Marshall
Listed height/weight: 6-foot-3, 251 pounds (Senior Bowl)
2024 stats: 13 games, 84 tackles (23 for a loss), 17.0 sacks, 59 QB pressures
Green rushes from a two-point stance. He has a quick first step, with the ankle flexibility to get low and tightly bend under and around the outside shoulder of any offensive tackle. He’s equally adept at getting narrow and working a swim move to cross the face of the tackle. He’ll use that same setup to get the blocker leaning inside before deploying a lightning-quick spin move back to the outside.