2025 NFL Draft

[Jimbo]

Just because a draft pick is a need does not mean its not BPA.  I do think Arnold was BPA when he was drafted.  Every team has a different board but who at the time of the draft was considered to have a higher grade.  Two things can be true.  They loved him and he was the the BPA.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

42 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Just because a draft pick is a need does not mean its not BPA.  I do think Arnold was BPA when he was drafted.  Every team has a different board but who at the time of the draft was considered to have a higher grade.  Two things can be true.  They loved him and he was the the BPA.

In last year's draft if they had a talented player, who was a cultural/character fit, that they graded higher on their board, but the position they played wasn't as big of a need, I think they'd take that player instead of Arnold. Example, in the 2023 draft many fans wanted the Lions to take a pass rusher/Edge or CB with their first, 1st round pick. Fans wanted Jalen Carter when he was sitting there for them to take and they traded back instead of drafting him. Once they traded back, Christian Gonzalez was sitting there for them to take, fans wanted him, and they went with Gibbs instead. I think they grade out their talent, ensure they are a culture fit, and rank them on their board.

Take Player A and Player B are being graded in the draft by the Lions front office and coaching staff. Player A and Player B play different positions. Player A is graded out by this organization slightly higher on their board than Player B is in-terms of overall talent + culture/character + scheme fit + need than Player B. Player B is still a very good player in the eyes of the organization and fits a need more in the eyes of most fans and pundits. However, Player A is ranked higher on their big board than Player B is and thus, I think they are sticking to their board and taking Player A over B, all things factored in. 

Edited Friday at 07:09 PM by Mr.TaterSalad

[Hongbit]

I’m not quite sure what the debate is here anymore.  Buddha made a comment that the Lions still draft for need.   I don’t think that’s true. 

There is no magic draft board that the whole league uses.  Of course, the Lions have a tailored draft board based on all of the qualities they look for in players.  Those qualities probably look a lot what was listed by 84.     That’s what sets their rankings and determines who the best player available on the Lions board.    I would also assume it varies quite a bit from what the draft community has as their best players list especially when you start to get into the late teens and beyond.   

I do believe that Arnold was the best player on the Lions board.  He checks all the boxes and they love Alabama players.    The reality is that we will never know for sure.  Only the Lions internal guys know the truth.  

Dan and Brad also seem like no bs kind of guys that wouldn’t share this entire draft philosophy as some type of ruse to throw off other teams. I tend to take them at their word.  But again, nobody really knows for sure,  

 

[Sports_Freak]

https://ftnfantasy.com/nfl/jeff-ratcliffes-2025-nfl-mock-draft-1-0

[Stanley70]

23 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

https://ftnfantasy.com/nfl/jeff-ratcliffes-2025-nfl-mock-draft-1-0

Sounds like Josh Paschel, pass.

[Stanley70]

In Arnold the Lions traded up to get a player they liked at a position of need. I don't think they trade up to get someone who is not a need, at least that early in the draft. 

They will probably follow the same formula this year. Unless they don't resign/replace starters Davis, Levi, and Zeitel they will focus on the pass rush most likely early. If a player falls that they have rated too high to pass up would be the exception.

[4hzglory]

1 hour ago, Stanley70 said:

Sounds like Josh Paschel, pass.

I think Sawyer’s pash rush is much better than that suggests.  If they go DE at 28, he’s the guy I want.  He’d be perfect opposite Hutch IMO

[Hongbit]

Not a great leader.  Came up empty in too many big games and is a poor loser.   Doesn’t seem like a good culture fit.  

[1984Echoes]

I like Shemar Stewart better.

More dominant against the run.

Not pass-rushing stats but there is upside there with NFL coaching (I believe) and he can play anywhere along the line.

If he lives eats & breathes football, and lives to dominate his opponent...

He might fit exactly what the Lions would be looking for. Think: A young and healthy Marcus Davenport?

[Longgone]

8 hours ago, 1984Echoes said:

I like Shemar Stewart better.

More dominant against the run.

Not pass-rushing stats but there is upside there with NFL coaching (I believe) and he can play anywhere along the line.

If he lives eats & breathes football, and lives to dominate his opponent...

He might fit exactly what the Lions would be looking for. Think: A young and healthy Marcus Davenport?

He might not make it to 28, but this draft is pretty deep on the defensive line 

[buddha]

On 1/31/2025 at 1:56 PM, Hongbit said:

I’m not quite sure what the debate is here anymore.  Buddha made a comment that the Lions still draft for need.   I don’t think that’s true. 

There is no magic draft board that the whole league uses.  Of course, the Lions have a tailored draft board based on all of the qualities they look for in players.  Those qualities probably look a lot what was listed by 84.     That’s what sets their rankings and determines who the best player available on the Lions board.    I would also assume it varies quite a bit from what the draft community has as their best players list especially when you start to get into the late teens and beyond.   

I do believe that Arnold was the best player on the Lions board.  He checks all the boxes and they love Alabama players.    The reality is that we will never know for sure.  Only the Lions internal guys know the truth.  

Dan and Brad also seem like no bs kind of guys that wouldn’t share this entire draft philosophy as some type of ruse to throw off other teams. I tend to take them at their word.  But again, nobody really knows for sure,  

 

so - in theory - the lions would take a qb in round 1 over a dt, de, or iol?

arnold and rakestraw just happened to be the bpa at a pivotal position of need?

come on.  they have a board with a bunch of guys lumped together with similar traits and scores and they take the "best" one.  the definition of "best" can also include "immediate need" or "long term need."

[Longgone]

11 minutes ago, buddha said:

so - in theory - the lions would take a qb in round 1 over a dt, de, or iol?

arnold and rakestraw just happened to be the bpa at a pivotal position of need?

come on.  they have a board with a bunch of guys lumped together with similar traits and scores and they take the "best" one.  the definition of "best" can also include "immediate need" or "long term need."

BPA; Best Player Available for that particular team at that particular point in the draft. Of course need, future need, value, everything is quantified 

Edited Monday at 09:50 PM by Longgone

[Hongbit]

48 minutes ago, buddha said:

so - in theory - the lions would take a qb in round 1 over a dt, de, or iol?

arnold and rakestraw just happened to be the bpa at a pivotal position of need?

come on.  they have a board with a bunch of guys lumped together with similar traits and scores and they take the "best" one.  the definition of "best" can also include "immediate need" or "long term need."

QB is an obvious outlier.  It’s a singular position with a huge financial considerations.   Doesn’t factor in to the rest of the strategy. 

I get that it makes sense that they would pick for need like most teams but they don’t. I am not giving my opinion, I’m going off what Brad and Dan have said on the record.  They will take the best player for them even if it’s at a position they may not need.  I’ve posted a few of the quotes on the page before.    

Neither guy strikes me as someone that would say something that isn’t true.  They would just no comment or be purposely vague. 

[buddha]

4 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

QB is an obvious outlier.  It’s a singular position with a huge financial considerations.   Doesn’t factor in to the rest of the strategy. 

I get that it makes sense that they would pick for need like most teams but they don’t. I am not giving my opinion, I’m going off what Brad and Dan have said on the record.  They will take the best player for them even if it’s at a position they may not need.  I’ve posted a few of the quotes on the page before.    

Neither guy strikes me as someone that would say something that isn’t true.  They would just no comment or be purposely vague. 

just a strange coincidence that they both happened to be corners....or defensive tackles a few years before that.  weird.

"need" always enters into the formulation.  always.  there is no black line rule definition of "best player available".  the criteria for what that means likely includes "team long term need."

you make it seem like they either take "the best player" or "a player in the position for which they have an immediate need."  the two are not mutually exclusive.

again, teams likely have round grades on players.  lots of players likely fit a certain grade.  you take that and consider all sorts of things when you make that decision, team fit, need, scheme, etc.

[Hongbit]

I’m just going off what these guys say.  Neither strikes me as one that bothers with media games.  They get asked a question and they answer or they don’t comment.

 

 

Holmes said at last week's Annual League Meetings in Orlando that nothing changes in his process of taking the best player available no matter the draft slot.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell mentioned that the pre-draft process and work they've been putting in preparing for the draft is the same it's always been, and so too is the philosophy of just taking the best player on their board when it's their time on the clock.

"Since we've been here, we've really, 'Man, draft the best player available,'" Campbell said in Orlando. "Don't let the 'man, we absolutely have to have a linebacker. We absolutely have to have (blank).' Just go with what you believe is going to fit your team and what you feel like is the best player at the time."

https://www.detroitlions.com/news/late-first-round-pick-won-t-change-lions-draft-strategy
 

We don't really get anchored on position, we don't really get anchored on windows," Holmes explained. "We just look for guys we're convicted on that are the right fit for us."
 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/detroit-lions-brad-holmes-nfl-draft-trades-new-uniforms/7aaab8095a5d4c200443fbb0

 

When Campbell spoke with The Athletic shortly after his hire, he all but promised that the Lions would lean into a best-player-available approach at the draft. “If this guy’s a fit,”Campbell said, “if he’s the best guy and welove him but we’re stacked at the position, we probably ought to still get him.”

Campbell added that he’d rather have an abundance of high-quality players at one spot — and maybe have to trade one to solve the issue — than to make decisions just to fill out the depth chart: “I don’t want to get caught in, well, we don’t have one of these.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2600284/2021/05/21/lions-gm-brad-holmes-qa-draft-strategy-penei-sewells-appeal-and-building-a-roster-from-scratch/