2025 NFL Draft

[sagnam]

6 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

What the hell is Atlanta doing trading next years first for the 26th pick in this draft.   Dumbs dumb dumbs.

Wish they had given us that!

[buddha]

[Motown Bombers]

Holmes doing a press conference and basically said he's Alim McNeil. 

[buddha]

lions value run defense more than most folks, so it makes sense thry like williams more than most folks.

[RandyMarsh]

26 of 32 picks were from the SEC(15) or Big 10(11) including 22 out of the last 24.  

[Hongbit]

9 minutes ago, buddha said:

will johnson falls out of the first round!  lol.

dont quit on your team next time.

Cmon now.  He was injured.  That’s the reason he didn’t play and it’s why he dropped out of the 1st.   If anything slipping into the 2nd affirms his decision to not play hurt.     

[Motown Bombers]

Holmes says they see him as a pass rusher too. 

[Motown Bombers]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Lions sign Za'Darius Smith after the draft. He did have 10 sacks last years and was top 15 in pressures. He's still a solid number two pass rusher. 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[buddha]

7 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

Cmon now.  He was injured.  That’s the reason he didn’t play and it’s why he dropped out of the 1st.   If anything slipping into the 2nd affirms his decision to not play hurt.     

right.  as soon as michigan's season turned south, he got too injured to play.  sure jan.

most likely, his slow 40 time and constant ability to get burned by double moves dropped his stock.  he's big and not fast and doesnt like to tackle.  he's a zone corner in the nfl.  

[Motown Bombers]

With Reader, and signing Lopez and Levi, along with McNeil and Wingo who showed promise last year, I just don't see where Martin fits. 

[NYLion]

Pretty underwhelmed by the Williams pick, not a fan of taking run stuffers that high even if he has the potential to be a bit more than that. Also, considering the absolute haul teams were getting for trade downs all night, I'm a bit disappointed that the Lions couldn't execute one. Just have to trust Holmes on this one. I do like that it was a trenches pick, Williams and McNeil could be a fun duo to watch going forward.

[NYLion]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I have to wonder if Mike Green was ever even on their board.

No chance, same with Pearce which is why I find it odd that Atlanta gave up a huge haul to jump presumably the Lions to get him.

[Motown Bombers]

 

His physical tools suggest he should be a good pass rusher. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

 

 

[Jason_R]

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2025/04/02/tyleik-williams-nfl-draft-interview-2025

Good interview with him. 

[Cruzer1]

I wasn't surprised at all by the pick.  DC had made a comment during a press conference that they don't expect Alim McNeill back until later in the season, making the Lions very thin at the 3 technique.

[Jimbo]

BPA isn't an exact science.  BPA usually means BPA on their board (not Mel Kipers board) and I am pretty sure most teams make those boards a lot on (starter) need because who they focus on.  If they were slim on corner they probably would of interviewed more corners and therefore had more corners on their board like they did last year.  I also think the media and people posting obsess with comments about GM's drafting for need.  You also have to adapt to the position your in.  When your rebuilding, you also have the luxury of true BPA.  When your a top team, BPA is something different.  If I could be a fly, I would be more interesting in knowing where everyone was on their board and the comments for each of those players.  Like was Mike Green or James Pierce on their board with an asterisk?    What did they think of the players that were drafted before their pick and what grade was a player like Graham, Grant, or Nolan compared to Williams.  Was their someone that they wanted that they tried to trade up to get because they were in a higher tier.  Stuff like that is more interesting to me.  I am usually more interested in previous coaches and GM's points of view compared to Kiper.

[RedRamage]

8 hours ago, buddha said:

once again i am underwhelmed and once again i will likely be wrong.

in brad we trust.

Pretty much my thoughts. I mean at 28 I'm not expecting to be blown away with a "franchise changing player," but I thought there were other more pressing needs with equally quality options at those positions... but... It's pretty much impossible to argue with Holmes track record. Sure, not every pick is a star, but he's gotten it right far more than he's gotten it wrong in an field were I suspect the getting it right just 50% of the time is fantastic.

[RedRamage]

8 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

This can't be good for Broderick Martin can it?

I wouldn't think so. I also heard Matt Dery on Locked on Lions question if DJ Reader gets cut. He's was only speculating not predicting, but I guess I wouldn't be shocked. Reader wasn't phenomenal in '24 and he's making a lot of money. 

On the other hand McNeill is likely not going to be ready for opening day and I don't think the Lions are desperate for cap space either so I don't think he'll be cut... just won't be super duper shocked if it happened.

[RedRamage]

8 hours ago, buddha said:

but brad said they dont!  so they obviously dont.

its just a huge coincidence that the top guy on their board last year happened to be a cb and this year happened to be a dt...

Is DT really the biggest need though? I'd say DE is a much higher need. Sure DT is a need, but you have guys who can play there. Now, I'm probably way over analyzing what was likely a semi-joke of a reply, but I don't see this as a pick to fill the biggest hole. Imho, DE and OG are bigger needs with DT probably slotting in at 3rd.

Not the rehash an argument (which means I'm gonna rehash an argument), but yeah... needs should always be taking into account. It's not a question of IF, but of HOW MUCH, does the need influence the selection. Holmes has shown that it matters a lot less for him than for most GMs.

To directly respond to last years draft: Yeah, CB was a huge need, but not the only one by far. So once we filled CB it would make sense to address other needs, right? But Holmes goes back to CB in the second round.

Okay, I'll step off the soap box responding to a tongue-in-check reply now. Feel free to laugh at me for over analyzing at this time.

[RedRamage]

8 hours ago, Jason_R said:

And the Eagles get Jihaad Campbell. 

And there goes my dream of the "All Campbell" team. 🥹

[RandyMarsh]

I disagree about DE being a bigger need, if McNeil was healthy and Reader was his 2023 self then yeah but neither are the case. 

Our defense did fine last year without a pass rush, it wasn't until McNeil got hurt, Reader showed his age and opponents started running down our throats when the defense collapsed. 

 

[Hongbit]

So many draft experts don’t understand that you don’t need every team in the league to have a consensus on a players value.  It only takes one team to feel the same way on a player and you don’t get him.    

They also throw around the decision to trade back like it’s a ho-hum and you can definitely get the player you wanted later.  It’s a massive role of the dice.  You can’t just magically drop back and assume that no other team scouted that player the same way.   If you covet a player, then you take the player. 

In general, It’s stupid as hell to trade back if there’s a player you really like on the board.  The time it makes sense to trade back is when you have multiple players graded very similar and you are ok with any of them. 

Cowboys taking Booker, Dolphins taking Grant, Bucs with Egbuka, Bengals with Stewart, and Lions with Williams, are all considered reaches by some but I think they are all solid picks.   

 

[Nate7474]

A lot of good players at needs left that I could see them going multiple ways. I think a starting OG could fall. Looking at Rathledge, Mbow or Milum. I think both OSU DEs could also be an option. The Lions prioritize DE that can stop the run first and both do that well. Lastly of Higgins fell to us I could see them making true to their word that they’d like to get younger and cheaper at WR. The lions truly are such a wildcard team that’s hard to predict this year.