7-round Detroit Lions mock draft after 2025 NFL Combine, Detroit makes a big trade up

This is a pick that makes so much sense for the Lions for multiple reasons. The first is that they need a pass rusher obviously. The second is that Scourton is just 20-years-old. Here's a guy that can grow with the Lions and be here for the super long term. The third is that the Lions had a formal meeting with him at the combine. There's just a lot here that says Scourton could be the Lions pick at 28.

We wrote a story last week about how we believe this is the most likely player the Lions will draft in 2025. He fits every single thing the Lions are looking for. Plays violent, fits the culture and even has a lion tattoo on his arm. 

The Lions linebacker group is pretty good right now, but we know Anzalone only has one year left on his deal, Derrick Barnes could move on, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin has already been let go. Linebacker is going to be a need. 

The Lions are trading up in the third round to grab another player that they met with at the combine and one that could be a big part of the team's future. Here's the trade they worked out with the Steelers:

Lions get: 85th pick
Steelers get: Hendon Hooker and a 2026 fourth-round pick

There you go. The Lions get a high third rounder and the Steelers get a quarterback that would fit well with them and one that could see some playing time in Pittsburgh long before he would see any in Detroit. While Lions fans think very highly of Hooker, we had to attach a pick to him to get him in Pittsburgh. 

Milroe is falling down the board right now and this is the perfect chance for the Lions to strike. Milroe has talent and athleticism and he's played in a pro style offense, but he needs time and he needs development. Detroit is the perfect spot for him to get that. 

The Lions have three former NFL quarterbacks on staff, a guy in John Morton who had a lot to do with Jared Goff's success and then Dan Campbell and the aforementioned Goff. There is just so much support there for this 22-year-old kid to learn on the job and be ready to take over as the Lions starter at 25. Until then he's a premium backup. 

The Lions have already traded up into the third-round. Now they're moving out of the third round to gather some extra picks. Here's the deal the team made with the Jaguars:

Lions get: 106th and 143rd picks
Jaguars get: 101st and 230th picks and a 2026 seventh-round pick

Pro Football Focus' highest graded pass rushing defensive tackle in the country last year. He had a 91.2 pass rush grade. The Lions have a guy in Alim McNeill that can get after the quarterback, but depth is going to be very important going forward. Peebles is instantly a guy who can flex in right away and do some damage. 

Last week we wrote about how Bryant might be someone who Dan Campbell made in a lab. That's how much this guy has "Lion" written all over him. He is the best blocking receiver in this draft and fits the culture of this team so well. Plus he can make the contested catch and be an immediate help at WR3. 

Dan Campbell may have made Pat Bryant in a lab, but Hawes might actually be Dan Campbell after Campbell made a time machine in that lab. Hawes is not going to be a Sam LaPorta pass catching maven or anything like that. He's going to be huge in the run game as a run blocker. A spot where he said he likes to punish people. This is a guy that wants to hit and will hit. 

The only HBCU player at the NFL Combine this year. We had a chance to talk with him and while he hadn't met with the Lions at that time, he seemed like a real culture fit for Detroit. A guy who is willing and wanting to get on the field and play anywhere that he's asked to play and someone who feels he can play any spot on the line. Vinson would likely be asked to play guard at some point, but he could immediately fit Dan Skipper for that swing tackle spot in the meantime. 

This is a steal for the Lions, it truly is. While the rest of the league is worried because Muhammad is 5-foot-9, the Lions aren't going to care about that because they'll be more focused on what happens on the field. There you'll see that teams have been afraid to throw in this guy's direction all year long. Maybe it's because he only allowed a reception percentage of 46.2%. The eight pass breakups probably don't help either. If this guy is 6-feet-0, he's going on day one. 

Another receiver the Lions met with at the combine and someone that could be a steal at this point in the draft. There's some concern that injuries may be an issue for him, and he comes from an offense that wasn't using him a ton. The Lions could use McCoy in a depth spot and he could be a good hand on special teams as well. It's worth a look for sure.