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Last week, we got the chance to have a more in-depth and intimate conversation with both Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes. In those conversations, we learned some things about what the Lions are thinking when it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft.
With those things in mind, here's a seven-round mock draft for you.
Trading up just seems like the way the Lions are going this year. With the way their roster is constructed, they have the ability to go get their guy. Plus, the Lions had Shemar Stewart in for a top 30, and that's a guy who is expected to be gone by then. A scenario similar to last year with Terrion Arnold. So here's the move we made.
Lions get: 11th pick
49ers get: 28th pick, 102nd pick, and a 2025 first-round pick
This is pretty close to the deal the Lions made to move up from 32 to 12 for Jameson Williams in 2022.
It's not the guy that they had in for that top-30 visit, but it's one of the best edge rushers in this class. Those crazy long arms are just such an asset for him to be able to create distance between himself and the offensive lineman.
He finished the season with 33 pressures and six sacks, but I think we haven't even seen him scratch the surface of what he can be yet. He might not be near scratching distance at this point and he's already impressive. You move up for a guy like that because a guy like that turns into something scary pretty often.
Not going too crazy on this one. We got to the 60th pick and the Bills offered a chance to move down slightly and pick up an extra pick, so we went with it.
Lions get: 62nd and and 173rd picks
Bills get: 60th pick
The Bills moved up to cornerback Azareye'h Thomas. The Lions are really set at cornerback right now.
There are multiple thoughts here. The first is that the Lions like what they have in Graham Glasgow and Christian Mahogany. The second is that there is consideration in moving Giovanni Manu to guard. The third is that the Lions are still considering a veteran guard.
All of this tells me that guard is not the move for the Lions, and finding their Taylor Decker replacement makes more sense. That's where Conerly comes in. In three seasons at Oregon, he was a starting left tackle who allowed just two sacks and 26 pressures. He has the ability to be that starter of the future and the swing tackle of today. Make that choice now so you don't have to worry about it later.
At this point, you should expect that this is going to be the pick for a receiver and just move past this pick. There is something we learned at the league meetings, though, and that is that the Lions do want to have some more youth and competition at receiver.
While the Lions did say that they felt good about their defensive line, that doesn't mean they won't look to add a little youth and versatility there. Hassanein brings that all day long. A lot of pass rush juice with 62 pressures and 10 sacks. Plus, he can play on the interior too. The Lions walk out with Williams and Hassanein and fans should be crying tears of joy.
While it seems like the Lions are all set at tight end, I don't think they necessarily feel that way. They want more blocking, particularly in the run-blocking side of things and so far we've not seen the guys currently on the roster be any good in that department. Hawes is spectacular there. Plus, he's like a young Dan Campbell, and it's hard to look past that.
The MAC Defensive Player of the Year. There is a ton to like about this guy, and the Lions are in love with linebackers. Dolac can be good at coverage. He had five interceptions last season. He can rush the passer, he had 6.4 sacks. He can flat-out tackle, he had 168 tackles last season.
Dan Campbell wants to get younger at receiver and wants competition, here's some extra competition. McCoy can be a special-teams player who can add a little receiving flair to the offense. There's some thought about what he can really be in an offense that uses him a little better and a little more. The Vols just started targeting him more this season, and he looked really good at times.
More must-reads:
- Colts QB Anthony Richardson already dealing with another setback
- Lions CB undergoes shoulder surgery, will miss 2025 season
- The '2024-25 NFL passing-yard leaders' quiz
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Green Bay Packers’ Xavier McKinney Gets Honest After Big Injury News
The Green Bay Packers are gearing up for their preseason opener against the New York Jets. Unfortunately, they are not going to have one of their best defensive players available to play in the game even if they wanted him to. Xavier McKinney has been ruled out for the rest of training camp and all three preseason games due to a calf injury. After signing a big four-year, $67 million contract with the Packers last offseason in NFL free agency, McKinney put together a big first year in the green and gold. He took on a major leadership role and was a dynamic playmaker in the secondary. In order to compete for a Super Bowl, Green Bay will need him healthy. Following the news of his injury, McKinney spoke out about the situation. Green Bay Packers’ Xavier McKinney Gets Honest After Big Injury News As shared by ESPN, McKinney shared his gratefulness for the injury being caught before it got worse. He also offered some comforting words for Packers fans. “Obviously glad that we caught it when we caught it, so just kind of trying to take it slow and then the build-up, obviously,” McKinney said. “But I’ll be ready when it’s time to go, for sure.” During the 2024 season with Green Bay, McKinney played in all 17 regular season games. He racked up 88 total tackles to go along with a sack, a fumble recovery, eight interceptions, and 11 defended passes. Those numbers show just how big of an impact McKinney makes for the defense. Jeff Hafley was spoiled in his debut season as the team’s defensive coordinator by having him patrolling the final layer of his unit. Hopefully, McKinney will be able to recovery quickly and get back to 100 percent by Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. He sounds confident that he’ll be able to do just that.
Dream Dealt Unfortunate News on Brittney Griner on Thursday
Neck pain isn’t usually headline news, unless it belongs to Brittney Griner. Atlanta Dream fans hoping for another dominant night on Thursday just had their mood checked. Griner is officially out again, and suddenly that winning streak feels a little more fragile. The Dream hit the road to face the struggling Chicago Sky, a team sitting at 8-21 and already missing rookie standout Angel Reese. But while the Sky limp into Wintrust Arena, the Dream aren’t walking in at full strength either. On Wednesday, the team ruled out Griner for a third straight game due to her lingering neck injury. According to the WNBA’s official injury report, she’s still not ready for game action. Griner’s absence is a blow. The nine-time All-Star has been averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 boards while shooting over 51 percent from the field this season. She signed with Atlanta as a free agent this offseason, helping turn the Dream into a serious contender after last year’s playoff sneak-in. But with their star center on the bench again, the Dream will have to get creative, and gritty. Brionna Jones, Naz Hillmon Set to Step Up With Griner out, Atlanta is expected to lean on Brionna Jones and Naz Hillmon to carry the frontcourt load. Jones, another offseason addition, has already started taking on a bigger role. The team will need her presence inside to stretch the Sky’s defense and crash the boards. It’s not all gloom, though. Griner’s "doubtful" tag before last week’s Mercury game was the same story, and she’s reportedly getting closer to a return. But Atlanta’s not taking risks with their veteran star, and they shouldn't. Still, with Rhyne Howard also sidelined due to a knee issue, the Dream are down two primary weapons. That makes Thursday’s game less about comfort and more about character.
Lions CB undergoes shoulder surgery, will miss 2025 season
Ennis Rakestraw will not play in 2025. The second-year corner was already known to be a candidate to miss time, but the Lions placed him on injured reserve Thursday. Only players released via an injury settlement are eligible to play after being moved to IR at this point in the offseason. Given his status as a 2024 second-round pick, that will obviously not be the case for Rakestraw. After what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, this news is a significant blow for team and player. Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently said Rakestraw was going to miss time due to a shoulder injury. Surgery took place on Thursday, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz notes the procedure was a success. That is of course only a small consolation considering the fact Rakestraw’s rehab process will cost him the entire campaign. The 23-year-old logged just 141 total snaps across eight games last season. A starting cornerback role was not in play since Detroit still has Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson in the fold and replaced Carlton Davis with D.J. Reed via free agency. Still, Rakestraw was in position to occupy a backup spot on the perimeter, so an injury to Arnold or Reed could have elevated him to first-team action. Now, the Lions’ secondary depth will be tested after the unit dealt with numerous injuries last season. Luq Barcoo and D.J. Miller were signed earlier this week. Veteran Avonte Maddox represents an experienced option amongst the team’s remaining backups, although he is best suited for slot and/or safety duties. Rock Ya-Sin has spent his entire career as a corner, but the Lions have tried him at safety this offseason. In the wake of Rakestraw’s injury, it will be interesting to see that plan changes and Ya-Sin’s attention turns back to the cornerback position. With nearly $48M in cap space, Detroit can easily afford a one-year deal amongst the remaining free agents at the CB spot. Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller are some of the veterans still looking for a gig at this point in the offseason. With a vacancy in the secondary, it will be interesting to see if the Lions pursue a contract with any member of that trio or another cover man on the market.
Steelers' Much-Maligned Offensive Tackle Broderick Jones Has His Stock Rising Up
The Pittsburgh Steelers have very high expectations for their offensive line in 2025. The interior players had an excellent 2024 season, and the hope is that they continue to grow and mesh well together. The offensive tackle position is the real question mark. Second-year player Troy Fautanu only had one start in his rookie year before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Third-year player Broderick Jones has had significant issues playing on the right side, and the hope is that he can develop properly while moving to the blind side (his natural position). Jones has not been having a great training camp so far. While the Steelers do have elite edge rushers across the board, the former first-round pick has not been able to do anything to slow them down on a consistent basis. There have been many clips of him getting beat with ease. Pittsburgh even went out and signed a veteran tackle in case he continues to struggle. However, Jones may have finally woken up. During Thursday's practice, reporter Christopher Carter noticed that he may have turned himself around after a great day in training camp. Like with Roman Wilson previously in training camp, the idea of losing his job and maybe even a roster spot could have lit a fire under Jones. He's fighting for more than just the respect of the fans and his peers. Now, he has to go out and stop some of the best pass rushers in the NFL to make sure he's not benched or, even worse, cut completely. Also like with Wilson, one great day at camp is not enough for Jones to stick around. Now that he showed some of his upside, that is the expectation for him going forward. He has to put it all together and stack these practices up until gameday, where the team will expect him to have his way with plenty of other great edge rushers. The days of him playing at a junior-varsity level should now be officially over. Steelers' Offensive Attack Is Almost Entirely On Jones' Shoulders Jones will now be protecting Aaron Rodgers every single day for the rest of the year. During his time with the New York Jets, the 41-year-old was statistically one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL when being blitzed/rushed. At his age, he is more reliant on the men in front of him than ever before in his career, which includes Jones. This is absolutely not the year for him to slack off. If Jones continues to struggle into the regular season, Rodgers is likely going to have another rough, painful season like when he was with the Jets. If he plays like he did in Thursday's practice, the Steelers could see flashes of Rodgers' old form from when he was winning multiple MVP Awards. As long as the established players of the interior line continue to do their job, the outside of the line will be under a microscope all season long. Being under that microscope could cause Jones to be benched quickly if things go awry. Andrus Peat is a veteran tackle that has seen and done plenty in the NFL. The three-time Pro Bowler can step in and take over if needed. As long as Jones keeps competing like he did on Thursday, he won't have to worry about losing his job.
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