Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Detroit Lions look to be favoring Michigan EDGE rusher in NFL Draft

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Jerred Johnson | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 2:08 PM ET

Detroit Lions fans have trusted their General Manager Brad Holmes and his drafting skills since his arrival in Motown. That trust has paid off as Holmes has drafted star players at an unmatched rate. Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam Laporta, Jameson Williams, Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St Brown are just a few of the elite players he's picked up in the NFL Draft. Holmes has exhibited a knack for recognizing talent and hitting home runs outside of the first round.

His next target could be coming from the University of Michigan. It has been reported that the Detroit Lions have met with former Wolverine EDGE rusher Josaiah Stewart three times during the draft process. Stewart has been lauded as one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class.

The 21-year-old Stewart comes in at 6-1, 245-pounds, a size that's not typical for an elite edge rusher. Labeled "undersized" for much of his career, none of that hindered his production and performance on the field. After transferring to Michigan from Coastal Carolina many experts claimed he would not be able to make the leap from a lower-level conference into the elite level of play in the Big Ten.

Those so-called experts could not have been more wrong. Throughout his entire Michigan career, there were times that Stewart took over games and was a wrecking ball off the EDGE, disrupting the offense's entire playbook and strategy. He finished his senior campaign with 33 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He was often matched up against tackles that outweighed him by 60-80 pounds and used his excellent leverage and speed to blow by them.

Stewart certainly has the look of an elite NFL talent and Brad Holmes appears to be interested. If the Lions do end up pulling the trigger on the Michigan edge rusher, there's no question that it would be a huge win for both the franchise and the Maize and Blue faithful to keep Stewart in the state of Michigan.

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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