2025 NFL Draft Preview: 5 EDGE Rushers the Lions Could Target

When it comes to getting after the quarterback in 2025, the Detroit Lions will welcome back one of the best in the business in Aidan Hutchinson after he played just five and a half games last season before breaking his leg Week 6 in Dallas and missing the rest of the season. Hutchinson had 7.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits and 45 total pressures in those games.

“I mean, look, we don’t have a crystal ball on anything, we’re just gonna see where it’s at. But I’ve seen enough movement and mobility on running in this stage that I feel very confident about where he’s gonna be at,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said of Hutchinson’s rehab progress at last week’s Annual League Meetings.

The Lions liked what they saw in the edge duo of Hutchinson and veteran Marcus Davenport before an arm injury ended Davenport’s season last year after just Week 3. Davenport and the team re-upped on a one-year deal this offseason, and if the two can stay healthy, the Lions like that starting tandem on the edge of their defensive line.

But general managers and coaches say all the time teams can never have too many pass rushers and that’s the case in Detroit too, especially when looking at Davenport’s injury history and their depth.

Detroit was among the league leaders in quarterback hurries last season, but their 37 sacks ranked 23rd. Sacks are drive-wrecking plays, and the Lions need more of them. Detroit forced 32 3-and-out drives last season, the seventh fewest in the NFL.

The Lions return veteran Josh Paschal on the last year of his rookie contract and also re-signed veteran Levi Onwuzurike this offseason. While both have played on the edge of Detroit’s defense in the past and are certainly capable, they are more productive inside. Holmes said the preferred spot is having them both in the interior defensive line rotation.

This might be the deepest defensive line class both on the edge and interior in the past decade, which is great for teams who could be looking to add depth and talent there. Detroit will certainly have options if they decide to add to their defensive front when they are on the clock at No. 28, or with any of their seven draft selections (No. 28, 60, 102, 130, 196, 228, 244).

Edge class draft strength: Talent and depth. The class is absolutely loaded. NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent list of the Top 50 players in the class includes nine edge rushers and five defensive tackles. That’s nearly 30 percent of his Top 50 being defensive linemen, including No. 1 overall prospect Abdul Carter, an edge rusher out of Penn State.

Lions edge depth chart: Hutchinson, Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Mitchell Agude, Isaac Ukwu, Nate Lynn, Onwuzurike, Paschal.

Lions edge draft priority: High. The Lions have a nice mix of veterans and young players they think have developmental potential, but I’d be very surprised if they didn’t come out of this draft with a young edge rusher they can add to the mix who gives them some juice coming off the edge.