Detroit Lions mock draft roundup: 52 predictions for who Brad Holmes picks in first round

The Lions have the 28th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin from Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26. The first round of the draft takes place on Thursday night and is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Lions GM Brad Holmes has already created a reputation as an elite drafter, and NFL experts will be waiting to see what talent he can add to his team’s roster. Many believe Holmes will focus on adding players to the defensive unit, as the Lions suffered from many injuries to defenders down the stretch in 2024.

Many draft analysts believe the Lions will take an edge rusher or a defensive end to compliment star Aidan Hutchinson, who led the team with 7½ sacks in 2024 despite only playing in five games. Others believe the Lions will take a cornerback to further strengthen a steadily improving secondary. And if the Lions choose to acquire help on the offensive side, they might choose to draft more size for the offensive line.

Draft analysts have a lot of differing ideas about what the Lions will do with their pick, and their opinions have greatly evolved over time. Here’s a list of 52 recent mock drafts that have outlined who the Lions might take with their first-round pick in the upcoming draft:

Our Lions insiders Dave Birkett and Rainer Sabin have each focused on the Lions bolstering their pass rush.

USA TODAY writers have had a similar focus … with one exception courtesy of an AI chatbot.

ESPN’s many draft analysts tend to agree with the idea that the Lions will zero in on a pass rusher, though Jordan Reid’s most recent mock draft has the Lions choosing an offensive lineman.

The Detroit Lions aren’t on the clock yet, but that hasn’t stopped experts from weighing in.