By Blessing 
Should the Lions Trade Up in the Draft? The Bold Question Hanging Over Detroit’s War Room
With the 2025 NFL Draft just around the corner, the Detroit Lions face a dilemma that could shape their immediate future: should they trade up to grab a top-tier talent in a draft class lacking elite prospects?
If you’ve spent any time diving into this year’s draft analysis, you’ve probably heard the same thing over and over—this class just doesn’t pop. The buzzwords? “Thin at the top,” “missing blue-chippers,” and “not a lot of sizzle.”
As The Athletic’s Jeff Howe put it bluntly: “This group isn’t teeming with top-level talent.”
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com echoed that sentiment, noting: “The 2025 NFL Draft class lacks some of the pizzazz and sizzle of previous groups, featuring a less than ideal number of elite prospects (blue-chip players), but astute evaluators can still find plenty of rock-solid options.”
And Eric Edholm, also from NFL.com, summed up the issue using Michigan’s Mason Graham as a reference point: “I don’t think he’s a typical top-five prospect, but he lands here in a draft class that isn’t overflowing with blue-chip talent.”
This puts teams picking late in the first round—like the Detroit Lions at No. 28—in a tricky position. In a typical draft, elite prospects rarely fall that far. This year, it’s even less likely.
So what does Detroit do?
The Lions aren’t a rebuilding team anymore. They’re built to win and simply need a few quality additions to push them over the top. And with General Manager Brad Holmes known for his bold draft maneuvers, the idea of moving up has naturally started gaining steam.
Holmes hinted at the possibility during his pre-draft press conference:
“We just needed really good football players,” Holmes said. “We have a lot of really good football players, but I don’t think that where we are now as a roster is going to lessen my desire to want to go get more, better football players… Sometimes it does say, ‘Look, maybe stay patient and just see. Or maybe go up and get the guy you really want and you don’t use those other draft picks.’”
That quote says a lot. Holmes clearly isn’t ruling out a trade-up. But how far is too far?
Detroit has done this before. In 2022, they made a blockbuster move—climbing 20 spots in the first round to snag Jameson Williams. Last year’s move was more subtle, going from 29 to 24 to draft Terrion Arnold. The question now is whether a similar leap is worth it in a year when top-end talent is scarce.
There’s also the question of cost. What kind of draft capital are the Lions willing to part with? Would they send off multiple picks for one player? Would they risk mortgaging part of their future for someone they view as a game-changer?
These are just some of the questions tackled in this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast, which dives deep into the trade-up scenario. That conversation kicks off around the 23:15 mark.
But the episode didn’t stop there. Other topics included:
- Which positions should the Lions prioritize first in this draft—wide receiver, guard, defensive end, defensive tackle, or safety?
- Which position group drops off the most after Round 1: edge rushers or interior offensive linemen?
- If the Lions bundle their late-round picks (a sixth and two sevenths), how far up the board could they move on Day 3?
- With so many teams potentially looking to trade down, could it actually be cheaper than usual to move up?
- Is there a prospect in this year’s class who could realistically take a starting job from a current Lion?
- Do the Lions ever use their top-30 visits as smokescreens, and what’s the story with Cam Skattebo?
- Who’s a player you’d be shocked to see at pick 28—but could actually fall?
- And just for fun: Which prospects are you hoping don’t land with a division rival?
- If you had to choose between Derrick Harmon, Mykel Williams, and Tyler Booker, who are you taking?
Whether the Lions stand pat or swing big, there’s no question the pressure is on. With a competitive roster and a front office that isn’t shy about bold moves, don’t be surprised if Detroit makes headlines on draft night.
You can catch the full podcast below or on your favorite platform. Want the visual version? Head over to YouTube or check it out on Twitch.