By Blessing 
In our ongoing 2025 NFL Draft preview series on the PODcast, we dive into the Detroit Lions’ potential picks for linebacker and defensive back positions. Last week, we focused on skill position players, and now we turn our attention to the defense, where the Lions have some crucial decisions to make.
While linebacker might not be an immediate need for Detroit, it’s certainly a position to watch for the future. The Lions currently have several linebackers whose contracts are nearing expiration, including Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Grant Stuard, Ezekiel Turner, Anthony Pittman, Abraham Beauplan, and DaRon Gilbert. To put it simply, only Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes are viewed as part of the team’s long-term vision.
On this week’s PODcast, we break down our top linebacker prospects across all three draft days and discuss how they could fit into Detroit’s defensive plans. Some of the topics we cover include:
- What would the role of Jihaad Campbell be if the Lions chose him?
- The two toughest linebackers available on Day 2
- Hidden gems on Day 3 with upside in special teams
Shifting to the secondary, the Lions are relatively set for 2025, but questions remain about the future. Will Detroit commit to re-signing both safeties with hefty contracts, or is it time to start thinking about more affordable options? Additionally, the future of the nickel position is up in the air. Could the Lions use this draft to fill Ifeatu Melifonwu’s role?
We address these questions while again offering our favorite picks for each day of the draft. Before diving into the draft discussion, we also take a look at the owners’ meetings, playing a game of “Buy or Sell” on the biggest storylines coming out of Florida.
Be sure to check out the full podcast below or listen on your favorite platform. For added content, you can watch the video of the podcast with bonus material over on our YouTube and Twitch pages.