By Blessing 
Christian Mahogany’s Big Break Could Be Just Around the Corner in 2025
Opportunity is knocking—loudly—for Christian Mahogany heading into next season.
When the Detroit Lions selected Mahogany in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 210 overall), he came in as a bit of a hidden gem. He wasn’t expected to start right away on what was already considered one of the best offensive lines in the league, and truthfully, many questioned how he slipped so far in the draft. Some of the reasons why Mahogany dropped to the sixth round felt a little questionable from the start.
Unfortunately, Mahogany’s rookie year didn’t get off to the smoothest start. A battle with mononucleosis landed him on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list and delayed his debut until November. But once he was activated to the 53-man roster, he quickly carved out a role for himself—becoming the primary backup at guard.
Despite the late start, Mahogany still managed to start two games during his rookie campaign—one at each guard position. In Week 16, he filled in at left guard for Graham Glasgow against the Chicago Bears and put on a standout performance. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned a top-10 grade among all NFL guards that week and surrendered just one pressure on 33 pass-blocking snaps.
He got another chance to start in the Divisional Round playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders—this time stepping in at right guard for an injured Kevin Zeitler. Once again, Mahogany didn’t disappoint. His performance drew praise, earning PFF grades north of 90.0 in both overall and run blocking categories.
Now, with Zeitler heading to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the door is wide open for Mahogany to step into a starting role next season. Add to that Glasgow’s dip in form—he shifted to left guard last season to accommodate Zeitler—and it’s easy to imagine Mahogany not only starting, but thriving.
The Starting Role Feels Within Reach
Realistically, Mahogany is in prime position to lock down a starting guard spot in 2025—one way or another. In fact, Pro Football Network recently highlighted him as the most likely Lion to take a significant step forward next season.
> “The Detroit Lions had the 5th-ranked offensive line in PFSN’s rankings. However, left guard Graham Glasgow’s play declined down the stretch. Right guard Kevin Zeitler was a free agent and signed with the Tennessee Titans. Rookie Christian Mahogany made two starts late in the season and showed signs of being capable of taking over one of the starting spots.”
> “Mahogany stepped in for the injured Glasgow in Week 16, and he started at right guard for Zeitler in the playoff loss to the Commanders. The Boston College product played a total of 143 snaps and allowed one sack and four pressures.”
> “The sample size is pretty small for Mahogany, but the Lions drafted him for a reason. The Lions already lost Zeitler. They will likely look to sign another veteran but expect Mahogany to have every opportunity to crack the starting lineup next season.”
While it wouldn’t be surprising to see Detroit add a veteran guard during the offseason as a backup plan, Mahogany will head into training camp with momentum firmly on his side. Unless he’s sidelined by injury or has a major setback, it’s hard to imagine him not earning a starting job—whether it’s on the left or right side of Frank Ragnow.
All signs point to 2025 being a breakout season for Mahogany. And if his late-season flashes were any indication, the Lions just might have found a future cornerstone for their offensive line in a sixth-round steal.