Christian Mahogany’s NFL journey started as a bit of a mystery. The Detroit Lions picked him up in the sixth round of the 2024 draft, and many were surprised he dropped that far. His rookie season didn’t start off great either—he battled mono for months, keeping him off the field until November. But once he got back in the mix, he made sure people noticed.

By the end of the season, Mahogany had carved out a solid backup role. He even started two games—one at left guard for Graham Glasgow in Week 16 against the Bears and another at right guard in the playoffs when Kevin Zeitler was injured. And he didn’t just fill in; he performed. Against Chicago, he posted a top-10 Pro Football Focus grade among guards, allowing just one pressure in 33 pass-blocking snaps. Then in the playoff loss to Washington, he stepped up again, earning strong grades, especially in run blocking.

Now, with Zeitler gone in free agency and Glasgow struggling last season, Mahogany is in prime position to grab a starting job in 2025. Pro Football Network recently highlighted him as the Lions’ top candidate to make a big leap next season, pointing out how he handled himself well in limited snaps last year. While Detroit may bring in a veteran as a backup plan, Mahogany is in the driver’s seat to start.

Barring injury or a major setback, it looks like the Lions have found their next key piece on the offensive line.