By Sunday 
The 2025 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and with it comes the annual tradition of grading, overreacting, and, of course, poking a little fun at the NFC North chaos. First stop? The defending division champs: the Detroit Lions.
After a 15-2 regular season and a gut-wrenching 45-31 playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, the Lions had some holes to patch — especially after losing both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson (now head coach of the Chicago Bears) and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (off to lead the Jets). A shake-up was inevitable. So how did Detroit navigate draft weekend?
The Lions’ Draft Class: Solid, but Shaky at the Edges
Here’s the full haul:
- 1 (28) – Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
- 2 (57) – Tate Ratledge, OG, Georgia
- 3 (70) – Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas
- 5 (171) – Miles Frazier, OG, LSU
- 6 (194) – Ahmed Hassanein, DE, Boise State
- 7 (230) – Dan Jackson, S, Georgia
- 7 (244) – Dominic Lovett, WR, Georgia
On paper, it’s not a disaster. In fact, Holmes once again leaned heavily on players from the SEC and Big Ten — which feels about right for a team trying to stay tough in the trenches. Even Ahmed Hassanein, Detroit’s 6th-round pick, helped Boise State crash the CFB Playoff party.
Still, there are a few choices that raise eyebrows.
TeSlaa: The Shiny New Gadget, But at What Cost?
Let’s talk about Isaac TeSlaa. The Lions really wanted him — badly enough to trade two 2026 third-round picks to move up 32 spots and grab the Michigan native out of Arkansas.
Sure, TeSlaa’s got tools. At 6’4″, 214 pounds, and armed with a freakish athleticism score of 96 at the Combine, he’s a matchup nightmare waiting to happen… eventually. But giving up that much future draft capital for a potential WR4 feels a little like paying designer prices for something you found in the clearance bin.
It’s a “trust us” pick. And in Holmes we mostly trust — but this was one of those decisions that made Lions fans collectively side-eye their TVs.
Meanwhile, About That Edge Rusher Situation…
For a team that desperately needed another pass rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit waited until the 6th round to address it. Enter Ahmed Hassanein — an inspiring story, no doubt, but also a player who’s only been playing football since 2019.
Hassanein is willing to “die on the football field” for Dan Campbell (his words), and he racked up 22 sacks in the past two seasons at Boise State. He’s got heart, hustle, and an underdog mentality that fits the Lions’ brand. But betting heavily on him to be your EDGE2 as a rookie? That’s a big gamble — and the NFC North’s quarterbacks aren’t exactly getting slower.
Detroit still has time to add a veteran free agent, but for now, the EDGE room feels thinner than it should.
The Rest of the Class: Battle-Tested, High-Floor Picks
Where the Lions did stick the landing was in the trenches. Tyleik Williams is a monster against the run. Tate Ratledge is a two-time All-SEC selection who celebrated his 24th birthday during the draft, and Miles Frazier was a rock for LSU after transferring from FIU.
Dan Jackson should add depth to the secondary, and Dominic Lovett, while a long shot to make the final 53, adds a dash of potential at receiver.
This draft class screams “solid contributors” — not “flashy,” but very on-brand for what Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have been building. The only question is whether that’s enough when a Super Bowl trip is now the expectation, not the dream.
Final Grade: B- (And a Lot of “We’ll See”)
Holmes’ 2025 draft wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t quite the slam dunk fans were hoping for after coming so close last season. Between the TeSlaa trade-up and the thin EDGE investment, there’s some legitimate room for second-guessing.
Of course, in typical Lions fashion, they could still turn these “head-scratchers” into heroes. That’s been their calling card under Holmes.
Meanwhile, back in Chicago, the Bears — now led by ex-Lions OC Ben Johnson — are practically salivating. Detroit cracked the door open just a little… and naturally, the Bears promptly tripped over the threshold and spilled their lunch.
Because, after all, it’s still the Bears.