By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions are heading into the 2025 season with some big questions about the heart of their offensive line. After losing two key veterans, they’ll be counting on younger talent to step up—and one name is starting to generate real buzz.
Veteran guard Kevin Zeitler signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans, ending his short but impactful time in Detroit. Zeitler brought leadership and high-level play in his lone season with the Lions, and his departure was already a tough blow. But the real shock came when Frank Ragnow, the team’s All-Pro center, unexpectedly announced his retirement. Losing both anchors on the interior line leaves Detroit scrambling for answers in the trenches.
Enter Christian Mahogany. According to Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, Mahogany is one of the top breakout candidates among NFL offensive linemen in 2025. That’s high praise for a second-year guard who’s still relatively unproven—but it could be exactly what the Lions need.
With Penei Sewell locking down the right tackle position and Taylor Decker providing stability on the left side, the tackle spots are in good shape. But the interior? That’s where things get murky.
As it stands, Detroit has a handful of options competing for those three inside roles—Graham Glasgow, Mahogany, Tate Ratledge, Trystan Colon, and Giovanni Manu. Glasgow, though experienced, showed signs of aging last year. Ratledge and Manu are both rookies who haven’t played a single NFL snap. Colon has some experience but has largely been used in a backup role.
That leaves Mahogany in a critical spot. He only started two games as a rookie last year, but he held his own—well enough that the Lions may have felt confident letting Zeitler walk. It’s still a small sample size, but his performance offered a glimmer of hope for a unit in transition.
Of course, nothing’s guaranteed. The Lions’ interior line is going through major changes, and that usually comes with a learning curve. Some players might have to adjust to new positions, and with so many untested names in the mix, growing pains seem inevitable.
But if Mahogany can build on his early flashes and truly take a leap, he could be a stabilizing force. A breakout season from him wouldn’t just ease the uncertainty—it might keep Detroit’s offensive line among the league’s best, despite all the change.
On the other hand, if he struggles, the Lions could be in for a long season up front. For now, all eyes are on Mahogany to see which direction this line is headed.