Mike Payton goes through an updated 2025 NFL mock draft for the Detroit Lions.
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00:00The NFL League meetings were earlier this week and we learned a lot about the Lions and with that knowledge we are going to do a seven round mock draft. Let's jump into it.
00:13Hi Mike Payton from A to Z Sports Detroit. Today we're going to do a seven round mock draft with some of the information that we learned from having a in-depth more intimate conversation with Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell at the league meetings in Florida this past week.
00:28We learned a lot. Let's jump into it. So what we're going to do is make a move with the San Francisco 49ers. Lions are going to move up to the 11th pick and they're going to send over the 28th pick, the 102nd pick, which is the third round pick, and next year's first round pick.
00:45Hey, if you want to move up and get a guy, this is what you got to do. Let's go get that guy right now. With the 11th pick, the Lions select Michael Williams from Georgia.
00:54This is a tremendously talented edge rusher. Maybe the second best edge rusher in this entire draft behind Abdul Carter of Penn State.
01:03This guy has freakishly long arms, can really set a distance from himself. An offensive lineman can get around the edge, can swim, can hand fight, has a bend to him as well.
01:15Just a really, really talented player who we haven't really seen the surface scratched on yet. He might not even be close to the surface yet.
01:25There's just so much room to grow. And if you grow this guy correctly, this is somebody who could be incredibly scary.
01:32He could play right away, obviously, and be good right away. But once he hits that peak, we're talking about a terrifying duo with Williams and Aidan Hutchinson.
01:41The next thing we're going to do, we are going to do another trade, but this time we're heading down.
01:45Got to the 60th pick. The Bills wanted to move up so they can get Azariah Thomas, a cornerback, something the Lions don't really need.
01:52So we moved down two spots to 62. And to make it a little bit sweeter, the Bills threw in the 173rd pick, which is a fourth round pick.
02:03You got to love it. Extra picks. We'll take it.
02:05Let's move on to the 62nd pick, where the Lions will be taking Oregon tackle Josh Connerly Jr.
02:13This is a tackle who's not going to be a guard. He's going to be a tackle.
02:18Now, the reason we're going tackle is because, well, it's multiple reasons.
02:22First off, Brad Holmes talked about how much he likes Graham Glasgow, likes Christian Mahogany.
02:27Dan Campbell said the same type of thing. Seems like that's the route they want to go.
02:31So keeping Glasgow, it really is more what we're leaning towards.
02:36The other thing is Dan Cable also kind of talked about moving Giovanni Manu to guard.
02:41It's just something they're going to try out this summer and see if it works.
02:45The other thing is that Brad Holmes said that he's been maintaining contact with free agents
02:50and talked about how a veteran offensive lineman could be something that the Lions are still looking for.
02:56So, in that case, what this team needs is a tackle that could someday replace Taylor Decker.
03:03And we think Connerly is that guy.
03:05This is a guy who started left tackle three seasons at Oregon, allowed two sacks in all three of those years.
03:11Really talented player.
03:13This could be the future of the Lions offensive lineman.
03:16And while you stick with Decker now, this is a guy who could be a swing tackle right now.
03:22Like, this is a very good pick for the Lions.
03:24Good depth immediately.
03:27Great starter in the future.
03:29The 130th pick, the Lions are going to take Illinois receiver Pat Bryant.
03:33Dan Cable said at the league meetings that he is looking for the Lions.