With trio of expiring deals, finding an edge to pair with Hutchinson as urgent as ever for Lions
When considering how an NFL team will approach the upcoming draft, you have to look beyond the immediate roster needs. A selection should be viewed as a four-year investment. Therefore, we must consider the bigger picture with each possible choice.
Continuing our position-by-position look at Detroit’s roster heading into the 2025 draft, let’s shift our attention to the edge rushers.
Current roster: Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Josh Paschal, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Isaac Ukwu, Nate Lynn, Mitchell Agude
Short-term need: 3/10
Long-term need: 10/10
Top prospects: Abdul Carter, Shermar Stewart, Mykel Williams, Mike Green, James Pearce, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Nic Scourton
Day 2 options: Landon Jackson, JT Tuimoloau, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Princely Umanmielen
Late-round considerations: Ashton Gillotte, David Walker
Analysis: How many elite edge rushers are there in the NFL? I’d contend there are six, give or take. We’re talking about the rare player who is consistently Pro Bowl-caliber and routinely in the mix for All-Pro honors.
The players who meet those parameters are Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa, Maxx Crosby and Micah Parsons. Trey Hendrickson has probably earned his way into that exclusive group, as well, after four straight Pro Bowls and first-team All-Pro honors last season.
A spot at the table is reserved for Aidan Hutchinson, who was named to the Pro Bowl in 2023 after tallying 11.5 sacks. Last season, he was well on his way to Defensive Player of the Year honors before suffering a broken leg.