Lions 2025 NFL draft: An EDGE prospect for each round

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Next up in the series that spotlights draft fits a particular position for the Detroit Lions in each round of the draft are the EDGE players. Sometimes a defensive end, other times an outside linebacker, the primary function of the EDGE in Detroit is to disrupt the opposing quarterback and make plays in the run game on the way to the QB.



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The Lions aren't going to draft an EDGE in each round, of course. The goal here is to show which types of talents are fits for the Lions in each round of the draft to help identify talents, and also the relative value that projects to be available for GM Brad Holmes in those rounds. As an example, this is the "a CB for every round" from last year that featured Ennis Rakestraw in the second.

Detroit doesn't currently have a pick in the fifth round, but trades happen all the time, so it's included here. Prospects for the first three rounds here are skewed toward where the Lions will currently select in each round: No. 28, 60 and 102 overall, respectively. The approximate draft round projections are as of March 23rd.

State of the position​

The Lions have an All-Pro in Aidan Hutchinson on one side and a lot of questions beyond Hutch. Oft-injured vet Marcus Davenport was brought back in free agency, and he projects to compete with 2022 second-round pick Josh Paschal for the starting role opposite Hutchinson. Vet Al-Quadin Muhammad also returns after a useful late-season audition. Youngsters Isaac Ukwu, Mitchell Agude and Nate Lynn round out the depth chart; all spent time on Detroit's practice squad in 2024.

First round: Nic Scourton, Texas A&M​

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Scourton gets the tentative nod here as someone who projects to be available and fit the "crush the can" pass rush philosophy the Lions have preferred at EDGE. We previously profiled Scourton as a potential Lions prospect. Still just 20 years old, the Purdue transfer is something of an enigma after being much more productive as a Boilermaker than he was in his one season as an Aggie.

Positives

• Definite "crush the can" pass rush style, power-to-speed off an impressive bull rush
• Good use of his length and a violent initial jab on the pass rush
• Has a nasty inside rip move and a quick (for his size) spin that can go inside or outside
• Finishes with power and uses his length to corral well
• Backside chase-down and contain effort is strong and kept improving
• Gets good depth on his initial coverage drops from a stand-up start
• Motor runs hot all the time

Negatives

• Stiffer-than-expected lower body with poor bend around the edge
• Consistently plays too high and narrow in the run game, especially from a 2-pt stance
• Frequently the last lineman moving off the snap, even if it's a half-count; the opposite of a snap-jumper
• Chases the cheese on play-fakes and screens/swings too often
• Will miss tackle opportunities by approaching too high
• Stays blocked too easily in the run game too often

Second round: Olafemi Oladejo, UCLA​

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Tough to pick just one here, as the Day 2 picks are the sweet spot for pass rushers in this draft. Oladejo gets the nod over (among others) Donovan Ezeiruaku, Landon Jackson, J.T. Tuimoloau and Princely Umanmielen. A last-minute converted off-ball LB, Oladejo previously played at Cal.

What I like:

• Picked up his pass rushing game very quickly despite almost no formal practice or training
• Impressive power-to-speed technique and hand/shoulder strength and coordination
• Gained considerable, useful bulk throughout the season; weighed in at 259 at the Combine after playing in the 240-ish range to start 2024
• Packs a real punch in his hands and his hand placement is strong
• Didn't lose his off-ball LB eyes or instincts
• Great tackling power and good finishing burst to the ball
• Lived on the honor roll as a student

Negatives:

• Very inexperienced at playing as a pass rusher
• Needs a lot of work stacking and shedding vs. the run while playing at the line; he's better at foiling and shedding blocks in space than right off the snap
• Has some lower-body tightness, can be straight-linish in space
• Will run past or miss the mark in space--was a big reason why he moved from LB to EDGE

Third round: Bradyn Swinson, LSU​

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The third round is another area where several candidates abound. Swinson trumps guys like Jack Sawyer, Kyle Kennard and Jared Ivey. The fourth-round prospect here, Ashton Gillotte, could also be in range here. Swinson, an Oregon transfer who played the last two seasons at LSU, has higher upside and seems like a better all-around football and cultural fit.

What I like:

• Outstanding at quickly following his initial jab to feel out the blocker
• Crisp short-area agility and explosion out of lateral movement
• Great initial burst both inside and outside; can cross the face quickly
• Shows violent hands and confidence in his strength
• All-out effort and intensity on every snap
• Positional discipline in run defense improved
• Has a chase-down gear in backside run support and on quick-hit passes behind him

Negatives:

• Did very little until his final college season; had more sacks (8.5) and TFLs (13) than in his prior four years combined
• Loses his balance and sometimes struggles to gather himself in space at full speed
• Will get stuck on the block on the bull rush even when he succeeds
• Didn't have much pass-rush success lining up inside a 7-tech (beyond the outside shoulder of the tackle)

Fourth round: Ashton Gillotte, Louisville​

Another player I previously profiled, Gillotte is a personal favorite and would represent a tremendous value in this realm of the draft; he's a top-60 overall player for me. The drawbacks are legit, which is why Gillotte could be available in the early 100s in this class.

What I like:

• Very impressive power-to-speed outside rush
• Jolting initial bull-rush contact and follows it with strong leg drive
• Good finishing and tackling power
• Consistently sets a hard edge against the run and can steer the action into the hole
• Doesn't bite on fakes or misdirection often
• Decent straight-line and backside chase speed for his size
• High-effort player on every snap; makes hustle plays and clean-up tackles all over the formation

Negatives:

• Lacks twitch and acceleration off the snap
• Has some tightness in his ankles and hips
• Needs to develop more pass-rush moves that don't involve starting off a bull rush
• Presents his chest to blockers at times; has short arms (just under 32") and small hands (8.5") for his height (6-foot-3/264)
• Played too tall when kicking inside

Fifth round: Jah Joyner, Minnesota​

Joyner is a Day 3 lottery ticket type of prospect, a player with outstanding physical traits but one who has never consistently figured out how to translate his athletic gifts into playing great football consistently.

What I like:

• Looks exactly how Brad Holmes would picture his ideal DE: 6-foot-5, 262 rocked-up pounds with well-developed legs and long arms
• Offers power-to-speed from the outside and is able to keep his chest clean with his long, strong reach
• High energy player who takes pride in his effort and intensity
• Good wrap-up tackler in the run game
• His eyes for the ball showed real improvement as 2024 progressed
• Gets his hands up and into passing lanes exceedingly well (7 breakups in 2024, all at the line of scrimmage)

Negatives:

• Burst off the snap is underwhelming
• Doesn't flatten the corner consistently, especially if coming off a tight alignment
• Doesn't convert speed-to-power well even though he's got decent speed off a 2-step start
• Has a habit of trying to make himself narrow and exposing his chest while getting too upright
• Almost zero special teams experience
• Has prolonged stretches of game tape where it's hard to notice him playing

Sixth round: Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State​

A former college teammate of Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez, Oliver earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and bagged at least five sacks in all three full seasons he played for the Cowboys. Missed almost all of the 2024 season with a foot injury, though he's recovered well enough to participate in the Senior Bowl and scouting combine. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Oliver is a very different style of EDGE for Detroit--he's more in the mold of a SAM in the Lions defense.

What I like:

• Sleek speed rusher with outstanding get-off
• High-end athlete who tested phenomenally well at the NFL Scouting Combine
• Consistent production as a pass rusher and was off to a great start pre-injury in 2024
• Flattens and closes around the edge nicely
• High-effort player with quick reactions
• Has some SAM and stack-backer experience

Negatives:

• Lightweight and doesn't play with effective use of the size he's got
• Gets blasted off the mark in run defense consistently, no anchor strength
• Has some wasted motion in his pass rush moves
• Missed tackle rate over 25 percent all four years at OSU effectively rules out any LB usage

Seventh round: Chaz Chambliss, Georgia​

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Chambliss plays with the game of a power end, but it comes in a body built more like a MIKE backer. He led Georgia's talent-laden defense in sacks in 2024 and was the first known player to make an official draft visit with the Lions.

What I like​

• Fiery personality who oozes football out of every pore
• Plays with a functional strength that belies his 6-1/242 frame
• Good finisher who wraps and sinks his weight well
• Really jolting power out of his initial punch and two-hand jams
• Considerable special teams experience
• Quick to read and react to the play in front of him
• Brings an MMA background and it shows in his playing style

Negatives:

• Much more of a clean-up sack guy than a pressure generator on his own
• Unable to threaten the edge with speed or agility
• Will get caught up battling the TE and not progressing on his rush
• Extremely lacking in length and litheness while playing on the line
• Stiff and robotic mover in space rules out playing LB

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions 2025 draft: An EDGE for every round

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