Lions post-NFL draft depth chart: A guard battle, questions at safety and edge

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The 2025 NFL Draft is over, and the Detroit Lions added seven new players to a championship-caliber roster.

Where do they fit in? What does it mean for returning players? What battles lie ahead?

Let’s discuss with a post-draft depth chart.

Programming note: This depth chart won’t list every player, as we look to focus on starters and key reserves. It’s just an attempt to gauge where things are at for each position.

Quarterback

Starter: Jared Goff
Backup: Hendon Hooker OR Kyle Allen

No, the Lions did not draft Shadeur Sanders. They did add a quarterback this offseason, though. Expect a battle between Hooker and Allen for the QB2 job. The Lions wanted to add competition and found some in Allen, who has 19 career starts under his belt. Front office applying a bit of pressure here, hoping it pays off for Hooker.

Running back

Starters: Jahmyr Gibbs AND David Montgomery
Key reserves: Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki

This was a deep running back class, but the Lions didn’t feel the need to draft one. Their top four feels pretty firm with Gibbs, Montgomery, Reynolds and Vaki. Perhaps Vaki is ready to contend for the RB3 job now that he has a year under his belt. The Lions did add a pair of UDFA backs in Ohio’s Anthony Tyus and Boston College’s Kye Robichaux.

Wide receiver

Starters: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick
Key reserves: Kalif Raymond, Isaac TeSlaa

There was some chatter that Williams could get dealt during the draft, but Lions GM Brad Holmes said they never entertained trade talks and didn’t know where those rumors started. That said, Holmes was non-committal when asked about an extension for Williams at the owners meetings, while talking openly about wanting to extend Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph. It could be more of a 2026 conversation, but Williams remains a Detroit Lion. The team just picked up his fifth-year option.

The Lions re-signed Patrick in free agency, which buys them time for a year to develop TeSlaa behind the scenes. It’s a perfect situation for a talented but raw receiver like him to step into. TeSlaa didn’t play receiver full-time in high school, essentially learning the position in college — starting at Hillsdale before transferring to Arkansas. His athletic traits (6-foot-4, 4.42 speed) are enticing for a team like the Lions that wanted to get younger at receiver, as are his hands and blocking skills. He could be a big slot receiver or play on the outside. Curious to see if he can earn regular snaps. He’s got the tools to help before he takes on a starring role.

The Lions have some interesting depth options at receiver. They signed former Michigan star Ronnie Bell and drafted Georgia speedster Dominic Lovett in the seventh round. We’ll discuss the UDFA class later this week, but the Lions did sign Syracuse WR Jackson Meeks (nephew of Za’Darius Smith) and reportedly gave him $200,000 guaranteed. Worth keeping an eye on in training camp.

Offensive line

Starters (left to right): Taylor Decker, Christian Mahogany, Frank Ragnow, Tate Ratledge, Penei Sewell.
Key reserves: Graham Glasgow, Miles Frazier, Giovanni Manu, Dan Skipper.

This is where things got interesting. At the owners meetings, Dan Campbell said what the Lions like about Glasgow — a starting guard for the past two seasons — is that he can also play center. Versatility is nice, but it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for an aging lineman coming off a poor season. In that same session, Campbell said the Lions could draft a guard. Then, they drafted two of the best in the entire class in Ratledge and Frazier. It certainly feels like Glasgow will be asked to compete for his starting job in training camp.

While the rest of Detroit’s starters are locked in, the guard battle should be fun to watch. Glasgow is the most experienced and he played injured last year, so maybe better health will improve his play. But he’ll be 33 in August and isn’t as spry as he once was. Christian Mahogany looks like a piece for the future and gained some experience last year. But Ratledge was one of the best guards in the draft and can start on Day 1. Between those three and Frazier, the Lions have a lot to work with. It also makes things difficult for the likes of Colby Sorsdal, Kayode Awosika and Michael Niese.

Tight end

Starter: Sam LaPorta.
Key reserves: Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra, Kenny Yeboah.

The Lions met with some tight end prospects at the combine, but ultimately didn’t draft one this year. They signed Ole Miss TE Caden Prieskorn as a UDFA, though, who was given a seventh-round grade by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. They do seem pretty set at the position with LaPorta returning for Year 3. Behind him, there’s Wright, Zylstra and Yeboah, who signed with the Lions in free agency.

Defensive tackle

Starters: Alim McNeill, DJ Reader.
Key reserves: Levi Onwuzurike, Tyleik Williams, Roy Lopez, Mekhi Wingo.

Defensive tackle is in a really healthy spot for 2025. Well, kind of. The Lions have impact players and depth, making the roster outlook healthy. But McNeill and Wingo are coming off torn ACLs, so that depth will be needed. If McNeill can’t begin the season, I’d expect to see Reader and Onwuzurike up the middle as starters, with a heavy dose of Williams. Lopez will contribute on early downs when Reader needs a breather, while Wingo can be a third-down interior pass-rush specialist. Keep an eye on Myles Adams as well. The Lions liked what he offered down the stretch last year.

The addition of Williams, on the surface, does not bode well for former third-round pick Brodric Martin. The Lions have said publicly that Martin has work to do. If he doesn’t turn this thing around, starting in training camp, there’s no guarantee he makes the team. Nobody has a perfect track record, but that pick felt aggressive at the time. Martin has yet to justify it on the field, and the Lions just drafted a long-term starter at his position. Maybe it comes together and Martin proves serviceable in a reserve role going forward. But the writing could be on the wall here, folks.

Edge

Starters: Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport.
Key reserves: Josh Paschal, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Ahmed Hassanein.

Did the Lions do enough in the offseason at the edge position to feel good? Time will tell. Detroit seems to have confidence in Davenport. Whether that’s as a starter or reserve remains to be seen, but for now, he’s penciled in as a starter. The Lions had a hole at WR3 in training camp last year and were able to plug it with Patrick, so if things are that dire or the depth isn’t good enough, expect Holmes to make some calls.

As for the draft, the stars didn’t align for the Lions to select a Day 1 or 2 pass rusher, despite Holmes’ attempt to trade up for one in the second round. The Lions came away with Hassanein — a high-motor edge who’s light on length and athletic traits. Hassanein has only been playing football since 2019, so it remains to be seen how NFL-ready he is. But if he’s simply asked to use his motor and power to win in pass-rush situations, he might be able to handle that early. We’ll get more answers in training camp.

Linebacker

Starters: Jack Campbell (MIKE), Alex Anzalone (WILL), Derrick Barnes (SAM).
Key reserves: Malcolm Rodriguez, Grant Stuard, Trevor Nowaske, Ezekiel Turner.

No twists or turns here, despite Jihaad Campbell dangling there at 28 (because of medicals). The Lions will run it back with their core trio of Jack Campbell, Anzalone and Barnes. When we talk about pass rushers, we often leave out Barnes because he’s primarily a linebacker, but he did some rushing in college and his hybrid role at SAM will give him those opportunities going forward. We only saw it in three games last year, but Barnes was doing everything the Lions asked of him. Don’t forget about him.

Cornerback

Starters: D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (nickel).
Key reserves: Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, Avonte Maddox, Khalil Dorsey.

No real changes here after the draft. Reed and Arnold are locked in as starting outside corners, however, the nickel spot is up for grabs. That should come down to Rakestraw and Robertson in training camp.

Robertson was solid in his role last year and knowing him, he could rise to the occasion and fend off a talented young player in Rakestraw. But we’re doing a bit of projecting here. The Lions drafted Rakestraw in the second round last year, and Holmes said he has high hopes for him in 2025. Rakestraw was excellent in training camp last year, showing a knack for the ball, sticky coverage and physicality in the run game. If he repeats what he did last year and stays healthy, it feels like it’ll be his job to lose.

Safety

Starters: Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
Key reserves: Morice Norris, Dan Jackson.

It’s hard to tell what the Lions have behind Joseph and Branch — a pair of All-Pro caliber safeties. Ifeatu Melifonwu was Detroit’s No. 3 safety when healthy last year, but he’s now in Miami. The Lions don’t have an experienced safety who could step in if Branch or Joseph goes down. They’d be relying on 2024 UDFAs Morice Norris or 2025 seventh-round pick Dan Jackson. It’s possible the Lions look for veteran help if there is an injury, though, and safeties are easy to find. No reason to panic at the moment.

Specialists

Starters: K Jake Bates, P Jack Fox, LS Hogan Hatten

(Top photo of Tate Ratledge: Brett Davis / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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