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Through the first two days of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions have yet to address a major need. The EDGE room remains completely untouched, with nearly every major name at the position off the board. This is not to say the Lions have had a "bad" draft, with the selections of Tyleik Williams , Tate Ratledge and Isaac TeSlaa all being players at other positions that needed to be addressed.
With the injury to Aidan Hutchinson last season looming large in everyone’s minds, here are seven EDGE prospects the Lions can add on the final day of the NFL Draft. Jack Sawyer, Ohio State Immediately following the end of the college football season, the notion that Sawyer would be a Day 3 pick would have been preposterous. In fact, he was on Vito Chirco’s Day 2 wishlist.
Sawyer had a productive four-year career with Ohio State, recording 144 tackles, 29 TFLs, and 23 sacks. Among all college EDGEs, he was ranked No. 12 last season by Pro Football Focus.
However, his testing and measurements have made the Buckeye slip into round four or later territory. Sawyer is currently rated as the third-best EDGE remaining in the class, via ESPN, and the No. 29 overall remaining prospect on the board.
With the Lions not selecting until round six, barring a trade, Brad Holmes would likely be picking up the phone again to trade up for Sawyer. Elijah Ponder, California Polytechnic Ponder was a highly productive EDGE rusher at the FCS level, recording seven or more sacks in three of his four years as a starter. In each of those seasons, he added 11 or more tackles for loss.
He also tested well, running a 4.63 in the 40 and measuring out with an 80-inch wingspan. His 6.
99-second three-cone drill at the Cal Poly Pro Day would have placed him second among combine DEs, only trailing Donovan Ezeiruaku. With the production and athleticism, his lack of high draft stock is a result of pundits believing that the athleticism does not live up to his on-tape product. He misses the power needed to defend the run at the NFL level, and needs to work on improving his angles in pursuit.
He is a player that is in play in the fifth round, making him another player that Holmes might have to trade up to obtain. Holmes has grabbed a player from the non-FBS level in each of his last three drafts, and Ponder could be the EDGE rusher who makes it four drafts in a row. Jah Joyner, Minnesota Joyner was a one-year starter with the Gophers, recording 14.
5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss during his tenure. While he regressed from 7.5 sacks in 2023 to 4.
5 sacks in 2024, he batted down seven passes in his last campaign. When it came time for the NFL combine , Joyner impressed. His 4.
60 40-yard time ranked fourth among all defensive ends, in spite of his 10-yard split being bottom five at the position. That long stride can pay dividends in the pass rush, but he needs time to refine his tools. The Athletic’s “The Beast” by Dane Brugler calls him a player with the upside of an NFL starter, but currently a rotational player.
He was ranked the No. 202 player on PFF’s big board, and the Lions pick at No. 182 next.
Que Robinson, Alabama Robinson is a player the Lions have noted interest in, bringing the Crimson Tide EDGE in on a visit earlier in the month. He played in nine games last fall, starting in five, but an injury against LSU ended his season early and has caused his stock to slip some. He has athletic upside and length, but the concern is that he may be too light for the EDGE position and instead may be more of a linebacker at the next level.
Robinson currently is projected in the middle of the fifth round or lower, making him one to watch. He may fall into Detroit’s lap. Jared Ivey, Ole Miss Ivey is a player whose production speaks for itself.
In each of his final two seasons at Ole Miss, he recorded over 10 TFL and 5.5 sacks. His 16 career sacks as a Rebel rank him in the top 10 for the program.
While his 40-time was not great at a timed 5.15, his length (6-foot-5, 34 1/8-inch arms) and basketball background have kept the scouts interested. Even before mentioning his physicality, Ivey’s football IQ is brought up by coaches.
He is a player with all the tools who could develop into a great pass-rusher by improving consistency and fluidity. He would be a great addition by Holmes and the organization in the later rounds. Ethan Downs, Oklahoma Downs is one of the best run stoppers in the EDGE group entering Day 3.
He has graded out at an 82.0 against the run since becoming a major contributor for the Sooners in 2022, and also recorded 12 sacks in that same timespan. He’s also among one of the younger remaining EDGE rushers with a draftable grade, giving the prospect time to develop.
His lack of bend is a concern when paired with his size (6-foot-3). However, he is a player with a high motor and an inability to give up on the play, drawing high praise from draft scouts. As an added bonus, he only missed one game with injury during his four years as a Sooner.
Like Robinson, Downs has special teams experience and upside, with the aforementioned EDGE also running routes at the Sooners’ Pro Day. The Lions could stand to benefit by adding Downs with their flurry of late-round selections. Chaz Chambliss, Georgia Chambliss is a player who exploded onto the scene in 2024, leading the Bulldogs with 6.
5 sacks. Despite being undersized, Chambliss makes life difficult in the run game. His flexibility and chase speed stand out, and his one-year production has the EDGE playing the waiting game to see if his name will be called.
With his size (6-foot-2, 245 pounds), he also may wind up moving to linebacker when he is drafted. He is one of the toughest players on the team, and it is hard to find film on Chambliss missing a tackle. He is an “energy” player that many teams can benefit from.
Chambliss is a player that could be a round seven selection or priority undrafted free agent for the Lions . More from Lions OnSI.
