3 Michigan football stars the Lions should pick in the NFL Draft

The most successful regular season in Detroit Lions' history came to a screeching halt with a 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.

After losing both coordinators and having to replace many positions on their staff, the Lions will now turn their attention to offseason additions to better their roster for another push at the first Super Bowl in franchise history. While many foundational pieces are firmly in place, depth, particularly on defense, proved to be a challenge at critical moments. But luckily, the team may not have to look far to find a fix this spring.

Holding the No. 28 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Lions will likely not get a chance to land a generational player. However, these Michigan Wolverines players may fit with Detroit throughout the 7-round process.

1. DL Kenneth Grant

The Lions have two elite defensive tackles in Alim McNeil and DJ Reader. However, McNeil's late-season ACL tear was a major detriment to the team's chances. Not only is he an elite run-stopper, but he was also the Lions' best interior pass-rusher.

Washington took advantage of both absences in their playoff upset, and McNeil may not be quite ready for the start of next season. Adding better quality depth to that position group seems like a no-brainer this offseason.

Defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant were the driving force behind an excellent Michigan defensive line in 2024. Graham projects as an early first-round pick, but Grant has a chance to still be available when the Lions come on the clock.

Grant is a two-time all-Big Ten player and an Associated Press (AP) All-American who played a significant role on one of the country's top defensive units. He has the size to be an effective nose tackle and a knack for getting in the backfield and rushing the passer that would add value to the Lions' defensive line.

Some may question his ability to play every down, but at this point, the Lions just need a quality player to give guys like McNeil and Reader some rest and not have to shoulder the entire load themselves.

2. EDGE Josaiah Stewart

Like the interior of the defensive line, the Lions could use help rushing the passer. When Aidan Hutchinson was lost for the season, they traded for Zadarius Smith, but there was still a noticeable absence on the edge. At times, the pass rush looked fine, but nobody else had Hutchinson's instant impact in all phases of the game.

The two of them potentially playing together this season should help address the issue. Yet Detroit could also opt to add depth through free agency or the draft, especially with guys like John Cominksy, Levi Onwuzurike, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Marcus Davenport hitting free agency. Stewart could be an option as well to add depth on the edge of the defense in the middle rounds.

He's slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, but excels at rushing the passer with 14 sacks over the last two seasons with the Wolverines. Stewart also set a Coastal Carolina program record with 12.5 sacks and added 15.5 tackles for loss (TFLs) as a freshman in 2021. He had four games with at least two sacks during his final collegiate season in Ann Arbor and tallied six tackles in a bowl win over Alabama.

Most draft experts have him projected to be selected in the second, third or fourth round. He has the potential to develop into a bigger role, but his primary opportunities as a rookie will likely come as a rotational or situational pass-rusher.

Teams may also be drawn to Stewart's leadership as a two-time captain. That is definitely something that fits the culture Detroit has built and appeals to the front office and coaching staff.

3. OL Josh Priebe and Myles Hinton

The theme in this article has been depth, and that continues with these two offensive linemen. Michigan has plenty of other players in the draft, but there is a steep dropoff after Stewart, and the next Wolverine selected could be anyone's guess.

Running backs Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards and tight end Colston Loveland probably lead the next wave from Ann Arbor, but depth along the offensive line is an area Detroit tends to address in the later rounds and free agency. The Lions also love to draft guys that seem to fit the "developmental" or "project" categories (Brodric Martin in 2023, Colby Sorsdal in 2023, Giovanni Manu in 2024).

Priebe and Hinton both fit those categories and could benefit from the elite coaching and influences the Lions have in the trenches. Hinton was a four-star high-school recruit that didn't quite live up to the billing. However, that rating shows there was something in him that coaches could rediscover, and he has the versatility to play both left and right tackle.

Priebe, meanwhile, spent parts of four seasons as a starter at Northwestern before transferring and immediately becoming a starter for the Wolverines. Former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald was known for developing gritty players in the trenches, which goes right along with the Lions' mantra.

Neither of these guys is an instant impact player, but they excel in run blocking, which can appeal to the Lions because of their stable of running backs. Priebe and Hinton have work to do and may not stick in the NFL, but the Lions may be a team that takes a flier on one of them.