The first wave of 2025 NFL free agency is over, and outside of signing cornerback DJ Reed it was uneventful for the Detroit Lions in terms of outside signings. Levi Onwuzurike was re-signed, while Kevin Zeitler, Carlton Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu have signed elsewhere.
The Lions' needs have also become a shade clearer, pending other pieces that could still be added in free agency.
Using Pro Football Focus' mock draft simulator, here's a new full 7-round mock for the Lions as the first week of free agency gets left behind.
Lions 7-round mock draft after the first week of free agency
First Round, No. 28 overall: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
The first round simply didn't go well for the Lions to address what many see as their biggest need (edge rusher) with someone who made sense. So Zabel became the pick. The North Dakota State product stood out at the NFL Combine to set aside whatever concerns there could be about coming out of the FCS.
Zabel primarily played tackle for the Bison (left tackle last season), and he played all five offensive line positions over his career, but he is seen as likely to move to guard in the NFL. That's where he fits for the Lions, as a potential candidate to start right away.
Second Round, No. 60 overall: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
Stewart's production does not leap off the page (31 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, six tackles for loss) or his career at Texas A&M (4.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss over three seasons). A defensive lineman's impact is not always fully told through statistics though, and Stewart has intriguing measurables (6-foot-6, 290 pounds, 83 and 1/2-inch wingspan, 34 and 1/4-inch arms at the Senior Bowl). An NFL personnel evaluator told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Stewart "stamped himself" as the best player at the Senior Bowl.
Stewart is listed as an edge, but he is scheme-versatile and could easily line up across a defensive front in the NFL. He could be what the Lions hoped Josh Paschal would be, and what Onwuzurike did become last season.
Third Round, No. 102 overall: Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville
A deep edge rusher class pushed the urgency for the Lions to draft one down some, and it was not necessary to reach for one.
Gillotte (6-foot-3, 264 pounds) fits the physical profile the Lions like in edge players, and as Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire noted he is a powerful "crush the can" type they covet. He lacks what scouts would consider ideal length and athleticism, but he is consistent with persistent effort and that is sure to make him someone a coaching staff will take a liking to.
In the latest addition to the "sacks are random" file, Gillotte had nearly the same amount of pressures (according to Pro Football Focus) last season (57) as he had in 2023 (58). But his sack total fell from 11 in 2023 to 4.5 last season, and his PFF pass rush grade was noticeably better last season.
Fourth Round, No. 130 overall: Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois
The Lions have re-signed Tim Patrick, who proved himself to be an ideal fit in the "X" receiver role. But it's only a one-year deal, he will turn 32 during next season and his injury history is unignorable.
Bryant (6-foot-2, 204 pounds) had a breakthrough final season at Illinois (984 yards, 18.2 yards per catch), as he tied the single-season school record 10 touchdowns. He had a good showing at the Senior Bowl. Athletic testing at the Combine was a mixed bag for him (4.61 40-yard dash, 1.56 10-yard split, 37.5-inch vertical), but the Lions reportedly met with him in Indianapolis and those meetings have usually meant something.
The Lions wasted a lot of time trying to find a suitable replacement for Josh Reynolds last offseason, then fortune smiled on them when Patrick became available at roster cuts. In tandem with re-signing Patrick, Bryant makes a lot of sense with an eye beyond 2025.
Sixth Round, No. 196 overall: Caleb Ransaw, S, Tulane
The Lions have arguably the best safety duo in the NFL (Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch), but there was room for Melifonwu to make an impact in a certain role (when he was healthy) and he is gone.
Ransaw lined up all over the field for Tulane last season, and before that at Troy, but perceived limitations in coverage stand to push him toward playing safety in the NFL. He tested very well athletically at the NFL Combine (4.33 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical), but as PFF noted that athleticism didn't always translate to big plays on the field.
The last part of PFF's evaluation of Ransaw screams "Melifonwu replacement" for the Lions.
"His best NFL position may be as a downhill safety, where he wouldn’t be tasked with covering quick slot receivers and could instead maximize his tackling ability."
Seventh Round, No. 228 overall: Dylan Fairchild, OG, Georgia
Fairchild was a two-year starter at left guard for Georgia, but that relative lack of experience is offset by going against strong competition in the SEC. Evaluations of him consistently mention an aggressive mentality, to the point of compromised technique sometimes. Aggression is hardly a huge flaw though, as any football coach would say he'd rather have to reel in a player's aggression than try to coach it up or instill it when it isn't already there. Fairchild is a top-notch pass protector, but he does need to get stronger.
Subsequent waves of free agency may diminish the Lions' level of immediate need at guard. But they do have to have an eye on the future, and will based on what general manager Brad Holmes has consistently said, and Fairchild could become a future starter.
Seventh Round, No. 244 overall: Oronde Gadsen II, TE, Syracuse
The top two spots on the Lions' tight end depth chart are spoken for by Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright, but not tendering Shane Zylstra opens up the need for a third tight end (the signing of Kenny Yeboah does not change that).
Gadsen (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) is truly a wide receiver who plays tight end, with over 60 catches, 930 yards and at least six touchdowns in two of his last three seasons at Syracuse. He is not well-regarded as a blocker, but he also wasn't asked to do it a lot in college and there should be some coachable potential in that area.
