Lions go easily expected directions in Dane Brugler's two-round 2025 mock

No matter what happens in the playoffs, the Detroit Lions will pick between No. 25 and No. 32 in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. As of right now they're favored to have the final pick of the opening round, but it'll be a late pick no matter what and their picks in subsequent rounds will also be mostly late.

The Lions are also, obviously, in a position where they won't have a lot of big needs heading into the offseason. Looking at the draft, free agency will have some role in the way that goes. And we also know general manager Brad Holmes doesn't strictly draft for need, and the proof of concept in that approach is clear.

In his new two-round mock draft this week, Dane Brugler of The Athletic (subscription required) projected the draft order based on the regular season results. So the Lions had the final pick of each round (No. 32 and No. 64).

Lions go easy directions in two-round 2025 mock draft

At pick 32, Brugler has the Lions taking Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton.

"There should be a few options for the Lions to add key depth at edge rusher late in Round 1. Scourton has mostly Day 2 draft grades around the league, but he projects as a starter because of his ability to wear down blockers with a motor that doesn’t quit — something Dan Campbell (a former Aggie himself) would appreciate."

After a 10-sack season with 15 tackles for loss in 2023 at Purdue, Scourton (6-foot-4, 285 pounds) had five sacks with 14 tackles for loss this season for A&M. He has 78 quarterback pressures over the last two seasons (according to Pro Football Focus).

With pick No. 64, Brugler had the Lions taking Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison.

Morrison (6-foot, 190 pounds) is a solid all-around corner, adept at man coverage and a solid tackler willing to play the run (the requirements to play cornerback for the Lions). His ball production dropped this season (four pass breakups, zero interceptions), but he has shown ability there (six interceptions in 2022; three interceptions and 10 pass breakups in 2023).

Morrison also only played six games this season due to a hip injury, and subsequent surgery is likely to keep him from doing pre-draft workouts.

It will not be surprising if the Lions come out of the first two rounds of April's draft with an edge rusher and a cornerback. It'd just be a matter of the names, and maybe the order. Scourton and Morrison stand to be somewhere on the radar during the pre-draft process.