The Detroit Lions have been very good defensively, but they have of course felt the loss of defensive end Aidan Hutchinson since he went down to fractured left fibula and tibia in Week 6. The recent success of the unit is a clear head coaching resume builder for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
The addition of Za'Darius Smith is sure to help fill the void left by Hutchinson's absence, and the idea of the two on the field together next season is interesting (among other adjectives). But Smith is an older player, and he is only under contract through 2025.
So a longer-term running mate for Hutchinson, and someone who can surely be integrated heavily right away as a rookie, would theoretically be on the Lions' radar in the 2025 draft.
Pro Football Focus mock simulator gives Aidan Hutchinson a young running mate
At the halfway point of the regular season, heading into Week 10, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus did an accounting of the most popular picks for each team based on the up to date usage of PFF's 2025 Mock Draft Simulator.
For the Lions, Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer was the pick for nearly one-fourth of PFF mock simulator users (24.5 percent).
"The Lions will get back Aidan Hutchinson from a season-ending injury, but the team still needs a reliable secondary edge rusher, given that the team’s leading healthy edge rusher only has eight pressures. Sawyer has recorded 22 or more pressures in the last three seasons, including a pass-rushing grade of 80.0 or better in 2023 and 2024."
In nine games this season, PFF has credited Sawyer (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) with 29 quarterback pressures. PFF has credited him with four sacks, while traditional stats have him with three sacks on the season. His PFF pass rushing grade fell below 80.0 after his most recent game (since Locker's article), but it's still a solid 75.7.
Of note in terms of the Lions' possible interest in Sawyer is his prowess against the run. He has 84.1 PFF run defense grade so far this season, after posting an 86.6 run defense grade in 2023. He has three tackles for loss this season, after posting 10 in 2023 and seven in 2022.
A fair sampling of recent mock drafts have matched Sawyer to the Lions. Scouting reports consistently mention his motor, which reeks of a player Dan Campbell would love.
The Lions will be able to go a lot of directions with what's lined up to be a very late first-round pick next April. An edge rusher like Sawyer is easily on the early list of potential options.