Very early 2025 mock draft has Lions adding versatile 'weapon' to defense

The defense was the weakest link for the Detroit Lions last year. An overall lack of consistent pass rush and bad coverage on the back end created a "chicken or the egg?" scenario, but an effort was made to help both areas this offseason-particularly at cornerback.

As the coming season goes on, and certainly by the time it's over, the Lions will have some questions answered on the defensive side of the ball. Who has a place long-term? Who doesn't? Next April's draft could help provide supplemental answers to those questions, even picking late in the first round as the Lions are expected to.

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report is out with an early first round 2025 mock draft, under the premise of best team fits for top prospects. He has the Lions picking at No. 32 overall, and we know what that implies.

With that final pick of the first round, Sobleski has the Lions taking LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.

"Now operating at a new standard, the Lions are looking for complementary pieces to address specific areas. Despite featuring Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit finished among the league's bottom 10 in total sacks."

"LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. can provide the Lions with a supercharged version of James Houston. As an undrafted rookie in 2022, Houston surprised everyone by registering 10 sacks. Perkins presents a similar skill set as a highly athletic off-ball linebacker who's comfortable rushing the passer and playing off the edge. He can be a defensive weapon if deployed correctly."

Lions 2025 NFL Draft Profile: Harold Perkins Jr.

Perkins will be a true junior this year. Over his two seasons at LSU, he has 147 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, seven pass breakups, seven forced fumbles and two interceptions. He lines up all over the formation, as evidenced by Pro Football Focus' alignment breakdown from last year.

Total defensive snaps: 773
Defensive line: 271 (154 at left OLB; 117 at right OLB)
Box: 244 snaps
Slot corner: 255 snaps
Wide corner: 2 snaps
Field goal/extra point block: 1 snap

No matter how he might be classified, as an off-ball linebacker or an edge rusher, Perkins (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) is certainly undersized. But he still sits at No. 22 on PFF's big board for the 2025 draft right now, rooted in his versatility and overall ability to disrupt. By PFF grade his best overall season so far is 2022, but a poor run defense grade was a notable knock last year (59.4; compared to 70.3 in 2022). He also played over 200 more snaps than he did as a freshman last year, and his usage as a percentage of his snaps changed.

Pointing to Perkins as a "supercharged version of James Houston" seems to suggest an opinion Houston won't deliver much this year. But that idea is independent of Perkins' appeal as a versatile defensive piece who may land on the Lions' radar as next April approaches.