Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes may not prescribe to the idea of the team being in any kind of a “Super Bowl window”. But what is undeniable is that the list of offseason needs is short, and we also know that Holmes is not afraid to move around the board during the draft.

Trading for Myles Garrett or any edge rusher of a similar ilk feels unlikely for the Lions to do. And this year’s draft class is deep at edge rusher, so a viable immediate starter could be had at pick No. 28 or maybe even in the second round at pick No. 60.

That being said, Holmes has shown a willingness to “go get” someone in the draft. If there’s someone, at any position, the Lions particularly like in the first round, expect an effort to be made to move up from pick 28 to get him.

Proposed trade-up target lands as no-brainer for the Lions

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report has put together a list of eight teams who should most aggressively try to trade up in the 2025 draft, with a particular player target for each. The Lions are No. 5 on the list.

“The Detroit Lions are fresh off the most successful regular season in team history…and a disappointing playoff exit in the Divisional Round. One of the biggest reasons the Lions came up short of the team’s first Super Bowl appearance was the lack of a consistent pass rush after Aidan Hutchinson was lost for the season.”

With the pass rusher premise inherent, Davenport suggests Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton as the player the Lions should trade up for.

“Shemar Stewart will likely garner more pre-draft buzz—so much so that’s it’s possible that teammate Nic Scourton will be there at No. 28. But the 6’4″ 280-pounder could be worth a move up by the Lions, as he’s one of the more NFL-ready edge prospects in this class and has drawn comparisons to longtime Saints star Cameron Jordan.”

Scourton had 10 sacks, 50 total tackles and 15 tackles for loss for Purdue in 2023. He only had five sacks for Texas A&M last season, but he did have 14 tackles for loss and 37 total tackles as he earned First Team All-SEC honors. And looking deeper, according to Pro Football Focus, he had 36 quarterback pressures in 2024 compared to 42 in 2023 with the same number of hurries (28). So, #sacksarerandom.

Scourton gets high marks for his pass rush repertoire, and his physical build (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) definitely fits the mold the Lions like in edge rushers. He has also become a popular pick for the Lions in recent mock drafts.

Davenport landed on the bottom line. While Scourton looks like a great fit, it doesn’t have to be only him that the Lions like to put a trade up to land a young running mate for Aidan Hutchinson on the radar.

“The point here is this: the Lions need a battery-mate for Hutchinson. And if Holmes identifies a prospect like Scourton that he likes, Detroit shouldn’t be shy about making a move to get him.”