The 10 most likely Lions first-round draft targets at No. 29 overall

A Detroit native, Robinson gets the nod as the current clubhouse leader to be the No. 29 pick. Capable of playing inside or outside as a power-to-speed pass rusher, Robinson brings a lot of strength and finishing ability in the same role John Cominsky and Josh Paschal have played for the Lions in the last two years.

McKinstry played at Alabama, where Holmes is notably drawn during draft time (Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs). He’s got length, a high football IQ and playmaking panache on the outside, though he will give up some plays too. His teammate Terrion Arnold is a better fit but figures to be long gone.

Mitchell offers a lot of potential as a bigger (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) outside receiver with a big-play résumé. He hauled in 11 touchdowns among his 55 catches in his one year at Texas. The overall production is skinny; Mitchell caught under 100 passes in three seasons spread across Georgia and Texas and topped 100 yards just twice, but he’s got greater potential than that in the NFL.

DeJean proved at his recent pro day that he’s fully recovered from an injury that kept him out of the NFL Scouting Combine and other postseason events. An exceptional athlete with length and ball skills in man coverage on the outside, DeJean also offers potential to play some free safety. His availability to last to No. 29 is a valid question mark.

Morgan was a very impressive left tackle for the Wildcats in 2023, proving he’s nicely overcome a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2022 season. Many pundits believe Morgan projects better inside at guard because of his shorter arms and power-based run blocking. The Lions desperately need depth at both tackle and guard, and that’s a role Morgan could fill right away.

The nation’s best center in 2023 was the PAC-12’s best offensive lineman in 2022 while playing guard. The size, movement skills and “grit” are all there to make “JPJ” a perfect fit for the Lions.

This is probably earlier than you’re used to seeing Sainristil projected. The converted wideout is a work in progress on defense, but the progress he’s shown has been outstanding. An elite athlete with great ball skills, Sainristil is shorter than ideal at just 5-foot-8. Other than his height, or lack thereof, Sainristil emphatically checks every box the Lions have shown they want in a defensive player.

Kneeland is an optimal size and athleticism fit for what the Lions have looked for at EDGE. At 6-foot-3 and a long-armed 267 pounds, he has experience rushing the passer from both in-line and stand-up alignments. His production suffered as he played through a foot injury in 2023, but Kneeland has proven he can finish behind the line of scrimmage.

It seems very unlikely that Barton falls to the Lions at No. 29, but it cannot be ruled out. A left tackle for most of his Blue Devils career, Barton projects primarily as a center. I actually think his best NFL position will be left guard. A guy with high-end positional versatility and long-term upside as a Pro Bowl-caliber starter on the offensive line, where the Lions have poor depth and potentially three new starters coming in 2025, makes a whole lot of sense. If Barton is there…

Probably the least likely of the candidates here to wind up being the Lions pick, Lassiter is typically projected in the 40-60 overall range. If we’ve learned anything about Holmes in his three drafts it’s that he cares not for projected ranges for players.

Lassiter is a very good schematic fit and has proven big-game coverage experience, though his long speed isn’t ideal.