NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah held his annual pre-combine conference call on Thursday afternoon and we got a chance to ask him about the Detroit Lions‘ curiosity about players who present positional versatility and can do more than one thing. He gave us three players to watch out for in the 2025 NFL Draft.
J.J. Pegues, DT, Ole Miss
“Well, defensively I mentioned Pegues and all the different things he can do. He is someone who on the defensive side of the ball is a defensive tackle who every now and then will kick out and just be a big massive edge rusher, but then on offense, he’s a wildcat quarterback. He’s an H-back. He’s a wing. He runs the ball. That’s one of the more fun, versatile pieces in this year’s draft.”
No, that is not a typo. Pegues is the wild cat quarterback for Ole Miss, and he is pretty well at it.
For a team that’s coached by a guy who considered using Alim McNeill as a fullback and actually had Penei Sewell log a snap as a quarterback, this seems like something Campbell would do.
Pegues is currently slated to go in the fourth-round.
Woody Marks, RB, USC
“When I look at a weapon offensively, if you are going to go down the line in the draft, I think there’s a fun one in Woody Marks out of USC as someone who can really catch the ball out of the back field. He has a ton of production going back to Mississippi State. He’s someone that I think can be a little bit of a mismatch player there with what he can do. So a couple of different things for him.”
Marks doesn’t really fit the Lions at the moment since they have a backfield of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and they can essentially get what Marks can do for them out of Kalif Raymond or Sione Vaki.
Willie Lampkin, C, North Carolina
“One of the guys that I’m so fascinated about in the draft, he’s not going to the combine, which I was bummed about, but Willie Lampkin from North Carolina, who he’s a wrestler. He’s 5’10 1/2”, 275 pound center who you just look at him on paper, and then you maybe go out there and watch him warm up, and you are, like, there’s no way this guy can physically hold up, but he does. He just plays with leverage and strength and power. He’s a good football player. Did not get invited to the combine…
I was bummed because I wanted to see him work out as a tight end. I wouldn’t mind seeing him work out as a defensive tackle. I wouldn’t mind seeing him work out as a fullback.”
Lions GM Brad Holmes has already talked about how he doesn’t really care about measurables as long as a player can go out and get things done. Lampkin is that kind of guy. The Lions could use him anywhere. He could be worth the day three pick.