10 prospects we're watching for the Lions on Day 3 of NFL Draft
The Detroit Lions have five picks remaining entering Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
Will they use all of them before the day is over? Probably not. Lions general manager Brad Holmes, who has made 11 draft trade-ups over his tenure, including two in Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night.
In a draft class that was never lauded for its depth in the late rounds, Holmes offered a critical assessment of how the team’s board was shaping up after he traded up for Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
“At some point, the well runs dry at some point in these drafts, so you better get the guys that you really, really want,” Holmes said.
All of the Lions’ picks are in Rounds 6 or 7. With 80 spots to go before Holmes makes his first pick on Saturday, it’s probably a safe bet he’ll try to close that gap at some point.
Here are 10 prospects to watch for Day 3.
▶ Que Robinson, edge, Alabama
Robinson (6-foot-5, 241 pounds) was an effective pass rusher for the Crimson Tide in 2024, albeit with a limited sample size. Over 108 pass-rush snaps — he missed the final four games with an elbow injury — he compiled 19 pressures with four sacks, boasting a pass-rush win rate of 24%. He’s a solid run defender, which should heighten his attractiveness for a front office that loves well-rounded players on the edge.
More: Complete coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft
▶ Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas
Holmes said it a week ago: You can never have too many cornerbacks. He also said the same thing about receiver (and then drafted TeSlaa), which is why, even with solid cornerback depth, we’re not ruling out the possibility of him adding to the secondary on Saturday. Bryant (6 feet, 180 pounds) is one of the few players on this list who did not have a top-30 visit with Detroit, but everything about his demeanor screams “Lion.” He allowed 25 receptions on 46 pass attempts in his direction for an opposing passer rating of 62.7. With 37 tackles, he’s a willing run defender and also had good ball production, totaling four interceptions with four additional pass breakups in 2024.
▶ Jack Sawyer, edge, Ohio State
Sawyer (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) was once considered a fringe first-rounder, but his hype fizzled as the draft approached, and he remains on the board entering Round 4. He had 43 pressures and 4 ½ sacks during the regular season and took his game to another level during the Buckeyes’ national title run. During four College Football Playoff games, he tallied 21 pressures and 4 ½ sacks, including a strip-sack that he returned 82 yards for a touchdown to seal a semi-final win over Texas.
▶ Chaz Chambliss, edge, Georgia
Chambliss (6-foot-2, 245 pounds) was a two-year starter at Georgia and was named Third Team All-SEC in 2024, earning an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl. In 2024, he made 40 tackles (with a whopping 10 for loss) and recorded 6 ½ sacks. While his pass-rush ability doesn’t jump off the tape, his run-stopping ability should help him find his footing at the next level.
▶ Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
It’s somewhat surprising that Stutsman (6-foot-4, 241 pounds) is still on the board entering Day 3. He’s The Athletic’s No. 3-ranked linebacker and was named a consensus All-American in 2024 with First Team All-SEC honors. Stutsman has totalled more than 100 tackles in each of his last three seasons and was credited with 55 run stops last in 2024. One reason he might remain on the board is that his coverage ability could use some work, but the tools are certainly there.
▶ Ben Yurosek, TE, Georgia
Yurosek (6-foot-4, 245 pounds) transferred to Georgia ahead of the 2024 season after four mildly productive seasons at Stanford. His role diminished in a Bulldogs offense loaded with talent, but his first full season at Stanford saw him catch 43 passes for 658 yards and three touchdowns. If that player is still somewhere inside him, the team that drafts him could be getting terrific value in the last few rounds.
▶ Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
A riot would likely ensue if Holmes drafted yet another running back before addressing edge rusher, but if there’s one thing we know by now, it’s that anything is possible when it comes to draft weekend in Allen Park. The tough-running Skattebo (5-foot-10, 216 pounds) rushed for 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He was also a darling of the College Football Playoff, as his 143-yard performance in the quarterfinal nearly lifted Arizona State to an upset win over Texas.
▶ Bradyn Swinson, edge, LSU
Swinson (6-foot-4, 255 pounds) is one of the best edge defenders remaining, so he might be out of reach for Detroit, despite the ammo Holmes has at his disposal for a trade-up. Swinson, a one-year starter at LSU, recorded 60 pressures with 8 ½ sacks over 13 games in 2024 and made 58 tackles with 13 for loss.
▶ Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State
Reed, a Detroit native (Martin Luther King), is looking to become the next NFL safety to emerge from Penn State in recent years. Reed (6-foot-1, 212 pounds) isn’t the soundest coverage defender going, but he recorded 12 pressures with 2 ½ sacks last season and made 98 combined tackles. He’s a violent, downhill defender with high-level blitzing ability, making him a pretty good option to fill the role left behind by a departing Ifeatu Melifonwu.
▶ Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
Entering the season, there was a real possibility that Walker, another Detroit native (Cass Tech), would be one of the first defensive tackles off the board. But after recording 12 ½ tackles-for-loss and 7 ½ sacks in 2023, he saw a significant drop-off in production last season (five tackles-for-loss, 1 ½ sacks). Part of that is due to a back injury, which is cause for concern in its own right, but if Walker (6-foot-6, 345 pounds) makes a full recovery, he could wind up being a steal on Day 3.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: 10 prospects we're watching for the Lions on Day 3 of NFL Draft
