As we have teased for a couple of weeks, get used to talking about offensive linemen and edge rushers for the next two months.
In this week’s post-Super Bowl mock draft roundup tracking the last seven days of projections for the Detroit Lions, that’s all we’ve got. We’ll get to know more about these prospects later this month at the NFL combine. See below for the latest rundown of mock drafts from around the country for the Lions and their 17th overall selection:
Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
Mocked by:ESPN’s Field Yates, Fox Sports’ Rob Rang
Monroe Freeling seems to fall perfectly in the bucket of being a legit first-round prospect, while being one that might need more development. Freeling is viewed as a high-upside prospect who is just scratching the surface with only 18 career games under his belt. For the Lions, that could be the perfect combination as they await Taylor Decker’s retirement decision at left tackle. Freeling could be ready to roll, or he could find his spots while learning behind two veterans if Decker returns. Either way, the Lions need to prepare for the short- and long-term at offensive tackle.
The 6-foot-7, 315-pound junior saw some snaps on the right side here and there in 2023 and 2024. But he was a full-time left tackle starter at Georgia last season, and his play continued to grow with those chances. Freeling allowed three sacks on 469 pass-blocking reps and surrendered just six quarterback hurries. He’s a big, strong lineman with more than enough athleticism to help him through any of the NFL growing pains.
Freeling would likely slot on the left side if Decker were to retire, as that’s where he broke out in 2025.
Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
Mocked by: NBC Sports’ Kyle Dvorchak, DraftWire, The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, NFL.com’s Chad Reuter
Olaivavega Ioane is an impressive prospect, combining quickness and a mighty ability to anchor in the trenches. Ioane has all the tools to be an effective run blocker at the next level. He’s 6-foot-4, nearly 330 pounds and would pair well with Tate Ratledge and Sewell as destructive maulers.
On top of all that, Ioane’s work as a pass blocker was stellar at Penn State. He hasn’t allowed a single sack since 2023 across his last 1,500-plus offensive snaps. The redshirt junior was one of the best all-around guards in the nation last season, and has the looks of a longtime NFL starter on the interior offensive line. For the Lions, this pick would give them a couple of options. It could open the door for Ratledge to get more work at center to see if there’s anything there worth further exploring. Or the more likely option is that it’s competition for Christian Mahogany at the other guard spot after a tough second year, before and after injuries.
The Lions need more options and more internal competition; this pick checks both boxes.
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Mocked by: NFL.com’s Dan Parr, Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick, NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund
Kadyn Proctor is a staple on these mock draft roundups through our first three weeks. He’s a massive offensive tackle option who has shown continued developmental signs. Proctor is also one of those prospects who makes a ton of sense across the board. He would be a great pick with or without Decker in the picture. His physical traits draw most of the attention. But he’s got a ton of skill to his game, and if the conditioning holds up and his technique continues to develop at the next level, Proctor could be a difference maker.
The 6-foot-7, 360-pound junior was a pure left tackle at Alabama. He allowed a whopping 12 sacks as a freshman in 2023. But with more work and playing time, Proctor vastly improved in pass protection, allowing only two while playing nearly 1,000 snaps in 2025. Proctor made The Athletic’s “Freaks List” for squatting 815 pounds, bench-pressing 535 pounds and power-cleaning 405 pounds -- there is more than enough to work with.
Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami (Fl.)
Mocked by: CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell, Bleacher Report, Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt, Fantasy Life
Akheem Mesidor played six seasons at the college level between Miami and West Virginia, and he saved the best for last. While he’ll be a 25-year-old rookie with some injuries in his past, there is a lot to like about Mesidor’s fit with the Lions and his production for the Hurricanes last season.
The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder had career bests in sacks (12.5), tackles for loss (17.5) and forced fumbles (four). He was one of the best run stoppers at his position in the nation last season, and has shown he has some pass-rushing moves to his game, not just pure power. Mesidor’s pass-rushing production and ability to stop the run with his powerful frame would fit in nicely on the other side of Aidan Hutchinson. Pass rusher might not be the clear-cut top need it’s been in recent years, as the offensive line priorities have overshadowed the situation there. But we’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, if the first-round pick isn’t on the offensive line, then it had better be for another pass rusher.
Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Mocked by: Yahoo staff, CBS Sports’ Michael Renner
Caleb Lomu’s college teammate, Spencer Fano, continues to climb draft boards and is likely out of Detroit’s range at the 17th pick. But Lomu is no consolation prize. The 6-foot-6, 308-pounder didn’t allow one sack for the Utes last season, with only two surrendered during his time as a full-time starter. He played the vast majority of his snaps at left tackle, with only a brief taste of life on the other side in the previous two seasons.
And the thing about Lomu is that he’s a high-ceiling prospect that the Lions could draft and then figure out his and Sewell’s positions once seeing them on the field. The redshirt sophomore has more to work through than the other first-round options on the board in these roundups. But his athleticism and ability to grow on the fly lend room for optimism. Get him with guys like Sewell, Ratledge and Hank Fraley, and there is a lot to like.
Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Mocked by: USA Today, Pro Football Network
We’ve got two edge rushers, including one new name, to finish with this week. Keldric Faulk’s name has been getting a ton of love to the Lions in recent mocks, starting with ESPN’s mock before the Super Bowl last week.
Faulk checks a lot of the pre-conceived boxes for the Lions as a pass-rusher with power and inside-outside versatility. He takes stopping the rush as seriously as he takes rushing the passer, and that works here. The 6-foot-6, 285-pounder had a production drop this past season, though. He went from seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 2024 to only two sacks and five tackles for loss this past season.
And even though his pass-rushing and explosive plays dropped, Faulk finished as a top-10 run stopper among edge rushers last season, per PFF. The junior pass rusher’s frame and length draw people in, while his explosive and twitchy ability and depth of pass-rushing moves need more investigating in the next couple of months ahead of the draft.
“But you absolutely bet on a 20-year-old talent with his traits. He has major upside,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler writes in his prospect rankings. “How early he’s selected will depend on each team’s appetite for risk.”
Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Mocked by: Todd McShay
Cashius Howell would represent the flavor change on the defensive edges that I’ve been crying for the last couple of years. Howell isn’t the biggest edge defender at 6-foot-2, 248 pounds. But he can win with pure bend and explosion, and would bring a speed rusher to Detroit’s rolodex of bulky inside-outside options to pair with Hutchinson.
Now, he’s nowhere near ready to play three downs and has a lot of work to do when it comes to committing to stop the rush in the NFL. But the pass-rushing chops are electric. Howell won 19.9% of his pass-rush reps last season, posting 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss while earning All-American honors. He was a top-20 graded pass rusher from PFF, but ranked down in the 120s when it came to stopping the rush. His 3.1% run-stop rate from 2025 is also concerning, as the Lions just haven’t veered from might edge defenders who can stop the rush at a high level.