The Detroit Lions have shown strong defensive play this season, but they’ve certainly missed defensive end Aidan Hutchinson since he was sidelined with a fractured left fibula and tibia in Week 6.

Despite his absence, the unit’s recent success has served as a testament to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s capabilities and is likely helping build his head coaching resume.

The addition of veteran Za’Darius Smith should help fill the gap left by Hutchinson, and the prospect of the two playing together next season is an intriguing one.

However, Smith is an older player, and his contract only runs through 2025.

This makes the search for a longer-term edge rusher to pair with Hutchinson all the more important, particularly someone who could step in right away as a rookie. This need could be addressed in the 2025 draft.

As the Lions head into Week 10 of the season,

Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus analyzed the most popular picks for each team using the PFF 2025 Mock Draft Simulator.

For Detroit, Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer was the top choice for nearly one-fourth (24.5%) of mock draft users.

While Hutchinson will return next season, the Lions still need a reliable secondary edge rusher, as the team’s current leader in healthy edge rushers has only accumulated eight pressures.

Sawyer has posted 22 or more pressures in each of the last three seasons, with pass-rushing grades of 80.0 or higher in 2023 and 2024.

Through nine games this season, Sawyer has earned 29 quarterback pressures, four sacks according to PFF (three by traditional stats), and a solid pass-rushing grade of 75.7, even after a slight drop-off in his most recent game.

One of the key factors in the Lions’ potential interest in Sawyer is his ability to stop the run. He currently holds a PFF run defense grade of 84.1 for 2024, following an 86.6 grade in 2023.

He has registered three tackles for loss this season, following up on his impressive totals of 10 in 2023 and seven in 2022.

Recent mock drafts have frequently matched Sawyer to the Lions, with many scouting reports praising his motor—a characteristic that aligns well with Detroit head coach Dan Campbell’s preference for high-effort players.

As the Lions look ahead to a late first-round pick in next year’s draft, an edge rusher like Sawyer will certainly be among their top options.