A lot of water has flowed under the Detroit bridge since the offseason began and free agency started. After losing two key staff members early in the offseason—Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn—the franchise’s head coach, Dan Campbell, is catching no breaks. He managed to land some of the best players in free agency, including D.J. Reed, Marcus Davenport, Tim Patrick, Avonte Maddox, Kyle Allen, and more. But the offseason is not over until Dan Campbell’s franchise drafts this beast from Tennessee next month.

Mel Kiper has recently revealed his NFL mock draft, which would shock you for many reasons. And one of them is his projection for the Detroit Lions, who have the 28th overall pick in the 1st round. According to Mel Kiper of ESPN, James Pearce Jr. is the defender Dan Campbell should pick. When the analyst was on NFL on ESPN, he and other analysts described the potential 28th overall pick.

“James Pearce Jr. is a guy we talk about as ‘polarizing’,” Mel Kiper started. The analyst also added, “In terms of James Pearce Jr., you’re all over the place. Some think he’s a second-round pick, some think he could go top-20 or even top-15 based on the pass rush potential and explosiveness off the edge that he has shown with the Tennessee Volunteers.” Adding more to the polarizing part of Mel Kiper’s statement, another member on the panel said, “Pearce is a guy who plays with an edge, tenacity, and a ‘hair-on-fire’ mentality.” Apart from the 28th pick and speculations, James Pearce Jr. can be the real lion of this jungle called the NFL.

If we look at his stats, in his three years with the Tennessee Volunteers, James Pearce Jr. has recorded  72 tackles, with 44 being solo tackles. Along with tackles, he has sacked opposing QBs 17 times while also forcing three fumbles. So, with this kind of ‘polarizing’ player, Dan Campbell can surely bolster his defense.

If we take a look at the Lions’ defense over the past seasons, Dan Campbell’s team ranks 20th in the defensive rankings. Their yards allowed per game average was 342.4, while the playoffs average was 481. In the 2024-25 season, the Lions’ defense has allowed 37 touchdowns. From a touchdown standpoint, they actually compare well, as the number-one defense—Philadelphia—allowed 33 total touchdowns. So, the Lions are close to breaking into the top-tier defenses, and adding James Pearce Jr. would be an absolute steal as he holds tremendous potential. But there is a problem for Dan Campbell. The road to landing James Pearce Jr. would not be easy, as the Broncos are also interested in him.

Campbell’s future Lion may crossover the Detroit jungle

The Packers’ report on SI three days ago stated that Dan Campbell’s future potential 28th overall pick visited the Green Bay Packers facility. But there is still some hope for Dan Campbell in this story. When Packers GM Brian Gutekunst was asked about his team’s way forward for the NFL draft at the NFL Combine, he said, “We’ve got to affect the quarterback more with just four players.” Now, with reports that James Pearce Jr. visited the Packers’ facility, it seems like a strong possibility before the draft.

But according to reports, the Packers GM prefers a big and bulky defender, while Pearce Jr. weighs only 245 lbs. The average NFL defender typically weighs between 285 and 315 lbs. That’s why the Packers may not agree to draft him. Still, they could work on developing his physique, which wouldn’t be too difficult.

All eyes will be on the first day of the draft to see whether Dan Campbell can secure his future defensive star or if another team swoops in to steal James Pearce Jr. before the Lions get their chance. Let me know if you want a different spin on it!