One Player Lions Must Scout for First-Round Playoff Teams

As the Detroit Lions’ matchup with the Steelers draws closer, the scouting department is hard at work as well, with the premier matchups of the college football season starting as the lights shine brightest.

On Friday night, Alabama and Oklahoma kicked off the 2025-26 College Football Playoff with a bang. The Crimson Tide rallied from down, 17-0, to win, 34-24, with stars such as Alabama’s Deontae Lawson and Oklahoma’s Deion Burks shining.

Now, here is one player from each team from the three playoff games to keep an eye on this Saturday.

No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami, Noon EST

OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami

Mauigoa is competing with Utah’s Spencer Fano and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor to be the premier tackle in this year’s class. Currently, Mauigoa slots between Fano and Proctor as the No. 2 tackle on PFF’s Big Board, while Bleacher Report rates the Hurricane as a priority Day 2 prospect.

Mauigoa is rated sixth-best among all FBS tackles this season in blocking grades, and he excels more in the pass-block element than the run. As the Lions’ matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles showed, giving Jared Goff an extra second to throw the ball is crucial to Motown’s success.

With Taylor Decker’s long-term future in question, along with questions on the development of Giovanni Manu and the future of Dan Skipper, a tackle is a “need” for Brad Holmes. Depending on how both the tackle and Miami perform in the College Football Playoff, Mauigoa might become the next Hurricane offensive lineman to be a first-round pick.

LB Taurean York, Texas A&M

One of the players that Mauigoa will be tasked with blocking during the contest is linebacker Taurean York. The former Freshman All-American has been phenomenal during his time in College Station, and will be playing his final home game before heading to the NFL most likely.

York is the leader of the defense, with his play recognition and ability to align the defense helping lead the Aggies to the No. 7 seed in the playoffs this year. In three seasons in the SEC, York has racked up an impressive 24.5 tackles for loss, along with 6.5 sacks and six pass deflections.

However, York only stands at 5-foot-10, which draws size concerns. Ironically, his pro comparison by Bleacher Report is a name that Lions fans are quite familiar with: Malcolm Rodriguez.

Linebacker is not the most urgent need for the Lions, with it slotting well behind offensive line and EDGE rushers. However, the strategy of “best player available” and a potential draft-day slide for York from size concerns make this a great potential option.

No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Tulane, 3:30 p.m. EST

LB/EDGE Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss

Perkins is viewed as a hybrid between a linebacker and an edge rusher, as his 6-foot-2 frame puts him as undersized to rush the passer in the NFL. Following an astounding 10.5-sack campaign in 2024, expectations were high for Perkins entering 2025.

Unfortunately, he did not live up to expectations, with only two sacks in the regular season for Ole Miss. However, he gets to start his playoff push by trying to make Green Wave quarterback Jake Retzlaff uncomfortable.

Additionally, both of Perkins’ sacks have come in the final four games of the season. The momentum is starting to build for the Rebel.

As a mid-to-late Day 3 selection, Perkins is a player that can be harnessed if a team believes in his potential to replicate his 2024 production. Detroit could be that home, slotting Perkins in as Marcus Davenport walks in free agency.

IOL Shadre Hurst, Tulane

The best player, pound-for-pound, on the Green Wave is Hurst. The two-time All-AAC selection was named a second-team All-American by The Sporting News, and for good reason.

The redshirt junior did not allow a sack this year, and went six of the final seven regular season games without allowing a quarterback pressure. He is currently drawing some projections to slide into the end of the fourth round, and could rise when testing occurs.

One name of comparison for Hurst is 2025 first-round selection Grey Zabel. Hurst has versatility to offer, with snaps at all five line positions in his four seasons at Tulane. This season, he mostly slotted in at left guard, with his first career left tackle action having come in Week 4.

Hurst is a player who could be a priority for Detroit. If this year has taught the Lions anything, it is to be prepared for a rash of injuries on the offensive line.

No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison, 7:30 p.m. EST

S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Thieneman took his talents from Purdue to Oregon before 2025, and it has paid off in a big way for the safety. While not on pace to continue his two-year streak of 100-tackle seasons, he has played his way into the conversation for best safety in the draft besides Ohio State’s Caleb Downs.

The 2023 third-team All-American has eight career interceptions, to pair with his 277 tackles. He will read the quarterback just as much as he will lower the shoulder, which is something that fans and scouts appreciate.

The more that scouts watch Thieneman, the more they will love his skillset. He is a player that embodies the word "competitor." As an added bonus, he is versatile enough to play either safety spot and nickel corner.

With the long-term future of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch suddenly a lot more questionable than the start of the year, Thieneman becomes a candidate to monitor against the Dukes on Saturday.

WR Nick DeGennaro, James Madison

The Dukes are a long shot on Saturday night, and for good reason. The Sun Belt champions benefitted from a Duke upset over Virginia in the ACC title game, as they slotted in as the fifth-best conference champion.

One of the reasons for this is that the Sun Belt does not traditionally produce loads of NFL talent. DeGennaro is the only player from James Madison who most draft scouts are associating with the word “draftable.” DeGennaro is a sixth-year senior on his third school after prior stops at Maryland and Richmond.

He only has 410 yards and four touchdowns this season, but is a player that has the most to gain against the Ducks. He excels as a route-runner, with good starting burst to pair with soft hands.

Additionally, during his time with Richmond, he tied a school record for single-season touchdowns, and had over 1,400 yards between his two seasons as a Spider.

However, his run-blocking tape leaves much to be desired, and a lack of top speed or measurables do not bode well for Detroit to select the receiver.

Overall, it is a great day for some guilt-free football before the Lions take the stage on Sunday.