2026 NFL Draft Grades: Detroit Lions

Taylor Decker requesting his release threw a small wrench into the Lions' offseason. It was already a critical offseason after Detroit missed the playoffs in 2025, but there was suddenly a huge hole at left tackle, adding to the overall protection issues. The Lions were 31st in pass block win rate last season at 55.5%. As the team sorted through fixes, coach Dan Campbell floated the idea of Penei Sewell sliding over from the right side, but that would still leave one of the tackle spots wide open and would be taking Sewell away from his more natural, dominant position.

It seems Detroit is sticking to that, using the first-round pick on Blake Miller, a 54-game starter at right tackle in college. It's tough to beat Miller, no matter the pass-rush move. His pressure allowed rate improved every single season, from 4.0% as a rookie to 1.8% last season. That's key for the Lions; Jared Goff has real problems when he's seeing constant pressure. And Miller should become Jahmyr Gibbs' new best friend in the run game -- he can get downfield to spring breakaway runs for his backs.

The other big area of need was the No. 2 edge rusher hole opposite Aidan Hutchinson. This might sound familiar -- along with most analysts, I wanted the Lions to address this last year, too. They didn't take an edge rusher until Round 6 with Ahmed Hassanein. Detroit got 11 sacks out of Al-Quadin Muhammad in a wild 30-year-old breakout season, but he signed with Tampa Bay; the Lions really only signed DJ Wonnum to replace him.

Will a second-round pick in Derrick Moore get the job done? I might have gone with Zion Young, who went one pick later, but I think there's upside for an eventual all-Michigan edge combo of Hutchinson and Moore (who had 10 sacks last season).

Jimmy Rolder (another Michigan player) and Keith Abney II were solid additions on defense, too. Rolder is versatile and has some burst as a blitzer. But where he really stands out is his ability to diagnose. He's a smart football player. Abney is undersized at 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, but he gets his hands on the ball. Abney had 20 pass breakups and five picks over the past two years. He should be a good backup.

First-round OT Blake Miller and second-round DE Derrick Moore, a Michigan alum whom the Lion traded up to get, project as Week 1 starters at crucial positions of need. Moore may be a long-term wingman off the edge opposite fellow ex-Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson. This year's third-rounder was invested in a 2025 trade that netted promising WR3 Isaac TeSlaa. In totality, it might be enough to get a team that will benefit from a last-place schedule in 2026 back to the postseason.

Best Pick: Fifth-rounder Keith Abney II is a tough, physical corner who should push for time in the corner mix as a second-year player.

Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of tackle Blake Miller in the first round. He wasn't a player I rated as highly as others. They did need a tackle, so I get the selection.

The Skinny: They badly need Miller and second-round edge Derrick Moore to both be impact players as rookies. They have issues at both spots. Keep an eye on sixth-round defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard. He has some pop.

Detroit is a blue-collar town and the Lions have adopted that mentality under general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. This class reflects those principles with reinforcement along the line of scrimmage coming in the form of ironman Blake Miller in the first round and powerful Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore in the second.

I also liked the Lions' approach on Day 3, with inside linebacker Jimmy Rolder and mighty cornerback Keith Abney II each playing with the instincts and tenacity one normally wouldn't expect given the former's lack of starting experience and the latter's size. Both, however, will prove starters sooner than later.

Campbell's fiery coaching style has made him a favorite for many NFL fans, but Holmes and his scouts also deserve a lot of credit for turning the Lions into a contender.

I usually love how Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell draft, but this one was a bit of a wild ride.

I don't blame them for diving into offensive line early as that is often the identity of their team. Miller should be a capable starting right tackle who plays with an edge as a run blocker, but he needs to improve his balance and lunging in pass protection.

I can't process taking Derrick Moore over Zion Young or Gabe Jacas that early. I thought both of those guys were tremendous fits for Detroit, time will tell.

Rolder is instinctual and tough against the run. I thought he was underrated in this process but clearly the NFL valued him even more than me. He might struggle if left in space at the next level.

Keith Abney II was by far my favorite value pick. He's undersized, but he's fluid and explosive in his lower half. I love his compete level at the catch point and think the Lions staff will get him to cut down on penalties.

Here's why: Blake Miller was the solidifying force for Clemson's offensive line and held it down on the right side for over 40 starts in college. While I'm not the biggest fan of bumping Penei Sewell over to the left after how he's established himself as a premier right tackle, Miller's combination of size, athleticism and consistency has the Lions' right tackle spot in good hands for years to come and the Lions got him in the appropriate part of the draft.

The Lions desperately needed edge help on top of a starting tackle, and they filled that need with Derrick Moore. His all-around game complements Aidan Hutchinson's pass rush-first game very well. Kendrick Law is a twitchy and bendy athlete who can create explosives with the ball in his hands. He can be a replacement for wide receiver/folk hero Kalif Raymond.

Most interesting pick: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State

A feisty defender, I'm not shocked that Abney ended up a Lion. He's a physical player and a willing tackler whom I like playing best from the slot because he lacks the consistent ability to turn and stay in coverage, although he could stick on the outside in a more zone-heavy scheme (the Lions run a lot of man coverage, however). Abney gives the Lions several defenders who can play from there but also opens up keeping Brian Branch as a backend safety. Abney was a player I was comfortable taking at the end of round 3 because of his physicality and smarts, so this felt more than proper in the middle of Day 3.

This was a classic meat-and-potatoes draft for the Lions. GM Brad Holmes and HC Dan Campbell rightly targeted the offensive line in the first round, adding a tough and durable right tackle in Blake Miller. With 54 career starts under his belt, Miller's extremely battle-tested and the type of hard-nosed player you'd expect Detroit to gravitate to. He should start right away on the right side as Penei Sewell moves to the left tackle spot. In the second round, the Lions added a tough and tenacious power rusher in Derrick Moore. Moore would rather go through offensive tackles than try to get around them, and more often than not he seems to succeed with this plan. He might need to expand his repertoire in the pros, but he offers upside to develop into a starter opposite Aidan Hutchinson. I liked the Keith Abney pick in the fifth round, too: A former competitive inline roller skating champion, he's an instinctive and savvy defender with a knack for getting his hands on the football. It's another rough-and-tumble draft class for Detroit.

Analysis: It will be interesting to see whether the Lions move Penei Sewell to left tackle to accommodate Miller, who primarily played right tackle at Clemson. Selecting Miller and possibly tinkering with the lineup needs to pay off for this team because this star-studded roster struggled last year without a stout offensive line. Later in the draft, Detroit continued its never-ending search for a No. 2 edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Playing second fiddle shouldn't be an issue for Moore, a player with a high floor and low ceiling. Moore is ready to contribute now with 10 sacks last season at Michigan.