The Detroit Lions selected offensive tackle Blake Miller in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. They have eight picks remaining, including the 50th overall selection, and are considering 18 prospects for Day 2.
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The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and the Detroit Lions made an addition to their offensive line by selecting Clemson tackle Blake Miller with the 17th overall pick. It's the first time the Lions have chosen an OT in the draft's opening round since Penei Sewell in 2021. Before Sewell, it was Taylor Decker in 2016.
But the draft is far from over. The Lions have eight picks remaining over the next couple days, including the 50th overall selection (18th in the second round).
Here are 18 of our favorite prospects for the Lions on Day 2 of the draft, listed alphabetically.
▶ CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State: Abney, an aggressive cornerback who didn't allow a touchdown in 2025, played almost exclusively on the outside while at Arizona State, though his size (5-foot-9⅞, 187 pounds) has some wondering if he's capable of playing in the slot at the next level.
▶ DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State: Consistently productive when given opportunties at Penn State, Dennis-Sutton recorded 96 pressures and 17 sacks over his final two seasons with the Nittany Lions. Dennis-Sutton uses his 33½-inch arms to his advantage while rushing the passer and setting a firm edge.
▶ LB CJ Allen, Georgia: Despite being a bit redundant to what the Lions already have in Jack Campbell, Allen's value might be too good to pass up at No. 50, should his slide continue that far. Allen did his best work defending the run while at Georgia, and he drew top reviews from his collegiate coaches.
▶ CB Colton Hood, Tennessee: The Vols ran a ton of man-to-man coverage under former defensive coordinator Tim Banks, making Hood a natural fit in Detroit's man-heavy scheme. Hood had a passer rating against in 2025 (70.8) that ranked 18th out of 66 qualified CBs (minimum 400 coverage snaps).
The Detroit Lions selected offensive tackle Blake Miller from Clemson with the 17th overall pick.
It's the first time the Lions have chosen an offensive tackle in the draft's opening round since selecting Penei Sewell in 2021.
The Lions have eight picks remaining, including the 50th overall selection in the second round.
The Lions are considering 18 prospects, including cornerback Keith Abney II from Arizona State.
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▶ Edge Gabe Jacas, Illinois: Jacas has been a popular choice for those trying to predict Detroit's selection in the second round, and it makes sense why. He had 85 pressures and 19 sacks over the last two seasons, often using his power to beat opposing offensive linemen.
▶ CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee: There's no questioning McCoy's talent. But the 2024 standout missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in January 2025, and there's reportedly concern he'll have to have undergo another surgery to fix a cartilage issue in his knee. This feels similar to Michigan's Will Johnson falling to the Arizona Cardinals last year.
▶ DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State: McDonald was a consensus All-American for the Buckeyes last season, totaling 65 tackles (nine for loss), three sacks, 15 pressures, two forced fumbles and a pass deflection. He led all FBS defensive linemen in run stops (30), and 13.8% of his snaps as a run defender resulted in a stop being made.
▶ DL Christen Miller, Georgia: Another defensive tackle who, although he doesn't stuff the stat sheet like McDonald did in 2025, is considered a plus defender, Miller spent all four of his collegiate seasons at Georgia. He took on his biggest defensive role (437 snaps) last season.
▶ DE T.J. Parker, Clemson: Parker is a schematic fit for the Lions. He's stingy against the run and rushes with power, often deploying a long-arm move to display those in his way. Similar to Allen, Parker might not remain on the board until No. 50. But if he does, selecting him feels like a slam dunk.
▶ DE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma: Thomas (6-2¼, 241) plays heavier than he's listed, but the Lions, who typically like large, stout players opposite Aidan Hutchinson, would need to make an exception for him. Thomas had 15½ sacks over his last two seasons with the Sooners.
▶ S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo: Commonly mocked in the first round, McNeil-Warren was ultimately not selected in the draft's first round on Thursday. He has all the size (6-foot-3½, 201) you could want in a safety, and he excels at roaming the middle of the field, near the line of scrimmage.
Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore turned in career-best totals in tackles for loss (10½), sacks (10) and pressures (41) last season.
▶ DE Derrick Moore, Michigan: Moore was at his best in 2025, with career-best totals in tackles for loss (10½), sacks (10) and pressures (41). His win rate as a pass rusher last season (19.8%) was close to the 19.2% put up by UCF's Malachi Lawrence, who the Dallas Cowboys drafted 23rd overall.
▶ CB D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana: Ponds found himself around the ball plenty over his three years in college, which included tenures at James Madison (2023) and Indiana (2024-25), the latter of which he helped win the national championship. Ponds had 33 pass deflections and seven interceptions over 41 appearances.
▶ LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech: Lions GM Brad Holmes said Miller checked a lot of boxes, making him a fit in Detroit. Rodriguez certainly seems to do the same. He was highly productive at Texas Tech, so much so that he finished fifth in voting for the Heisman Trophy, and he tested well at the combine in February.
▶ CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson: Terrell has real inside-out flexibility. He played mostly on the outside while at Clemson, but he performed well when asked to play in the slot, not afraid to mix it up as a run defender. Terrell is the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons All-Pro cornerback A.J. Terrell.
▶ CB Keionte Scott: One of the driving forces of Miami's run to a runner-up finish, Scott, playing in the slot, was all over the place last season, with 13 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Like Terrell, Scott seems to enjoy defending the run.
▶ CB Treydan Stukes, Arizona: The run on nickel defenders continues. Stukes had an excellent passer rating against in 2025 (34.4), aided by the four interceptions he hauled in across 10 appearances. A former walk-on who was eventually put on scholarship, Stukes had been at Arizona since 2020.
▶ DE Zion Young, Missouri: Young, formerly of Michigan State (2022-23), had a breakout season in 2025, collecting 57 pressures and 6½ sacks. He's strong and plays with a chip on his shoulder, a couple qualities which should be appealing to the Lions. Young had 16½ tackles for loss in 2025.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Best Day 2 prospects in NFL Draft for Detroit Lions to consider