Breaking down the Detroit Lions' 2026 NFL Draft class

Throughout much of the offseason, Lions head coach Dan Campbell discussed moving Penei Sewell from right tackle to left tackle. Just reading between the lines, it really seemed like Campbell was ready to make that happen. Despite adding Larry Borom as a veteran right tackle that can play guard, it felt evident that the Lions needed to add one more offensive tackle to their depth chart.

Clearly, the Lions felt the same way and added to their depth chart by drafting Clemson OT Blake Miller. Prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, it was very easy to label Blake Miller as a player that the Detroit Lions would highly rank on their draft board. Just looking back at the career of Miller, he's a 54-game starter with over 3,400 career snaps played on offense. Additionally, Miller only missed one practice in his college career and it was for wrist surgery. If we're talking about the term grit, it's clear that Miller is the definition of just that.

After diving into the tape through the pre-draft process, it was clear that Miller was much further along as a prospect compared to other tackles in this class. In my notes, I labeled Miller as one of the most pro-ready tackles in the class and much of that was with how played with good urgency and physicality in the run game.

The grip strength he possesses is next level and he’s got a good enough anchor to handle the bullrush from more powerful defenders. For his size, he moves well laterally and is a strong finisher in the run game. His eye discipline and ability to process against line stunts and blitzes is advanced and Miller is going to compete on every snap. There will be times that his foot speed will get tested or his hands can hit too wide but teams should be encouraged knowing that Miller can start right away.

We'll see if that's the case or will the Lions turn the starting right tackle spot over to a veteran such as Larry Borom. Regardless, the Lions got younger on their offensive line and without question, there's more competition in that room than a season ago. The room for error will be small for every player along the offensive line but everyone should thrive with the competition and be better for it in the long run.

Michigan DE Derrick Moore

It wasn't surprising to see the Lions trade up from the 50th pick to the 44th pick in the 2nd round of the 2026 NFL Draft. For months on the Detroit Lions Podcast, I had gone over scenarios of how the Lions could walk away with a starting caliber offensive tackle and a quality defensive end with their first two picks. Much of that was predicated on how the Lions used their pick in the 2nd round.

Despite Missouri DE Zion Young still on the board, the Lions moved up for Derrick Moore out of Michigan. Whether it be play style, the interview process or a combination of both, the Lions had their sights set on Moore. Surging to his best season at Michigan, we saw Derrick Moore generate 10 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in his senior season.

Diving into the film, it's easy to see why the Lions valued his play style. Moore surprises defenders with power and he can win with a bullrush or long-arm technique on a consistent basis. He understands how to play with leverage and he’s got the desired play strength to set the edge against the run. There are times that he just pops out of his stance and there are other times that he hesitates when rushing the passer. As he continues to trust his power, length and overall ability, he could blossom into an every down starter for an NFL defense. For now, I'd expect Moore to be used on a rotational basis with players such as DJ Wonnum, Tyler Lacy and Ahmed Hassanein.

Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder

I'll be honest, I didn't have Jimmy Rolder on my radar for the Detroit Lions. After watching his film, it's easy to connect the dots and see why the Lions selected Rolder. He's a grinder on the field and plays with great urgency but the downside to his game is that he lacks arm length and experience. With only 11 starts under his belt, he will need time to develop into an every down contributor for the Lions defense.

Right from the jump, he's going to certainly play special teams and for good reason -- starting LB Jack Campbell spent much of last season on the Lions kickoff team. There could be instances where Rolder is brought onto the field as a WILL and used to stop the run or blitz the quarterback on passing downs. Much of the Rolder's role on the Michigan defense was used to mug gaps and blow up running backs trying to pass protect.

Lastly, there are encouraging signs from Rolder in stopping the run. Much of that is due to how he's able to scrape over the top or with how he's willing to meet the opposition with contact. He'll need to become more consistent in space when dropping into zone coverage and without question, he'll need to improve on working his hands against blockers. There are too many times that Rolder gets covered up from an offensive lineman and gets completely erased from making a play.

Fortunately, the Lions have a pretty good track record with drafting linebackers under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. They've drafted Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jack Campbell. Additionally, they signed Trevor Nowaske as an undrafted free agent in 2023. When healthy, all four players are key contributors to the Lions defense and special teams units. Let's hope the same can be said about Jimmy Rolder from Michigan.

Arizona State CB Keith Abney

It's unclear why or how Keith Abney fell down the board during the 2026 NFL Draft but the Lions are sure glad he fell right into their lap. By selecting Abney, the Lions now have 10 cornerbacks on their depth chart. That does not include Avonte Maddox or Christian Izien as both players are listed at safety but both players have experience playing cornerback. Regardless of how much depth the Lions have at the cornerback position, it never feels like it's enough.

As for Abney, he's been a consistently productive defensive back, using his instincts and ball skills to generate impact plays across consecutive seasons. Competing hard at the catch point despite his size (5’ 9” and 187 lbs), he shows a willingness to attack the football and challenge receivers. His lower-body quickness helps him stay active and reactive in press-man situations.

Abney is also a willing open-field tackler, not afraid to step up and finish plays in space. His smaller frame and limited play strength show up against bigger receivers or when getting off with blocks. His lack of length can put him at a disadvantage at the catch point, and while he has adequate closing speed, he tends to allow too much separation early in routes. More of a depth player to start his career, there’s potential for Abney to become a number two cornerback down the road.

Kentucky WR Kendrick Law, Texas Tech DT Skyler Gill-Howard and Tennessee DT Tyre West

Grouping the remaining draft picks from the Lions 2026 NFL Draft class together, we'll talk about each one of these players but not in as much depth as the other players from the class. Much of that is due to the fact that I'm not sure how much of a role each one of these players will serve in year one. Meanwhile, I'm still working through some of their film to get better understanding of what each player can provide the Lions. That said, I'll start with Texas Tech DT Skyler Gill-Howard.

The moment you put on the tape, it's easy to see what makes Gill-Howard so intriguing as a defensive line prospect. He provides alignment versatility with the ability to play head up or as a shade on a consistent basis. Gill-Howard or as I call him, SGH, fires off the ball with good first step quickness and displays a steady motor. Playing with active hands, he's quick to chop or swipe the hands of the opposition away from his frame and then pursue to the football. There are times that his lack of length and play strength will force him to get driven off the ball but overall, he's a spark plug with the ability to beat guards and centers more often than not. Coming off an ankle injury that required surgery isn't ideal but if healthy, Gill-Howard could easily outplay his draft slot.

After trading up for Kentucky WR Kendrick Law in the 5th round of the 2026 NFL Draft, I think it's clear that the Lions have a vision for him. There's a chance that he could split time with Greg Dortch as a potential return man on special teams. After all, the Lions need someone take the role that Kalif Raymond had during his tenure in Detroit.

During Law's college career between Alabama and Kentucky, he totaled 31 kick returns for 710 yards. Overall, from what I've seen from Law on film, he's often used on pre-snap motion to improve his angles and get him closer to full speed as he pushes vertical or breaks his routes. Once the ball is in his hands, he's explosive after the catch and is able to change gears in the snap of a finger. With how creative Drew Petzing can get as a play caller, I think there could be potential for Law to eventually gain an expanded role in the Lions offense. When the 2026 season begins, it's likely that the Lions depth chart at WR could be the following:

• Amon-Ra St. Brown
• Jameson Williams
• Isaac TeSlaa
• Greg Dortch
• Kendrick Law

Lastly, I'll touch on the addition of Tyre West out of Tennessee in the 7th round. West will provide good defensive line depth for the Lions throughout the pre-season and he'll get a chance to compete. Despite only being 6' 1" and 278 pounds, his hands hit heavy and he plays with a steady motor. Playing with impressive burst for his size, West can shoot through gaps and closes\s quickly to the football. He'll need to improve his hand usage as a pass rusher and that includes having more variance. There's potential for him to provide some alignment versatility but much of that will matchup based. For the most part, he'll likely play as a 5-technique on a rotational basis. We'll see if he makes the 53-man roster but there's a chance that he ends up on the practice squad to start his career.

Overall, it felt as if the Lions went back to the basics with their draft strategies and that is stick to the trenches. Using 4 of their 7 picks on offensive and defensive lineman, the Lions added competition and got younger on both sides of the ball. It was a successful draft where the Lions potentially added two plug and play starters with Blake Miller and Derrick Moore. Meanwhile, there's a chance that we see Keith Jimmy Rolder, Kendrick Law and Keith Abney all have key roles to rotate and contribute on special teams. Rolling the dice on two defensive lineman to end the draft isn't a bad strategy either -- both SGH and Tyre West are comparable with the urgency that they both have as prospects.

Trusting the process and having faith in Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes isn't easy for everyone to do. I get that. But at the same time, the success they've had together has been earned. There's still a strong core of players in Detroit with Jared Goff, Jack Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Penei Sewell, Jameson Williams and Alim McNeill. That would also include Sam LaPorta, Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold but all four players have dealt with injuries. If those players can stay healthy and the Lions see contributions from this rookie class and other players such as Derrick Barnes, Cade Mays, Tyleik Williams, Tate Ratledge and others, the Lions could find themselves back to playing championship caliber football.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Breaking down the Detroit Lions' 2026 NFL Draft class