Giants video reveals Detroit Lions’ attempt a huge trade up in 2026 NFL Draft

Detroit Lions executive vice president and general manager Brad Holmes speaks during media availability at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions traded up in the second-round of the 2026 NFL Draft to select Michigan edge defender Derrick Moore. They ended up moving six spots—from 50 to 44—and spending Pick 128 (their second fourth-round pick) to get there. It was a modest trade up of very fair value.

But on Monday, the New York Giants released their behind-the-scenes draft video, and it captured a moment in which the Lions appeared to attempt a significantly more costly trade up in the second round.

The Giants were getting ready to be on the clock with the 37th overall pick. Then we see Giants general manager Joe Schoen field several calls about a trade down. It appears they were very seriously considering sliding down the board to pick up additional draft capital. And while the names and teams were never overtly revealed while we see him take these phone calls, it’s pretty clear when Schoen says this:

“118, 128 and 157?” Schoen announces to the room.

Those just so happened to be the draft slots of the Lions’ two fourth-round picks and the first of their two fifth-round picks:

• Round 4, Pick 18 (118 overall)
• Round 4, Pick 28 (128 overall)
• Round 5, Pick 17 (157 overall)

Assuming that trade also included Detroit’s 50th overall pick to move up 13 spots, that would have been a much more costly move to trade up than the one they actually executed.

Remember, Lions general manager Brad Holmes said after Day 2 that Moore was his highest-graded defensive end at the start of Round 2.