The Lions entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear goal: addressing positional needs.

Detroit entered the draft needing help at offensive tackle opposite three-time All-Pro Penei Sewell and an edge rusher to complement star Aidan Hutchinson.

The Lions ended last season winning just two of their final seven games, including a heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers. General Manager Brad Holmes and Head Coach Dan Campbell have prided themselves on developing homegrown talent, selecting seven All-Pro players in their five previous drafts together.

In the first round, the Lions selected Blake Miller, an offensive tackle from Clemson. Miller was a four-year starter for the Tigers, starting 54 games and playing 3,778 offensive snaps. The athletic tackle brings a versatile playing style to Detroit. Miller is expected to open the season at right tackle, with signs pointing to Penei Sewell shifting to left tackle.

“I’ve watched a lot of his tape throughout my time in college,” Miller said. “There’s so much stuff that he does incredibly well — his ability to move, get out in space, his ability to pass and protect. He uses his hands effectively, how light he is on his feet. All those things are remarkable. Just to be able to sit in the same room as him, be on the same field as him, pick his brain and get his perspectives on things. I can’t wait.”

On the second day of the draft, the Lions kept former Michigan Wolverine Derrick Moore in the Mitten State. The 23-year-old edge rusher from Baltimore was a three-time All-Big Ten selection during his time at Michigan. At 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Moore can be a physical presence off the edge for Detroit. He showed that in his final college season, leading the Wolverines and finishing fourth in the Big Ten with 10 sacks.

Moore moved his mother with him to Michigan during his freshman year in Ann Arbor and has made the state his home ever since, showing family is a personal priority.

“It definitely means a lot for me,” Moore said. “I’m somebody who’s really familiar with the area and pretty much grew to love it. I’m just excited to be back. I feel like Detroit is my second home — really, all of Michigan is like my second home."

The third day of the draft in Pittsburgh proved busy for the Lions, who made a series of selections and trades. In the fourth round, they added another Wolverine, linebacker Jimmy Rolder. He spent all four years of his college career in Ann Arbor, appearing in 42 games with 11 starts. Rolder capped his career with All-Big Ten honors in 2025 from both the coaches and the media.

“I think with the way we play at Michigan and the way we play defense, we hang our hat on playing physical, playing tough and playing with high effort,” Rolder said. “That’s what you’re going to get out of a Michigan defender like Derrick Moore and like myself."

In the fifth round, Detroit bolstered its defensive backfield with cornerback Keith Abney from Arizona State. A former 2017 national champion speed skater, Abney shifted his focus to football during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his junior season with the Sun Devils, he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors to go along with a two-interception season. At the NFL Combine, he ranked fourth among cornerbacks with 15 bench-press reps. At his pro day, Abney ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, which helped lead to his selection in the fifth round.

“I got to say, just the endurance from long drives — teams like to tempo — being able to have that endurance and those lungs, I feel I can go for a long time at a high intensity,” Abney said of how his speed-skating background translates to football

Later, with the 168th overall pick, the Lions selected wide receiver Kendrick Law from Kentucky. From Shreveport, Louisiana, Law matched Abney’s 4.45-second 40-yard dash, ranking 20th among all wide receivers at the combine. With the Wildcats last season, Law contributed 540 receiving yards thanks to strong short-area route running. A former Alabama special-teams player, Law transferred to Kentucky after the 2024 season to take on a larger receiving role. He is expected to contribute on special teams immediately.

With the Lions’ final two picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, Detroit added defensive tackles. At No. 205, they selected Skyler Gill-Howard from Texas Tech. Gill-Howard started the first six games of the season for the Red Raiders before an ankle injury sidelined him for the remainder of his senior year.

At No. 222, the Lions took Trye West from Tennessee. West played in 12 games with two starts for the Volunteers. A key rotational piece during his four years at Tennessee, he appeared in 48 games with 20.5 tackles for loss.

There’s plenty to like about the Lions’ 2026 draft class. Holmes and Campbell addressed key roster needs with a clear vision, adding immediate depth and long-term upside that could play a major role in pushing Detroit back into Super Bowl contention.