Lions seven-round 2026 NFL mock draft: Detroit loads up on offensive linemen, bolsters defensive front
Help is on the way for Jared Goff and Jahmyr Gibbs
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Carter Bahns
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1 min read
The 2026 NFL Draft class is loaded with offensive linemen, and there are few teams that will benefit from that positional depth as much as the Detroit Lions. Last season was a difficult one for the Lions up front, and the offensive regression that ensued was a major reason why Dan Campbell's squad missed the playoffs.
Addressing the tackle position and adding competition on the interior is priority No. 1 for the Lions as they work towards a return to the top of the NFL's offensive leaderboard. A stacked draft makes this year an opportune time to do just that.
Defense will also be an emphasis for general manager Brad Holmes. Between the injuries that plagued the 2025 defensive backfield and a couple of departures closer to the line of scrimmage, there is some personnel uncertainty on a unit that regressed toward the middle of the pack.
The Lions will pick in every round except for the third, as they traded that pick at last year's draft to move up and select wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa. They possess four picks from other teams, including an extra fourth-rounder which they acquired last month from the Houston Texans (in addition to a 2027 seventh-rounder) in exchange for running back David Montgomery. Lastly, the NFL awarded Detroit a fifth-round compensatory pick for a net loss of free agents.
Using the Pro Football Focus draft simulator, we projected how the Lions will use all nine of their picks at this month's NFL Draft.
Lions' 2026 NFL Draft picks
- Round 1: Pick 17
- Round 2: Pick 50
- Round 4: Pick 118
- Round 4: Pick 128 (from Texans)
- Round 5: Pick 157
- Round 5: Pick 181 (compensatory)
- Round 6: Pick 205 (from Jaguars)
- Round 6: Pick 213 (from Seahawks via Jaguars)
- Round 7: Pick 222 (from Browns)
Renner's three-round NFL mock draft: A wide-open top 10 becomes a case study in positional value
Mike Renner
Lions seven-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 17
The question for the Lions in Round 1 is less about whether they will select an offensive lineman and more about whether it will be a tackle or guard. They may just take the best available between those two positions at pick No. 17, and in this case, it's Kadyn Proctor. That all of his college experience came at left tackle might make Dan Campbell think twice about moving Penei Sewell from right to left, but that's a good problem to have. Clemson's Blake Miller is also likely to be available at this pick and has extensive right tackle experience, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the Lions grab him if they are committed to Sewell's position change.
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Round 2, Pick 50
Finding an upgrade over Christian Mahogany is an obvious point of emphasis for the Lions this offseason as they brought in Ben Bartch and Juice Scruggs to create competition at the left guard spot. Top-five interior offensive line prospect Chase Bisontis would give them another option (and some valuable long-term upside) if they were to take him in the second round. The rest of the interior is set in stone with Cade Mays arriving as a plug-and-play center and Tate Ratledge reprising his right guard role.
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Round 4, Pick 118
There is a hole at one of the two outside linebacker spots in Detroit's 4-3 defense after Alex Anzalone departed in free agency. The Lions did not address that need in free agency, so there is a clear path for a rookie to come in and contribute, if not start, next to Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes as soon as Week 1. While Harold Perkins Jr. saw a lot of his draft hype cool over the last year or two, a lot of that can be attributed to LSU playing him out of position. He won't have to pretend he is an edge rusher in Detroit, which sets him up to potentially outperform his pick number as a Day 2 selection.
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Round 4, Pick 128
It would behoove the Lions to build some defensive tackle depth through the draft, and they have an opportunity to secure a top-flight talent at a huge discount in Round 4. Tim Keenan III was widely considered an eventual first-rounder before his disappointing 2025 season at Alabama. There is a strong argument to be made that Keenan did not regress last year but simply never played at full strength after undergoing tightrope surgery on his sprained ankle at the start of the campaign. Taking him on Day 2 comes with some mild health risk but also a potentially gargantuan reward.
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Round 5, Pick 157
Aidan Hutchinson needs a running mate to take some double teams off him. The Lions brought in D.J. Wonnum through free agency but would really benefit from securing someone with a greater ceiling. Caden Curry could be that guy. He is a national champion and fresh off a monster breakout year, which is an enticing package in the fifth round. Curry notched nearly a sack per game in his senior year at Ohio State, and if that translates to the NFL, the Lions will be even more fearsome on the edges.
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Round 5, Pick 181
Getting CBS Sports' No. 79 overall prospect on Day 3 is tremendous value and an opportunity on which the Lions would be hard-pressed to pass. Julian Neal is a zone coverage standout who didn't skip a beat upon his move up from the Mountain West to the SEC. Carrying that trajectory into the NFL would give the Lions depth in a secondary that faces questions after injuries ravaged the cornerback and safety positions a year ago. Plus, there is some uncertainty around Terrion Arnold due to his links to an off-field incident.
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Round 6, Pick 205
Again, injuries obliterated the Detroit secondary last year, so it would be nice for the Lions to have some insurance. Taking a Day 3 safety like Robert Spears-Jennings allows for them to build competition and develop backup options should things go haywire again. Spears-Jennings ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and was a two-year starter in a vicious Oklahoma defense.
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Round 6, Pick 213
Every single player in Detroit's tight end group will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season. The Lions can go in any direction they wish next offseason, and with Sam LaPorta's production regressing annually since his stellar rookie year, not even he can feel safe. It would make sense to have at least one sure thing in this room, so enter Tanner Koziol, a high-volume target who led the Big 12 in receptions in his first year at the Power Four level.
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Round 7, Pick 222
Detroit is set at the offensive skill positions, so rather than taking a shot on, say, a seventh-round receiver or running back, we'll project them to triple down on the offensive line. Here, they take the best available lineman to continue to address their biggest need. Anez Cooper started three and a half years on an outstanding Miami line and has the kind of frame and physicality that can get him into an NFL rotation before long.
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