3 Lions starters who should feel the heat a month out from 2026 NFL Draft

Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes can't afford to rest on his laurels of prior strong draft classes, namely his legendary 2023 haul. However, because that group was so stacked, he also couldn't afford to spend big in free agency.

Contract extensions are on the horizon for Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch. Those are good uptown problems to have. It also creates clarity on where Holmes can improve the roster in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Holmes' last two rookie classes haven't been as strong. That means none of those picks, nor certain incumbent veterans who've paid their dues, should feel like their jobs are secure entering April.

Here are three core Lions players expected to start in 2026 who should face stiff competition from the draft and possibly even get beat out.

Lions GM Brad Holmes should dial up competition for these projected 2026 starters via the NFL Draft

CB Terrion Arnold

Injuries piled up for the 2024 first-rounder last season. A severe shoulder injury and a season-ending concussion hampered Arnold's bid to make a Year 2 leap.

If you look at the raw coverage numbers from Arnold, it doesn't look as bad as his reputation suggests. Per PFF, he let up only a 56.1 percent completion rate this past year and an 88.6 passer rating. That said, the scrappy 23-year-old still got grabby as ever, adding six penalties to the 10 he picked up as a rookie.

The Lions can't have a liability like Arnold on the boundary, even with the veteran presence of D.J. Reed on the other side. Their penchant for man coverage and Reed's superiority means teams will continue to pick on Arnold until he's taken out of action.

Nothing against Arnold. Seems like a great dude. Has all the intangibles you look for, and even the athletic profile. But it's just not clicking. And this draft's cornerback group is too deep and too good for Holmes not to take a swing at the position relatively early.

Between Arnold and his draft classmate, second-round nothing burger Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Detroit appears to have missed badly at the position with two premium picks. One trade-back scenario I could see for the Lions in Round 1 is moving down from 17th overall to then draft Tennessee man coverage specialist Colton Hood. He has a strong pedigree to boot.

LG Christian Mahogany

Life in the NFL moves quickly. Christian Mahogany went from a 2024 sixth-round pick to starting last season until a broken leg sent him to injured reserve after 11 games. All of a sudden, Mahogany is entering Year 3 of his four-year rookie contract, and he's one of multiple uncertainties across the Lions' formerly venerated offensive line.

My recent Lions mock draft proposed that Detroit trades back and drafts Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who could either take Taylor Decker's spot or slide to left guard. That'd prompt Penei Sewell to play left tackle, and free-agent signee Larry Borom to start at right tackle.

This would make Mahogany the odd man out. It's also possible Holmes no longer counts on a late-Day 3 pick like Mahogany at a key position, and invests stronger draft capital there with someone like Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon, Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis, Iowa's Beau Stephens or Notre Dame's Billy Schrauth.

All of those prospects feel like upgrades over Mahogany — or at least offer a higher ceiling in pass protection than he's shown thus far in the NFL.

LB Malcolm Rodriguez

Kind of a no-brainer pick here. Alex Anzalone left for the Bucs in free agency to replace the now-retired legend Lavonte David. That gives the Hard Knocks star known as "Rodrigo" a crack at the starting lineup.

It shouldn't be too hard for Holmes to find a viable LB3 who'd be superior to Rodriguez in the draft, though. Campbell and Derrick Barnes are the obvious two starters, but that weak-side linebacker spot is up for grabs.

Rodriguez has an inside track since he's stuck it out in Detroit as a 2022 sixth-round pick all this time. He's far from beyond reproach in spite of that.

Whether Rodrigo starts or not, depth is still necessary to accrue in the linebacker corps. Potential early Day 3 Lions targets to keep an eye on include Oregon star Bryce Boettcher, TCU standout Kaleb Elarms-Orr, and Buffalo's Red Murdock. All of them are sound in coverage, sure tacklers, and high-motor players who'd fit very well in the Motor City.