The conventional wisdom among Detroit Lions fans and mock drafters is that the team should be hyper-focused on drafting an EDGE rusher or offensive lineman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
However, an opportunity may be brewing at another position that could be too good to pass up.
Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy dazzled at Tennessee's Pro Day, with all 32 teams in attendance. McCoy ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, along with a 38" vertical jump, and a 10'7" broad jump, per ESPN's Adam Schefter on X. This comes after McCoy missed all of last season with an ACL injury.
Per Matt Okada at NFL.com, the average 40 time for a DB is 4.53 seconds; 4.50 for those going pro at CB, and 4.57 at safety. For this year's Combine, 4.38 would be good for a tie of second among CBs with Georgia's Daylen Everette and just a hair behind Missouri's Toriano Pride, Jr., and his 4.32.
A CB may not be perceived as a high-priority need for the first round, but the team does have a multitude of question marks at the position. D.J. Reed missed six games in 2025, while Terrion Arnold missed nine. Arnold himself had a disappointing second season when he did play, ranking 97th among CBs on Pro Football Focus with a 52.6 grade.
Meanwhile, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. has only played eight total games since being drafted in the second round in 2024.
The Lions did bring back Rock Ya-Sin and Nick Whiteside, both of whom performed well in their backup roles. The team also signed Roger McCreary, although he's more of a Nickel to fill in the void left by Amik Robertson.
The Lions do have an option for Reed heading into the 2027 season. Opting out of Reed's deal would cost the Lions more in dead cap ($9,141,000) than his cap hit would be for 2027 ($8,131,000). However, not doing so would mean the team carries a dead cap hit of $17.01 million for 2028, given signing and option bonuses, per DetroitFootball.net's Justin Rogers in his breakdown of Reed's deal.
Reed turns 30 during the 2026 season, and with the Lions' continued youth movement and tight finances, parting ways with Reed after the season feels inevitable. McCoy, on the other hand, turns 21 in August, putting him on the younger side of 2026 prospects.
Easing in a first-rounder may not be ideal for the contending Lions' team that needs day-one starters, but it could absolutely pay off long-term, both in terms of roster build and finances.
Drafting McCoy does come with its risks, given his ACL injury and time missed, but if the talent and tape are good enough, the Lions will take notice and may target him in the first. In fact, neither of those concerns has stopped Holmes from drafting a player in the first round before.
McCoy background shares a similarity with two former Lions picks
McCoy was already projected to be a first-round pick before his Pro Day and would be frequently considered the best CB in this draft class had it not been for his ACL injury. That story may sound familiar to Lions fans, as it's similar to that of wide receiver Jameson Williams.
Williams was in the argument for top WR in his 2022 Draft class, but his ACL tear three months earlier during the College Football National Championship game saw his draft stock slip. Williams wound up as the fourth WR taken in that draft behind Drake London, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave.
The Lions would trade up to the 12th spot, from 32nd, in order to take Williams. It did take some time, but the move has paid off thanks to back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for Williams. Williams had a strong finish in 2025, after head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties. If Williams carries that late-season momentum in 2026, a Pro Bowl and possibly an All-Pro may be waiting for him.
READ MORE: Lions' Brad Holmes provides injury updates on Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch
Missing the entire prior season may scare off some teams, but it didn't stop Holmes from slamming his hands on the table in excitement after selecting Penei Sewell 7th overall in the 2021 Draft. Sewell sat out the 2020 college football season thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but hit the ground running upon entering the NFL and may already be a Hall of Fame lock as a 25-year-old. Currently, Sewell is poised to make the shift to LT, assuming the Lions don't draft one early in the draft.
Holmes and the Lions have a history of going against the grain to the frustration of fans and mock drafters. Talent has always taken priority over positional value and positional need. If the organization views McCoy as the top CB in the draft, and he falls to #17 or a trade-up opportunity presents itself, do not be surprised to see the team go in that direction as opposed to OL or EDGE.