The Detroit Lions are remaining quite mum about their plans early on in this year's NFL Draft. That's what you can say for basically any team that isn't the Las Vegas Raiders, though, with Fernando Mendoza an obvious lock for the first overall pick.
At 17th overall, they have a lot of optionality. Same goes for their pick at 50th overall. Beyond that is a bit of a tossup, and it could be argued that no pick the Lions currently hold remains safe from Brad Holmes' potential desire to move back into the 3rd round.
But, we can still draw some conclusions about which way the team is leaning for roster construction through their 30 visits leading up to the NFL Draft. So far, per A to Z Sports writer Mike Payton's handy 30 visit tracker, the Lions have only met with two prospects: defensive edge Tyre West and running back/wide receiver Demarcus Lacey.
Detroit loves finding diamonds in the rough, and these two players define that philosophy perfectly.
Detroit's 30 visits say a lot about draft strategy
One huge need for the Lions is obviously at pass rusher, so West's visit makes sense. The Tennessee Volunteer is projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to end up a UDFA, so this could just be the Lions kicking the tires on a potential signee once the draft is over. He had just four sacks and 12 solo tackles in his last year with the team,
Described as a leader for Tennessee by WSMV Nashville, he could be the kind of locker room presence the Lions like to hone in on: someone of high character who will be motivated to make his mark on and off the field for the squad.
While he might be destined for a practice squad designation, we've seen in recent seasons how important it is to have decent talent waiting in the wings with injuries mounting towards the end of any season.
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As for Lacey, it feels like Detroit is looking for an extra competitor for their special teams unit. The former Marshall Thundering Herd receiver had 207 return yards in 2025, and he also provided some decent production as a running back with 157 yards posted on 19 carries. Notably, he averaged 8.3 yards per carry.
Again, he feels like an ideal injection for the Lions' now-depleted special teams unit. Thanks to Kalif Raymond's departure this offseason, Detroit probably wants another reliable returner alongside other young options in Jackson Meeks or Dominic Lovett.
The Lions might not be very active right now with these visits, but these two players seem to indicate that they're sticking to their guns as a team that's always looking to improve on the margins.