The Detroit Lions can be very unpredictable when it comes to their draft strategy. They’ve been known to eschew perceived needs in favor of who they believe is the best football player on the board, sometimes to the chagrin of media and fans alike.
But with some glaring roster holes at offensive tackle and edge rusher, and a need for depth in the secondary, linebacking corps and defensive line, Detroit and general manager Brad Holmes did well to address those areas in this weekend’s 2026 NFL draft.
“I guess I followed your mock drafts,” Holmes said to local media with a smile after walking up to the podium following day two.
And he kind of did. The Lions were often mocked to go with an offensive tackle in the first round and a pass rusher in the second, and did just that with the selections of Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller at No. 17 overall and Michigan edge Derrick Moore at No. 44.
But Holmes insisted he wasn't looking at those positions with tunnel vision.
“I know that those were the popular positions and all that stuff that they were talking about for us,” Holmes said. “But they just happened to be players that we really like.”
Detroit went on to add Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder in the fourth round, Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II and Kentucky wideout Kendrick Law in the fifth, Texas Tech defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard in the sixth and Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West in the seventh.
“All of them, every single last one of them, they are complete, true fits,” Holmes said. “These guys are Lions. I know technically they are, yes, but they fit everything that we're about. We got some good football players."
For a team like Detroit aiming to return to title contention after missing the playoffs entirely in 2025, it was important to add impact players that can help shore up some of the perceived weaker spots on the roster.
But the Lions have long maintained that they won’t reach for a player they don’t love just to fill a “need”. That thinking has paid off for them before, like with the 2023 selections of Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell in the first round.
This year, Holmes felt like the board lined up enough to where the Lions were able to kill two birds with one stone: they got players they liked, at positions where they needed the help.
Lions focus on grit, needs in 2026 NFL Draft
Detroit has spoken at length this offseason about wanting to recapture its edge, the “grit” from their early 2022 and 2023 teams (and even 2021) that took the NFL by storm and helped make one of the NFL’s most downtrodden franchises into Super Bowl contenders.
Head coach Dan Campbell has said he wants to see more competition for starting roles in training camp as part of an effort to avoid complacency. Holmes views this draft class as able to do that, saying the rookies are “gonna have the ability to potentially make some people uncomfortable”.
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Up and down the class, you can see why the Lions saw these guys as fits. They profile as hyper-competitive, tough players who are known as good teammates and self-starters.
"It was just finding gritty football players, getting back to– I'm not saying we forgot about our identity, but just making sure that was at the top of mind," Holmes said.
The Lions’ roster now looks like it’s in a good position ahead of a crucial 2026 season. They’ll need a bounceback season from the offensive line, continued production from their skill position stars and a healthier campaign from the defense with a nastier pass rush.
This draft class can definitely help them do that. And for that, Lions fans should be able to let out a deep exhale.
“We’re all about building from the inside out, but when you get the guys that you love, and they happen to play in the trenches as well, that’s just a little bit of an added bonus,” Holmes said. “We’ll definitely sleep good at night.”
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