The Detroit Lions might've accidentally committed a robbery of the New York Jets and their old friend, Aaron Glenn, in the 7th round of the NFL draft.
With their 222nd overall pick, which was one they received by way of the Za'Darius Smith trade back in 2024, the Lions selected Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Tyre West. The pass rusher is likely a depth piece, but one that the Lions had enough interest in to meet with as part of their 30-visits.
New York had also met with West, and The Jet Press's own Justin Fried interviewed West ahead of the draft about his potential fit with the AFC East squad.
"At 6-foot-2 and 287 pounds, West was used primarily as a defensive end at Tennessee, but many scouts project him as an interior lineman at the NFL level. West told The Jet Press he hopes to play inside in the NFL because it would create more “mismatches” for him."
Instead of landing with Glenn and the Jets, though, the Lions now get to see how they can maximize his potential talent inside the defensive line.
Lions might've stolen West from right under Jets, Glenn
The last-second robbery committed by the Lions rounded out their 2026 NFL draft. West has some tools that can force the Lions to pay attention to him as a legitimate piece to their defensive front, with NFL.com's Lance Zierlein writing:
"He has the bone thickness of an interior defender, but a chunk of his collegiate reps came at 5-technique and even-front defensive end. He’s a solid athlete with good quickness but below-average hand usage. He appears capable of sinking and anchoring but will be tested against interior double teams on the next level. West’s ability to pressure the pocket could earn him an opportunity at the next level."
READ MORE: Lions 2026 NFL Draft tracker: Full list of picks, roster needs, targets, and more
West ended his career at Tennessee with four sacks, one forced fumble, one pass defended, and 7.5 tackles for loss. However, he only suited up in 12 games in 2025, and didn't post enough snaps to impress. Still, he's yet another defender the Lions are going to get a close look at throughout camp and the preseason as they seek help for an often injured room.
West joins Skylar Gill-Howard as the Lions' only two defensive lineman taken in the 2026 draft. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder and defensive back Keith Abney II were taken right before then, and edge rusher Derrick Moore rounds out the teams' solid class on the defensive end. Kelvin Sheppard has to be pleased with all of the additional options he has now headed into his offseason preparation.
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