Ranking Detroit Lions biggest draft gems of the last decade

8. OT Taylor Decker: First Round (Pick No. 16), 2016

Decker was Quinn's first first-round pick as Lions' general manager and he's now the longest-tenured player on the team. While underappreciate in terms of league-wide accolades (zero Pro Bowls or All-Pro teams in his career), the Ohio State product has been everything a team hopes a first-round pick left tackle will become. High level performance, steady, reliable, tough, a team leader. Last season, he became the fourth offensive tackle in Lions' franchise history to start 100 games for the team.

Decker is now entering the final year of his contract, his age-31 season, but he has made it clear he wants to spend his entire career in Detroit. An extension this offseason to keep him around for a couple years beyond next season feels like a lock, despite some incredibly faint rumors he may be on the trade block.

7. DT Alim McNeill: 3rd Round (Pick No. 72), 2021

The Lions went defensive tackle with back-to-back picks in Holmes' first start, following Levi Onwuzurike in the second round (pick No. 41) with McNeill in the third. In many ways, with a nod to a back injury that has greatly impacted Onwuzurike's career, McNeill has been what they hoped Onwuzurike would be.

McNeill has made steady progress over his first three NFL seasons. Last season's breakout campaign naturally followed an offseason where he worked his butt of to improve his game and get trimmer physically. If nothing else, that offseason work paying off the way it did stands as a great example for his younger teammates.

Now, entering the final year of his rookie contract, McNeill is in line to get paid like a lot of defensive tackles are getting paid. Not that he needs any more motivation to perform like he did last year, or be even better, but it's definitely there now.