If we know nothing else about the draft style of Detroit Lions' general manager Brad Holmes, it's that he's not married at all to need. That said, as evidenced by picks like Aidan Hutchinson and Terrion Arnold, he also doesn't ignore clear-cut needs.
Any look at the Lions' 2026 draft needs yield two positions at the top. With just two picks in the first three rounds right now, players at those positions are in line to be used on those two positions.
Holmes has talked about the offensive line with a metaphor of a garden that needs consistent watering. While draft picks have been used to make that true, what was once one of the best offensive lines in the NFL wilted pretty badly last season, and getting it back on track is a priority.
With the release of left tackle Taylor Decker, the Lions have a void to fill one way or other. If Penei Sewell is being moved to left tackle, and all indications are he is, then a new right tackle is on the draft radar.
Todd McShay has made strong case for Lions' ideal pick at No. 17 overall
In his "Mock Draft 4.0" for this year, draft expert Todd McShay had the Lions taking Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller at No. 17 overall.
"The Lions had one of the worst pass-protecting offensive lines in the NFL last season, and you could argue that no high-level starting quarterback was more affected by pressure than Jared Goff. Fixing that has to be a priority."
"Proctor is the tackle most commonly mocked to Detroit, and while his traits might be more enticing, Miller's tape is far more consistent. Miller is 6 feet, 6 3/4 inches and 317 pounds with 34 1/4–inch arms, and he ran a 5.04-second 40, posted a 32-inch vertical (72nd percentile among the last three OT classes), and put up 32 bench reps (the best among offensive linemen at the last three combines)."
Kadyn Proctor is big (6-foot-6, 358 pounds) and "traitsy" (is that even a word?). Drafting him would also pave the way for Sewell to stay at right tackle. But that does not seem to be the plan. So unless Proctor is seen as someone who can play right tackle, finding someone who did so in college would seem to be in order, and Miller did.
Miller is himself not a small man (6-foot-6, 317 pounds), and the testing numbers McShay noted pushed his Combine Athleticism Score to 91 (fourth-best among offensive tackles). So he is not lacking traits.
Miller was also a four-year starter at Clemson with 54 career starts. Proctor played three years at Alabama, with 39 career starts. Compared to another tackle who has been commonly mocked to the Lions at 17 (and played right tackle), Georgia's Monroe Freeling, Miller has even more of an experience and technical refinement edge.
If the Lions are going to move Sewell off right tackle, replacing him will not be easy--if it's even really possible. They surely need someone who can step in and start right away, so free-agent signing Larry Borum can serve in a more ideal swing tackle role.
Apart from anything else, there's something that may have Miller occupying a high spot on the Lions' draft board. He played in Clemson's bowl game last season, and it was not a prominent one as the Tigers had a disappointing season.
Playing in that "meaningless" final college game, while risking an injury that could've hurt his draft stock, surely lands well on the hypothetical (though possibly actual) "Grit Index" that exists at Allen Park.
Miller is everything the Lions should be looking for in an offensive tackle they draft--experienced, skilled, athletic, tough, and with a team-first mindset. Assuming he's available at No. 17, and it's likely he will be, it may not take long to turn in the draft card on Thursday night.
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