Detroit Lions NFL Draft 2026 pick tracker: Grades, fits and scouting reports

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They followed that pick by adding Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II. He was the top-rated remaining player on Brugler’s board. The Lions then added Kentucky receiver Kendrick Law, who transferred to Lexington for his senior season after three seasons at Alabama where he never really gained traction. He caught 53 passes for 540 yards and three TDs last season for the Wildcats. In the sixth round, Detroit took Texas Tech defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard.. Detroit began Day 2 with the 50th pick in the second round, but gave the Jets that pick and No. 128 in the fourth round to move up to No. 44. The Lions stayed close to home by selecting Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore on Friday. The Lions were looking for pass-rushing help opposite Aidan Hutchinson and hope they’ve found a force who they didn’t need to travel far to scout. Moore was the 14th-rated edge rusher, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who projected Moore to be taken in the third round. The Lions came into Round 1 with multiple needs, including offensive line and they addressed the position with the addition of Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller. The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler ranked Miller has his 29th overall best player in “The Beast.” On Day 2, the Lions have just one pick at No. 50 overall in the second round. What will they do? Keep coming back here throughout the draft for grades and analysis of each Lions pick. The fit between Miller and the Lions is a strong one, for a number of reasons. The Lions released offensive tackle Taylor Decker ahead of free agency, and it signaled a need for a tackle. And while the team signed Larry Borom to a one-year deal, his starting spot was never guaranteed. It made offensive tackle a natural need, one that many assumed would be filled in the draft. At the combine in February, Miller told a story about delaying wrist surgery so he could participate in spring practice with his teammates at Clemson. It was evident then that he fits this organization like a glove. He checks off every box and adds to a revamped offensive line in Detroit. — Pouncy Miller has an upright play style that could lead to issues vs. NFL competition, but he has the type of profile (physical traits, football IQ, competitive toughness) that teams will bet on every time. He should compete for a starting right tackle role as a rookie. Has the physical traits, football IQ and toughness that NFL teams will bet on every time. Detroit needed an offensive tackle to replace stalwart Taylor Decker, and Miller looks like a strong successor. Miller (6-6 ¾, 317) started 54 games along the offensive line for the Tigers, 52 of which came at right tackle. That seems to indicate Detroit will move Penei Sowell to left tackle and start Miller on the right side. Miller, who was a two-time first-team All-ACC selection, does have left tackle dimensions (34 ¼ arms, 83 7/8 wingspan) but it would be a tough flip in year one. I’m intrigued by why the Lions picked Miller over Caleb Lomu and Monroe Freeling because they’re all considered in the same pool of candidates. How Blake Miller’s wrist injury proved he was a perfect fit for the Lions Detroit Lions select Clemson OT Blake Miller with the No. 17 pick in 2026 NFL Draft Moore is a well-rounded player with a feel for what he’s doing in both the run game and as a pass rusher. I like his floor more than his ceiling, but the tools are there for him to become an NFL starter. An unselfish, well-rounded player with a feel for what he’s doing; boasts a high floor. Detroit moves up six spots, jumping Derrick Moore’s former college DC in Jesse Minter to snag the explosive, long-armed edge rusher from Michigan. This pick makes so much sense, as Moore will add juice to a defensive front that needed someone to win one-on-ones opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit Lions select Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore with 44th of 2026 NFL Draft Rolder needs to iron out his overaggressive tendencies, but he plays with ascending instincts and the reactive athleticism to make plays in the NFL. If healthy, he will be an immediate contributor on special teams and offer the potential to become a weakside starter. Rolder becomes the second Michigan product selected by the Lions in this draft, joining Moore. He projects as an immediate contributor on special teams, and with continued development, he could earn eventually snaps as a weakside linebacker. Abney has wild tendencies and can put himself in tough situations, but athletic instincts and competitive fire (in all areas) are exciting trademarks of his game. He has the makings of an NFL starter with inside-outside upside. Has the tools and temperament to be an NFL starter, despite being undersized. Excellent value, as Abney ranked 61st on Brugler’s top-300 board and was the best available player at the time of his selection. He fits Detroit’s man-heavy scheme as a feisty cornerback with the competitive mindset to play bigger than his size at 5-foot-9. He should bring inside-out versatility and projects as a depth cornerback for the Lions in 2026. Essentially, he’ll have a chance to fill the Amik Robertson role down the road — even if those opportunities don’t come early. Really like this pick. Law couldn’t expand his role in college, so there are understandable doubts he will be able to in the NFL. But he has an intriguing floor as a dynamic underneath weapon and special teamer, with the athletic potential to be more. At No. 168 in the fifth, the Lions traded up for Kentucky WR Kendrick Law. A former top-100 recruit, Law spent his first three seasons at Alabama — we know how the Lions feel about their ‘Bama guys — before transferring to Kentucky for his final season. Law brings immediate value on special teams as a potential returner and gunner, given his 537 career special teams snaps. He also has the sort of juice to be a gadget player in the NFL. He looks like a potential Kalif Raymond replacement. Gill-Howard competes with the right mindset and energy, which helps him compensate for any shortcomings. He will need the right fit to find a permanent spot but projects as a rotational three-technique. I viewed defensive tackle as a potential need for the Lions entering the draft, and there were a few routes the Lions could’ve gone with an addition — a run-stuffing nose tackle or a three-tech with pass-rush juice. The Lions opted for the latter, selecting Gill-Howard at No. 205 in the sixth. A former linebacker who added 50 pounds in four months as a freshman to make the move to defensive tackle, Gill-Howard, a two-time captain, is viewed as a selfless player with the intangibles the Lions covet. While he lacks length, his combination of twitch and hand usage helps him as a rusher. He’s a self-made prospect in every way — working his way up the ranks from Upper Iowa University to Northern Illinois to Texas Tech. West was a career rotational player in college — and that’s unlikely to change in the NFL — but his body twitch and heavy hands help create quick wins. He can also give teams interior snaps as a penetrating three-technique on passing downs. The Lions had West in for a visit during the pre-draft process, and it seems like they liked what they heard. West, a former four-star prospect, was a rotational edge at Tennessee. He’s a bit of an odd body type for an edge at 6-foot-2, 280 pounds with 33-inch arms, but it could help him rush inside at the next level. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms