Detroit Lions select Clemson OT Blake Miller with No. 17 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

AFC EastBillsDolphinsJetsPatriotsAFC NorthBengalsBrownsRavensSteelersAFC SouthColtsJaguarsTexansTitansAFC WestBroncosChargersChiefsRaidersNFC EastCommandersCowboysEaglesGiantsNFC NorthBearsLionsPackersVikingsNFC SouthBuccaneersFalconsPanthersSaintsNFC West49ersCardinalsRamsSeahawksScores & ScheduleStandingsFantasyNFL OddsNFL PicksNFL DraftPodcastsScoop City NewsletterNFL Draft UpdatesThe BeastConsensus RankingsTop 300 Rankings7-Round Draft Order2026 NFL Draft Offensive tackle Blake Miller earned All-ACC honors in his last two seasons at Clemson. Katie DeVaney / Getty Images Share article19The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions selected Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with the No. 17 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday. Miller spent four years at Clemson and steadily developed into one of the most reliable linemen in program history, earning first-team All-ACC honors in each of his last two seasons. He started all of the 54 games he played in from 2022-25, including making 14 starts as a true freshman. His 3,778 offensive snaps broke Clemson’s school record for career snaps from scrimmage, and he became the first Clemson lineman this millennium to start in every game the Tigers played over a four-year period. He was also voted a permanent team captain by his teammates in 2025. Miller ranked No. 29 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide: “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. Here’s what an anonymous ACC defensive coordinator said about Miller in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft: “He’s a giant, and he’s got enough athleticism to hold up against speedy edge guys. He’s a good run blocker, not a great one, but the guy is pretty solid and probably will be a solid starting right tackle for a long time in the NFL. Detroit needed an offensive tackle to replace stalwart Taylor Decker, and Miller looks like a strong successor. Miller (6-foot-6, 317 pounds) 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 does have left tackle dimensions (34 1/4-inch arms, 83 7/8-inch wingspan), but it would be a tough flip in year one. I’m intrigued by the Lions picking Miller over Caleb Lomu and Monroe Freeling, because they’re all considered in the same pool of candidates. Grade: B+ The fit between Miller and the Lions is a strong one, for a number of reasons. The Lions released 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. Miller started all 54 games the past four seasons (most consecutive starts by a non-specialist in school history) and set the Clemson record for career offensive snaps. Most of that experience has come at right tackle, and with the Lions openly discussing their desire to move Sewell from right tackle to left, the job could be Miller’s so long as he proves himself in training camp. That’s the benefit of drafting a player like Miller over some of the other available tackles. His game is reminiscent of Decker’s, which gives the Lions a high-floor tackle for years to come. There were several players the Lions could’ve taken at No. 17 that would’ve made sense. Auburn edge Keldric Faulk, Georgia OT Monroe Freeling, Oregon S Dillon Thieneman were among them. However, the decision to land on Miller wasn’t a hard one to figure out if you know how the Lions scout. Miller is an experienced, high-character, athletic offensive tackle capable of starting on Day 1 if the Lions determine he’s ready. Miller is an excellent on-field and culture fit for the Lions. He’s athletic, he’s experienced, he plays hard for his teammates and fits the grit culture the Lions have established. Expect him to compete for (and win) the starting right tackle job with a strong training camp and give the Lions a high-floor tackle for the foreseeable future. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms