The Detroit Lions have been aggressive this offseason after finishing 9-8 in 2025. Detroit added several players in NFL free agency, creating depth at almost every position on the roster. But the Lions need to add even more young talent if they want to get back to the playoffs in 2026.
The next big milestone for the Lions is the 2026 NFL Draft. Detroit needs to add some talented players on cost-controlled rookie contracts to free them up to extend players in the future.
Will Detroit go chalk and address their positions of need in the draft? Or will they throw their fans some curveballs that nobody was expecting?
Here are three Lions bold predictions before the draft.
Detroit trades up into the top 10 to grab a blue chip player
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Lions enter the draft with the 17th overall pick. It is their highest pick since the 2023 NFL Draft, where they entered with the 6th overall pick.
When looking at Detroit’s draft record under GM Brad Holmes, they have yet to miss on a player in the first half of the first round. The Lions have drafted Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs in that range. All four players have become foundational pieces for Detroit, and three already have long-term contract extensions.
If the Lions think they can land another player of that caliber, they might consider trading up in the draft. Detroit could even land a legitimate blue chip player if they move up into the top 10.
But which prospects might prompt the Lions to make such an aggressive move?
The 2026 draft class is stacked on the defensive side of the ball. It stands to reason that Detroit could move up to land an elite defensive player.
Potential targets include edge Arvell Reese (Ohio State), linebacker Sonny Styles (Ohio State), cornerback Mansoor Delane (LSU), and safety Caleb Downs (Ohio State).
If the Lions did go offense in the top 10, it would likely be tackle Francis Mauigoa (Miami). But that seems unlikely consider how deep this year’s tackle class appears to be.
Brad Holmes trades down more often than trading up
Holmes certainly loves to trade up during the draft. So this bold prediction assumes that Holmes will go against type and trade down more than he trades up.
This prediction would be even bolder if Detroit actually does trade into the top 10 in the first round.
Over the past five years, the Lions have traded in the draft a total of 12 times. Of those 12 trades, seven of them have come in the last two years. The trade up for Isaac TeSlaa is the most high-profile move of them all.
Meanwhile, Detroit has only traded down three times over the past five years.
Trading down could be smart for the Lions in a few ways. First, they could acquire more players on cheap contracts right away during the draft. Second, they could acquire 2027 draft picks to give themselves more options in the future.
Either way, now feels like the time for Detroit to adjust their draft strategy from what it has been over the past few years.
Lions do not land an offensive tackle, edge rusher in the first round
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
This is perhaps the most obvious bold prediction for Detroit before the draft.
Most Lions fans and national analysts expect the team to select some combination of tackle and edge rusher over the first two rounds. It is easy to see how people arrive at that conclusion, as those positions are arguably the biggest needs on the entire roster.
However, the NFL draft is always full of twists and turns. If the Lions decide to simply go best player available, there’s almost no chance that they make their fans happy with every single pick.
But this prediction begs the question: who might the Lions pick if they don’t go edge or tackle in the first round?
The Lions could surprise fans by drafting a safety in the first round. Kerby Joseph’s injury situation is murky and Brian Branch will need time to recover from his Achilles injury too. At this point, it would be shocking if both players started in Week 1.
Detroit did sign several free agents who could play at strong safety. But there is no clear answer at free safety on the roster beyond backup Thomas Harper.
If the Lions do not trade up, they could still be in range for players like Dillon Thieneman (Oregon) or Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) at 17th overall.
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