After some spectacular recent success, the Detroit Lions came back down to earth a bit last season. Still, there’s hope for a quick return to the top of the NFC North this season.
Detroit has the No. 17 overall pick and nine in total in 2026. Let’s see how they can best use those picks to keep up in the talented NFC North. We’ve conducted a seven-round Lions mock draft using our Mock Draft Machine.
Lions 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
Round 1 (No. 17 overall): Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
The Taylor Decker era is over in Detroit and a new left tackle is needed. Enter Blake Miller, a name that is rising up draft boards as we inch closer to April. Miller has a phenomenal college resume with good size and a ton of power. He's played mostly right tackle, but he should have no issues moving over to the left side if needed or sticking at right tackle with Penei Sewell moving over. Miller and Sewell can form a formidable bookend tandem in Detroit.
Round 2 (No. 50 overall): Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
Penn State produces plenty of athletic freaks, and you can add Dani Dennis-Sutton to that group. Dennis-Sutton ran a 4.63 40-yard dash with a 39.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-11 broad jump at the NFL Combine. He also had a very strong 6.90-second 3-cone drill. Some team is going to fall in love with the traits on day two, and that could very well be the Lions for a guy opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
Round 4 (No. 118 overall): Le'Veon Moss, RB, Texas A&M
Le’Veon Moss shows good acceleration with the ability to run through contact—although he needs to be more consistent in doing the latter. The big knock on him is his injury history. Can he stay healthy enough to make an impact? This is a high-risk, high-reward type of pick here in the fourth round, but he could develop into a long-term complement to Jahmyr Gibbs.
Round 4 (No. 128 overall): Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, Florida
Tyreak Sapp gives the Lions another player to add to their defensive line rotation. Some see him living on the EDGE full-time, while others see him more as a 3-tech at the NFL level. I like him more in condensed areas, where his strength and power are showcased best.
Round 5 (No. 157 overall): Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
Tacario Davis is a tall corner who has no issues getting his hands on the football. He excels in zone with good speed and long arms. He may even make the transition to free safety at the NFL level if needed. Otherwise, he can provide Detroit with outside corner depth.
Round 5 (No. 181 overall): Jalen Farmer, IOL, Kentucky
Jalen Farmer may end up going higher than this when it’s all said and done—he has a lot of fans in the NFL. He’s a strong, well-built guard who could be developed into a potential starter down the road. For now, he’ll serve as a backup/spot-starter in Detroit.
Round 6 (No. 205 overall): Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan
The Lions need some long-term tight end depth, so they take someone they met with at the 2026 NFL Combine who played college ball nearby. Marlin Klein is a good in-line blocker with limited upside in the receiving game. While he can contribute there, he projects as more of a TE2 in an offense that primarily uses him as a blocker in 12 personnel.
Round 6 (No. 213 overall): Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana
Aiden Fisher is a strong special-teams player who is a leader and excels at the little things. He’s smaller than ideal for the position and may not be able to overcome that at the NFL level to become a starter. But he’ll make an impact in other areas.
Round 7 (No. 222 overall): Enrique Cruz Jr., OT, Kansas
Enrique Cruz Jr. is a powerful tackle who played on the right side of Kansas’ offense. Although he tested well at the NFL Combine, that athleticism doesn’t really show up in space. However, he’s every bit as strong as his 6-foot-5.5, 313-pound frame suggests. He’s a worthy gamble with the Lions’ final pick.