2026 NFL mock draft: Early predictions for Detroit Lions future rookies

Now that the 2025 NFL Draft is over, the focus can transition to the 2026 NFL Draft, right? Oh yeah, a whole season must be played before we can get there. While that will be entertaining, it is fun to take a peek at what next year’s draft could look like.

Sure, these things aren’t as accurate as the mock drafts in March, but it’s a chance for people to prepare for the future. When the college football season kicks off in August, fans can watch and listen to how these players are doing and whether these early mocks will be accurate or not. They are also fun to review a year from now to see how bad (or scary good) these can be.

Looking back at the early mock drafts from last year, the players and needs weren’t too far off:

Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter

Ohio State EDGE JT Tuimoloau

Oklahoma WR Deion Burks

Ohio State G Donovan Jackson

Texas A&M EDGE Nic Scourton

Louisville EDGE Ashton Gillotte

Of those picks, only Carter and Jackson were first-round picks, but Carter went much higher, up to number three to the New York Giants. Burks didn’t declare for the draft, and the others were taken in the second or third round, falling further than the projections had them.

So, let’s take an early look at these 2026 NFL Draft predictions for the Detroit Lions.

Pick 28: Oregon EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei

The younger brother of D.J. Uiagalelei has been impactful since arriving in Eugene. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound pass rusher recorded 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and even one interception last season alone. Jordan Burch, Jamaree Caldwell and Derrick Harmon are gone from that Ducks defensive line. The future lies in the hands of talented prospects like defensive tackle Bear Alexander and Uiagalelei.

Pick 28: Missouri G Cayden Green

Controlling the line of scrimmage will always be paramount for Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes, and Detroit could again address its interior offensive line after taking guard Tate Ratledge in the second round this year. Green isn’t on the same level as his former Missouri linemate Armand Membou, but he’s an ascendant prospect who’s steady in both the pass and run game.

Pick 28: Texas A&M WR Kevin Concepcion

A move from NC State to Texas A&M puts Concepcion in the heat of the SEC for the 2025 season. If he can replicate his success from previous years, he’s definitely on the board to be a first-round pick.

Pick 32: Alabama CB Domani Jackson

Jackson transferred from USC and started all 13 games last season at Alabama. He totaled 52 tackles with seven pass breakups and two interceptions. He was a five-star prospect coming out of high school.

Pick 28: Alabama EDGE LT Overton

Surprisingly, the Detroit Lions didn’t use a Day 1 or 2 pick on a edge-rusher to play on the other side of Aidan Hutchinson. They didn’t do so despite it being one of Detroit’s biggest needs heading into the draft, especially after releasing Za’Darius Smith during free agency. Alabama’s LT Overton could have been a top pick in this year’s draft but opted to return to school. At 6’5” and 280 pounds, he has a tweener body-type to fit into the hybrid edge defender/interior defensive lineman category. He could be a good base end for Dan Campbell’s crew with the potential to be a well-rounded player at the next level. “A transfer to Alabama did wonders for his development, as he ended the year as one of the 15 most valuable edge defenders in America,” Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema and Max Chadwick. “Overton’s 18 percent pass-rush win rate was a top-30 mark in the nation, while his 81.7 PFF run-defense grade was 25th.”

Pick 29: Oregon OT Isaiah World

After addressing the immediate interior offensive line need well in the 2025 draft, the Lions should be interested in his massive tackle as Taylor Decker’s successor, from Penei Sewell’s former school, no less.

Recap

Looking at these, it appears some people still are wanting the Lions to draft a defensive end to give the pass rush more help. I can understand why this would be still a need for the team as Marcus Davenport is one a one-year deal and the players behind him aren’t starter caliber yet. The pick for cornerback Domani Jackson is possibly the worst one as the Lions secondary is already packed, and Jackson would possibly kick out Terrion Arnold, DJ Reed, or perhaps Ennis Rakestraw in the slot. I will say though, that author was the only one to predict the Lions winning the Super Bowl.

Wide receiver could be a firs-round option if the team isn’t able to re-sign Jameson Williams to a long-term deal, so that isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The final two picks being on the offensive line do and don’t make sense. The guard pick, after the Lions just drafted two this year, and have Mahogany still on his rookie contract for two more seasons after 2025, is a head-scratcher.

The pick I liked the most was the offensive tackle, Isaiah World out of Oregon. The team will need to start thinking about who can replace Taylor Decker after 2025, with the team having an out in his contract before 2026. If they decide to keep Decker around for the last two years of his deal, World can sit behind Decker and Sewell and absorb and learn for a year or two.

Overall, like I mentioned earlier, this is a fun exercise that gets you ready for football season to begin so you can start scouting who the Lions could take in next year’s draft. It also makes you think about what the roster could look like, and where the biggest needs will be for the team. Let’s see if any of these writers can land their prediction on their pick, as the only thing I will be rooting for out of these is the Lions picking at 32 in 2026.

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