The Detroit Lions didn't have a ton of needs to address in the 2026 NFL Draft. Taylor Decker's sudden release forced them to pivot and pursue an offensive tackle in the first round, but other than that, they just had to find a pass rusher and/or a cornerback.
Judging by that list of needs, general manager Brad Holmes aced his first two selections. However, while he did address them on paper, he could've done much better with his second-round selection, at least, according to projections.
Taking Derrick Moore at No. 44 might come back to haunt this team, not necessarily because he's not a good prospect, but because they reached to get him when other -- better -- prospects were still up for grabs.
Lions will regret passing on several guys for Derrick Moore
The Lions have been in the market for a pass rusher for quite a while now. Aidan Hutchinson has superstar potential, but he hasn't taken another step forward in his development because the Lions don't have anyone who can take pressure off his shoulders.
If that was the plan, they should've taken Zion Young instead. He went right after Moore to the Baltimore Ravens, and he was a more NFL-ready prospect who, by the way, also ranked higher in the consensus big board. He's a physical force and someone who plays with a violent determination to set the edge and put pressure at the line of scrimmage.
The Lions could've also gone after Illinois' Gabe Jacas instead. He was described as one of the hardest-working guys in the draft, and he may have the best use of hands among pass rushers in this class. Moore is promising, but it might be a while before he can be a consistent contributor, not to mention that his ceiling isn't as high as Young's or Jacas'.
Of course, teams often ignore big boards because they have their own projections, and they must have felt that Derrick Moore was a better fit for Kelvin Sheppard's defensive system. GM Holmes consistently bets on his own board and has found some gems using that approach in previous drafts. That's fair, but it also clearly carries its own risks.
The Lions also missed chances of getting guys like D'Angelo Ponds or Aveion Terrell, both of whom would've been an immediate upgrade over the ever-struggling Terrion Arnold. Taking Moore at No. 44 was a bit of a head-scratcher at the time, and that decision might age like milk if Young and Jacas live up to their projections.
More Detroit Lions news and rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google