Al-Quadin Muhammad's future in the Motor City has been one of the biggest topics of the Detroit Lions' early offseason. After a breakout performance, the veteran pass rusher will be looking for a raise in free agency next month, leaving time to tell if Lions general manager Brad Holmes can find a way to keep Muhammad despite any financial hurdles he's facing.
Although there are still a few weeks to hammer out a new deal, the Lions can't ignore the possibility that Muhammad won't return next season. That means Holmes & Co. will have to consider potential backup plans, and the start of the 2026 NFL draft will be a huge tool to help with that quest.
With this year's scouting combine starting on Monday, here are three prospects the Lions should keep an eye on regarding potential Muhammad replacements.
3 Potential Al-Quadin Muhammad Replacements at the NFL Scouting Combine
1. Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)
If the Lions want to take a high-upside disruptor with the 17th overall pick, drafting Miami's Akheem Mesidor makes a ton of sense. The Ottawa, ON native's combination of power and speed makes him a first-round prospect, and someone who could make Muhammad's potential exit a lot easier to swallow.
Mesidor is coming off an electric season where he paced the ACC with 12.5 sacks, all while recording personal-best stats in tackles for loss (17.5), solo tackles (38), and forced fumbles (4). That's without mentioning that his 67 total pressures were more than he had in the three previous seasons combined (54), per Pro Football Focus.
Mesidor is already an older prospect at 24 years old; however, his age and experience could make him more NFL-ready than other options. That could be appealing to the Lions, who'll want to plug in and play someone who can replace Muhammad immediately.
2. Derrick Moore, Michigan
The Lions aren't strangers to taking local prospects early in the NFL draft, proven by Aidan Hutchinson's selection in 2022. Now that Muhammad might be leaving next month, Detroit could return to the well at Ann Arbor by drafting Michigan's Derrick Moore.
Joining the Wolverines one season after Hutchinson left, Moore's performance has improved with each passing season. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound EDGE's pressure totals have increased every year, leading to a career-high 41 in 2025 (21 hurries, 11 sacks, nine hits). Considering how Muhammad's 53 pressures will need to be replaced, it's easy to see why Moore is an appealing selection.
Many mock drafts have Moore landing in the second round, so the Lions might need to trade up from No. 50 to make things happen. Still, if he can impress Holmes throughout the combine, sacrificing an extra pick to move up might be worth it.
3. Gabe Jacas, Illinois
Gabe Jacas is another prospect whose pass rushing has only improved with time. After the 21-year-old's pressure total dropped from 35 to 22 between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Jacas has since amassed 85 pressures in the last two seasons, demonstrating impressive consistency.
Twenty of those pressures resulted in sacks, which is significant considering that he had only eight total in his first two seasons. Some players hit a development wall, but that hasn't been the case for Jacas, whose upward trajectory could continue with someone like Lions head coach Dan Campbell in his corner.
At 275 pounds, Jacas is one of the heavier pass rushers available this year, which could lead to some interesting mismatches on the outside. That's the type of weapon the Lions should be looking to add, especially if they want to make Hutchinson's life much easier going forward.