The Detroit Lions entered the 2026 NFL Draft with several holes on the roster and did a fine job of filling in some of those gaps. Tackle and edge rusher were the biggest needs for this team, and the front office answered the call with its first two picks.
Detroit selected OT Blake Miller and EDGE Derrick Moore in the opening two rounds before adding a linebacker, a cornerback, a wide receiver, and a defensive tackle with its other picks. While they took some shots at other positions, they decided not to make any additions at guard. And that clears the runway for Christian Mahogany to bounce back at left guard in 2026.
Lions' Draft Gives Christian Mahogany Chance to Bounce Back in 2026
Mahogany is entering his third season with the Lions, but there's no telling what kind of player he is. He's shown flashes at times, but last season overall was a bad year for the Boston College product. He played in 11 games last year after suffering a leg injury during a Week 9 contest against the Minnesota Vikings.
Mahongany returned in Week 17 to finish out the year, but his production didn't improve. According to Pro Football Focus, he had an overall grade of 59.7 (45th among 81 graded guards), a run-blocking grade of 68.0 (27th among 81 graded guards), and a pass-blocking grade of 40.7 (77th among 81 graded guards). The 25-year-old also allowed 27 pressures, five QB hits, and six sacks.
Those stats aren't convincing, and could have been worse if he played every game. And considering that quarterback Jared Goff isn't particularly mobile, getting pressure from the interior isn't ideal and could shut down the play rather quickly.
Given this concern, Mahogany seems to be getting a chance to redeem himself in 2026. The Lions didn't make any additions to the guard position in the draft, indicating they are comfortable with Mahogany being a starter. For good reason, offensive tackle was clearly the priority this offseason after Taylor Decker asked for his release.
They did add Cade Mays at center, who should be an improvement over Graham Glasgow. And with Penei Sewell likely moving over to left tackle, the Lions may assume that Mahogany could play better with two better players on either side of him. The trade block and free agency are the only remaining options to improve the team now, increasing Mahogany's chances of starting.
It'll be interesting to see if this approach works out for them in 2026, as he'll be under the spotlight after his shaky 2025 campaign. The Lions need everyone to step up their play after missing the playoffs last year, and Mahogany is on that list of players Detroit will lean on.
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