Early Lions Mock Draft for Top 3 Picks: Detroit Addresses Trio of Key Needs

Detroit Lions fans can officially erase the horrendous 2025 season from their memory. The offseason is in full swing, and while general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have already been active in the offseason, hiring Drew Petzing and Mike Kafka to the offensive staff, it’s now time for them to shift their attention to the 2026 NFL draft. 

Free agency period comes first, but Detroit won’t have much financial flexibility, with Spotrac currently projecting them to have only $9.1 million in cap space. The pressure is on Holmes and Campbell to improve the roster through the draft; however, the team doesn’t have much draft capital.

Currently, the Lions have seven picks and don’t have any of their third-round selections after trading them to move up and draft wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa. 

With that in mind, I’ll be drafting the Lions' first three picks in this mock, focusing on their most pressing needs. 

Early Lions Mock Draft 2026

Round 1, Pick 17: Caleb Lomu, T — Utah

With Dan Skipper announcing his retirement and Taylor Decker undecided if he’ll return, the Lions desperately need a long-term starting option at left tackle. Luckily for them, this year’s draft class is loaded with tackles, and Caleb Lomu has stood out as one of the top prospects in his position. 

A two-year starter for the Utah Utes, Lomu excelled as a pass protector, allowing just two sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 15 hurries across 1,614 total snaps. While he had an uptick in penalties (4) in the 2025 season, he allowed zero sacks and only six hurries, earning him an 82.1 pass block grade, per Pro Football Focus. 

Lomu has the size and athletic ability that you’d want in a tackle and is excellent in both the run and pass. Only 21 years old, he has high upside and displayed flashes of becoming the next great tackle. The only downside to Lomu, however, is that he’s only started in 24 games and still needs to refine his game. 

Still, Lomu should be a no-brainer if he’s available at Pick No. 17, especially if Decker decides to hang it up. Lomu would instantly slot in as the team’s starting left tackle or could slide over as their right tackle if Campbell feels more comfortable with Penei Sewell protecting quarterback Jared Goff’s blindside. 

Round 2 Pick 50: Colton Hood, CB — Tennessee

Without a doubt, bolstering the secondary should be the Lions’ top priority. Battered by injuries and inconsistent play, their secondary was among the league's worst, and now has six defensive backs entering free agency. Even so, they were still one of the worst units in the league, ranking 30th in air yards allowed (2,558) and 28th in yards per catch allowed (11.8). 

That’s why selecting cornerback Colton Hood here should be the obvious choice. In his lone year as a starter for the Tennessee Volunteers, Hood had an impressive season, allowing just 28 receptions on 52 targets for 318 yards and one touchdown, earning an 80.3 coverage grade, per PFF. 

He’s solid in man coverage, provides consistency, and has the size and speed his position demands.

With Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed both struggling with inconsistent play last season, the Lions must add another quality corner to the mix. It’s evident the Lions swung and missed replacing Carlton Davis III with Reed, but drafting Hood should fill that void, especially with NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein comparing Hood to Davis.

Hood’s skillset fits perfectly with the Lions' heavy use of man-to-man coverage and should shine if Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are back to full health. Like Lomu, Hood is a young player with a high upside to become a long-term starter. 

Round 4 Pick 118: Taurean York, LB — Texas A&M

The Lions haven’t drafted a linebacker in two years, but I have that streak ending with the selection of Taurean York. While linebacker isn’t necessarily a top priority for the Lions, they could use the depth. Considering their injury history over the last two years and that both Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez are free agents, the Lions would greatly benefit from selecting York. 

The three-year starter has been a tackling machine for the Longhorns, combining for 229 total tackles, 25.5 of which were tackles for loss. York is an all-around linebacker who can get to the quarterback and does a great job in coverage, logging six and a half sacks and seven pass deflections. 

 Although he couldn’t top his 2024 season, he still had a strong 2025 campaign, logging 73 total tackles and allowing just 28 receptions on 34 targets, earning him a 90.8 coverage grade, per PFF. The only knock on York is that he’s undersized for his position, but I don’t think that’ll scare off the Lions, considering they selected Rodriguez and he’s undersized. 

York’s quickness and relentless motor fit the identity of the Lions' defense. While I don’t think York would be an immediate impact player, I do believe learning behind Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes would benefit York’s development.

Down the line, he could definitely become a core member of the defense. 

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