Detroit Lions Target Tennessee DL Tyre West in Seventh Round

Detroit Lions add more depth to defensive line room with final pick of 2026 NFL Draft.

Tennessee defensive lineman Tyre West (42) during a college football game between Tennessee and Mississippi State | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions made their seventh selection of the 2026 NFL Draft.

With their fifth selection on Day 3, the team targeted defensive lineman Tyre West.

The talented defender shared with On Sports Illustrated draft analyst Justin Melo how positive the experience was meeting with the Lions.

"I met with the Detroit Lions on a pre-draft 30 visit. I thought it went really well. I met with their general manager Brad Holmes. I met with the entire defensive staff. I thought their defensive coordinator  (Kelvin Sheppard) was really cool. We had a great relationship," Melo wrote. "I’m visiting the New York Jets later this month as well. I also met with the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Houston Texans at the American Bowl. I met with a bunch of teams."

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein shared, "West’s snap and start counts are unusually low for a draftable prospect. He has the bone thickness of an interior defender, but a chunk of his collegiate reps came at 5-technique and even-front defensive end. He’s a solid athlete with good quickness but below-average hand usage. He appears capable of sinking and anchoring but will be tested against interior double teams on the next level. West’s ability to pressure the pocket could earn him an opportunity at the next level."

This pick represented the final selection for Lions in this year's draft.

Overall, the Lions were able to target a prospect to fill each of their roster needs coming into the draft.

General manager Brad Holmes filled the void at the tackle position and proceeded to land a defensive end, linebacker, cornerback, wide receiver and defensive tackle.

With rookie minicamp cancelled, the first opportunity to see the team will be in one month, for the start of organized team activities at the end of May.

Lions 2026 Draft Selections

Round 1, pick 17: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Round 2, pick 44: Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan

Round 4, pick 118: Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan

Round 5, pick 157: Keith Abney, CB, Arizona State
Round 5, pick 168: Kendric Law, WR, Kentucky

Round 6, pick 205: Skyler Gill-Howard, DT, Texas Tech

For more comprehensive Detroit Lions coverage and NFL insider analysis, follow us on X, @detroitpodcast, head on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, follow us on TikTok, subscribe to the Detroit Lions On SI Lone Wolves YouTube Channel.