Detroit Lions Prioritize Defense in 2026 Day 3 Mock Draft

On Friday evening, the Detroit Lions and Brad Holmes worked the phones again, trading up six spots to take the top edge on their board entering day two in defensive end Derrick Moore.

Through two days and three rounds of the draft process, the Lions have landed two impactful players that were at their biggest needs. In addition, it can be argued that both are ideal scheme fits in the offensive and defensive schemes in the Motor City.

Entering day three, the Lions have lost their second fourth round selection in the trade up for Moore. That said, there is a lot of intriguing talent remaining on the board. Here is how their day three could fall, if all goes to plan.

Round 4, Pick 118: Connor Lew, C, Auburn

Lew is a player that would have heard his name early on Friday if not for an ACL tear suffered in October. As a result, the Tiger has fallen into day three, with lingering concerns about his health.

Lew is a player that can take a year to rehab and grow, with a potential debut later in the 2026 season or at the start of 2027. Adding Lew also puts a backup center in the fold for 2027 after Juice Scruggs’s contract expires.

Round 5, Pick 157: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin

Demmings was a name that had garnered some build up leading into the draft, especially after an elite athletic showcase at the NFL Combine. The Lumberjack fits the mold for what Detroit wants in a corner, with sticky man coverage and an ability to play the ball when it is in the air.

If Demmings falls to Detroit, expect his name to start popping up once summer camp starts.

Round 5, Pick 181: Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana

Fisher is one of the most productive linebackers in this class, and him slipping to pick 181 is Detroit’s gain. The James Madison transfer proved Coach Curt Cignetti’s faith was well placed, as Fisher became the star linebacker on the National Title Hoosiers.

His one flaw is pass coverage, but his PFF stats indicate that Fisher improved on that during his final season in Bloomington.

Round 6, Pick 205: Eli Heidenreich, RB/WR, Navy

Heidenreich is a swiss-army do-it-all player, and fits the mold of players that are productive with a never settle mentality. With nearly 500 rushing yards and over 900 receiving yards last year, Heidenreich has one of the most diverse and intriguing skillsets of players in this draft.

While it would be a stretch to compare him to Christian McCaffery, or even call the Navy product a “lite” version, there is a lot of versatility and football IQ and ability to like. During day three, that is what Detroit is looking for.

Round 6, Pick 213: George Gumbs Jr., EDGE, Florida

Brad Holmes doubles down on the SEC in day two, taking the ultra-athletic Gumbs from Gainesville. The EDGE started his career as a Northern Illinois tight end before switching sides of the ball, where production followed.

While Gumbs left some to be desired from a production standpoint last season, he did force three fumbles, which is among the top 10 for the over 800 qualified EDGE rushers in this draft.

Round 7, Pick 222: Deven Eastern, IDL, Minnesota

Eastern fits as a traditional run-stopping defensive lineman for the Lions. The 2021 four-star had nearly 100 tackles, 12 of them for loss, and 4.5 sacks during his 45 career games. There is some work to be done on his launch off the ball, but Eastern is a serviceable space eater for the Lions, which they need after D.J. Reader and Roy Lopez left via free agency.

Eastern has the ability to make the play despite players hanging onto him, and his efforts for the Gophers in 2025 earned him an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten nod.

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