How Many Detroit Lions Rookies Will Actually Make an Impact in 2026

The Detroit Lions will count on several of their 2026 NFL Draft picks to make big contributions as rookies.

General manager Brad Holmes has generally not drafted players for needs throughout his tenure, but he bucked that trend with his first two picks in this year's Draft. The team's two biggest needs were at offensive tackle and defensive end, and he promptly addressed both spots.

In the first-round, the Lions selected right tackle Blake Miller out of Clemson. Lions coach Dan Campbell has been vocal about his desire to move Penei Sewell to the left side, and as a result it is expected that Miller will be thrust into a competition for the starting spot on the right side with veteran Larry Borom.

Even if Miller doesn't win the job right away, the Lions' affinity for utilizing a swing tackle in jumbo packages indicates that he will contribute in some capacity. With his durability and run-blocking prowess, it wouldn't be a total shock if he had a strong camp and won the job right away.

The Lions feel comfortable with Sewell, a three-time All-Pro, switching sides of the offensive line. This helps Miller, who will come into a position he made 54 starts at in his collegiate career. That level of comfort will aid him in his pursuit of the starting job, and he could certainly wind up making a big impact immediately.

The same can be said for the team's second-round pick, defensive end Derrick Moore out of Michigan. Detroit traded up six spots to acquire him, and his play style fits Kelvin Sheppard's defense nicely.

Moore is a pocket-crushing defensive end who won off the line in college with a quick first step and an array of rush moves. In particular, he was best with a bullrush move that the Lions will certainly value working opposite of another former Wolverine in Aidan Hutchinson.

Like Miller, Moore will face veteran competition for playing time in D.J. Wonnum. The Lions brought Wonnum in on a one-year contract, and he's been best as a run defender during his career.

If Moore can wreak havoc as a pass-rusher in training camp, he could wind up serving at the very least as a pass-rush specialist. He had a pass-rush win rate of 19.8 percent during his final year at Michigan and recorded 10 sacks.

Jimmy Rolder was an intriguing addition to Detroit's defense in the fourth round. The Lions had attrition at the position, namely with Alex Anzalone departing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Like Anzalone, Rolder is a WILL linebacker and as a result fits a need.

There will be competition for Rolder at the WILL position, most notably with returner Malcolm Rodriguez. A starter as a rookie, Rodriguez's progress has been inhibited somewhat by injuries over the past couple of seasons and now he has an opportunity to reclaim a top spot.

Even if Rolder isn't starting right away, he projects as a day one starter on the Lions' special teams units and could wind up being a big part of that phase of the game.

Later on Day 3, the Lions drafted cornerback Keith Abney II. A top-100 prospect in the eyes of many analysts, Abney is by all accounts a steal and fits exactly what the Lions like in terms of play style. Even though he's undersized, he's a physical man-to-man corner who handles assignments with toughness and efficiency.

The Lions are deep at corner when everyone is healthy, but that has been tricky in recent years. D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw and Khalil Dorsey all had injured reserve stints in 2025, and as a result the team has stocked up on depth.

Like Rolder, Abney could walk right into a special teams role right away. However, he likely has his sights set on working into a defensive role. If the group stays healthy, it may not be easy and his work could be rotational.

Yet, his play style is reminiscient of former nickel cornerback Amik Robertson, and as a result he could thrive in training camp and put himself in a position to contribute right away.

The Lions' final two draft picks were both defensive linemen, Texas Tech's Skyler Gill-Howard and Tennessee's Tyre West. Of the two, Gill-Howard has the more straightforward path to contributing as a rotational interior defensive lineman.

West, meanwhile, could be a pass-rush specialist but will likely begin the year further down the depth chart. His meaningful snaps could come on account of injury or later in the season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google