The Best Second-Round Gems in Lions History: How They Were Found

The Detroit Lions have had some success drafting talents outside of the first-round of the NFL Draft.

As this year's Draft draws closer, there's history to be revisited with the team's drafting history on the second day of the event.

More specifically, the Lions have drafted two Hall of Fame inductees in the second-round. While it may be a stretch to expect this to happen in 2026, it's proof that gems can be found all over the Draft.

Here's a look at some of the best Lions picks in the second-round of the NFL Draft, with insight on how they landed in Detroit and their impact on the organization.

OL Dick Stanfel (1951)

Stanfel had a legendary career in football and was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame after eight years as a player and nearly 40 more as a coach. Of his eight seasons, five of which came as a Lion, he was an All-Pro five times.

The California native played collegiately at University of San Francisco after serving in the military, and then was targeted with the 19th overall pick in the second-round of the 1951 Draft by the Lions. He missed his first year due to injury, but that didn't stop him from having an exceptional career.

Stanfel won two NFL Championships with the Lions and lost in the Championship game in 1953. He earned high acclaim anchoring the Lions' offensive line as a guard, and was voted the team's MVP in 1953.

Injuries eventually caught up with Stanfel unfortunately. He was traded to Washington after two All-Pro seasons in Detroit, and though he was an All-Pro each of the next three seasons he eventually transitioned to coaching.

Stanfel was on staff under Mike Ditka with the Chicago Bears when they won Super Bowl XX. He was inducted into the Pride of the Lions and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

DB Lem Barney (1967)

Barney was drafted 34th overall by the Lions, and started his career with a bang. After a big career at Jackson State, Barney had a whopping 10 interceptions in his first NFL season and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In between his first and second season, Barney served six months in the U.S. Navy. Things didn't slow down over the next two years, as Barney tallied seven and eight interceptions, respectively, over the next two years. Barney was an All-Pro in both years and a defensive phenom for the Lions.

Barney drafted a longtime legacy in Detroit. Over his 11 seasons with the organization, he recorded 56 interceptions, 17 fumble recoveries and seven defensive touchdowns. Like Stanfel, he was inducted into both the Pride of the Lions and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame came calling for Barney as part of its class of 1992, while he was a part of the inagural Pride of the Lions class in 2009.

DL Al Baker (1978)

Baker played at Colorado State University and was drafted by the Lions with the 40th overall pick in the 1978 Draft. What ensued was one of the best rookie seasons ever, as Baker logged 23 sacks in his first NFL season.

During that time, sacks were not an official stat and as a result he is not recognized as the official NFL record-holder for most sacks in a season. However, that number had not been touched until this past season when Myles Garrett notched 23 sacks in 2025.

Baker earned Rookie of the Year in 1978, and followed that up with 16 sacks in his sophomore campaign. In his third year, he notched 17.5. However, things ended on somewhat of a sour note as Baker was eventually traded to the then-St. Louis Cardinals after a contract disagreement.

Unfortunately, Baker's career slowed down after his third season, as he did not earn Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors in the final 10 years of his career.

LB Chris Spielman (1988)

Spielman currently remains with the Lions' organization as an executive, and had a fantastic career as a player. Drafted 29th overall, which was the second pick of the second-round at the time, Spielman was a centerpiece of the Lions' defense for eight years.

The Lions relied on Spielman to be their anchor defensively, and he did not disappoint. He had over 100 combined tackles in each of his years with the Lions, and was an All-Pro three different times including a First Team selection in 1991.

Spielman has become a Lions icon, as he was named to the organization's All-Time team and was inducted into the Pride of the Lions in 2021.

Detroit Lions special assistant to the owner Chris Spielman on the sideline before the Los Angeles Rams game | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

K Jason Hanson (1992)

The Lions did the unthinkable in the 1992 draft, picking a kicker in Hanson with the 56th overall pick. However, the gamble turned out to be a blessing as the Lions were set at the position for the ensuing 21 years.

Hanson made his kicks at a career 82.4 percent rate, notching 495 makes in his career. That number ranks fourth all-time for makes in a career, behind Adam Vinateri, Morten Anderson and Gary Anderson.

The Lions were drawn to Hanson's propensity for long field goals, as he converted kicks of 50 or more yards at a 57.1 percent rate, which is still the PAC-12 record.

With the team looking to add a young player at the position, they settled on Hanson and took a chance on him earlier than most teams would ever think about drafting a kicker. Now, he's the organization's all-time leader in points with 2,150.

C Dominic Raiola (2001)

While Raiola was never the best in the league at his position, he did cement himself as one of the team's steadiest players for more than a decade. As the 50th overall pick in 2001, Raiola started at center for the Lions for a total of 203 games over 14 years.

Of his 14 seasons, Raiola started every game in 11 of them. He was never an All-Pro or a Pro Bowl selection, but provided stability for the Lions in the middle of their offensive line for a significant amount of time.

Raiola was one of the top offensive linemen at the collegiate level before being drafted by the Lions, as he was a First Team All-American and the Rimington Award given to the top center as a junior in 2001. As a result, he was one of the most coveted interior linemen in his draft class.

CB Darius Slay (2013)

Slay is a recent example of finding talent on the second day of the draft. Beginning his collegiate career at Itawamba Community College, he took his talents to Mississippi State for two seasons to help put himself on draft radars.

The Lions pounced on adding him early in the second-round, with the 36th overall pick. After playing a modest role as a rookie, he became a starter in his second season. He was serviceable before a breakout in his fifth season, when he picked off eight passes and was a First Team All-Pro.

Slay became one of the top shutdown corners in the NFL, but unfortunately his time with the Lions ended in a negative light. He was one of several players cast aside by the Matt Patricia regime, as he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles where he eventually won a Super Bowl.

Slay retired this offseason after finishing his career with a season in Pittsburgh.

Add us as a preferred source on Google