Lions Land EDGE in Latest 2026 PFF NFL Mock Draft

Detroit Lions target defensive end with Pick No. 17 in 2026 NFL Draft.

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) is tackled by Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell (9) | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions' defense had an up and season under new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.

Early in the season, with a healthy squad, it appeared the unit was gelling and would excel. Unfortunately, injuries and inexperience derailed Detroit's season, as the defense fell off the second half of the season.

In PFF's latest NFL mock draft, Detroit's defense targets the defensive end spot, a position that continues to need depth.

With Al-Quadin Muhammad, Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike and Marcus Davenport unlikely to return, general manager Brad Holmes is again tasked with trying to find several players who could play opposite of Aidan Hutchinson.

As draft analyst Trevor Sikkema explained, "The Lions will have several intriguing options in the middle of the first round, including cornerback, interior offensive line and defensive line help. Ultimately, I went with Howell because Detroit needs a true one-on-one pass-rush winner opposite Aidan Hutchinson, and that’s exactly what Howell provides. He has posted pass-rush grades above 90.0 in each of the past three seasons and recorded a 19.8% pass-rush win rate this year. His shorter arm length could push him down some boards, but his consistent production makes him a logical target."

The 6'4", 245-pound defensive end originally went to Bowling Green. As a redshirt sophomore, Howell recorded 9.5 sacks (11 tackles for loss) to earn third-team all-conference honors.

In 2024, he recorded four sacks, 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss, one interception and seven passes defended.

In recent years, A&M has also sent defensive linemen Shermar Stewart and Nic Scourton to the NFL.

Big lessons

Detroit's first-year coordinator expressed, when he last spoke to reporters, what big lessons he learned throughout the course of a challenging NFL season.

"I mean the ebbs and flows of the league. I mean I knew that as a player, I’ve been in this thing. So, I’m calloused as far as one week you’re a guru, the next week you can’t coach a lick," said Sheppard. "That is what it is. It’s just like a player. One week, he’s an All-Pro player, the next week he missed two tackles, ‘That player shouldn’t be out there.’ That comes with the nature of our profession, you’re in the microscope all the time. That’s okay."

Sheppard added, "The things that I truly learned, to be honest with you, is in the flow of a game, in having to adjust on the run. Like say you’re going to the game and, ‘This is what we’re doing.’ Well, you can’t be hard-headed. If you get in that game and that’s not working, then what? You get to have time and kind of things aren’t going the way you like, then what?"

Managing in-game adjustments will be vital, if Sheppard is granted the opportunity to return for a second season.

"That’s kind of what I’ve learned and the ability to go articulate that to the players, so they understand me," Sheppard said. "Not that we’re changing, but why we’re changing and how we need them to change as the game progresses. Kind of in-game adjustments.”