Missouri DE Formally Meets With Lions, Is Mel Kiper's Pick at No. 17

Could Detroit Lions target defensive end in the first round of 2026 NFL Draft?

Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) looks on before a play against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have formally met with former Michigan State Spartans and Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper recently released his latest NFL mock draft, and Young was Detroit's pick at No. 17 in the first round.

"We've been begging the Lions to add a long-term threat off the edge opposite Aidan Hutchinson for a while now. Al-Quadin Muhammad had a surprise breakout last season with 11 sacks, but he's a free agent," Kiper writes. "Tyrus Wheat was next best in sacks among pure edge rushers ... with 1.5. So, although the interior offensive line might warrant a look (Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane?), Detroit has to address the lack of depth on the edge. Young has strong hands and good quickness, and he had 6.5 sacks and 46 pressures last season."

More: GM Brad Holmes Calls RB David Montgomery Situation 'Fluid'

South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) is sacked by Missouri Tigers defensive end Zion Young (9) | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Is defensive end class considered deep?

At the combine, Lions general manager Brad Holmes was asked by Lions On SI if he agreed with the growing sentiment the defensive end class was deep.

Detroit figures to have a need still at defensive end, given they have many free agents and only a couple of players under contract at the position.

“I’m going to refrain from answering that, because I feel like in the past I’ve been a little bit more liberal answering the positions of strengths," said Holmes. "Strengths, weaknesses and all that, but I have felt in the past few years, I’ll feel one way right now and a month later, I’ll feel completely different. I do think that’s a natural feeling. I do think that feeling should happen. It’s a testament of the work that’s entailed in this whole draft prep process.

"It’s not as easy as, ‘Oh, man, it’s a lot of defensive ends available for this draft right now, in late February, early March.’ Well, come early April, that might not be the case," Holmes added further. "That’s some of the things I’ve kind of spoken with you guys about in the past, information that’s not available that might shift things. I know what it appears to be, and it appears to be a deep crop. I would agree, but it might not be as deep as we think in about a month or so.”

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