The Detroit Lions are a difficult team to figure out at this point in the 2026 NFL season. Detroit is 3-2 after a decisive Week 5 victory over Arizona. But it is hard to know if the Lions are a .500 team or a contender in the making. After all, one good game from their defense does not mean their problems are fixed.
Lions fans will have to wait a little longer to get their next clue with the team on bye in Week 6. But it is never too early to look ahead at the next NFL draft.
The folks over at PFF have Detroit picking at 25th overall in their mock draft simulator. That suggests that they have the Lions as a playoff team, but not one destined to go on a Super Bowl run.
The defense is obviously the problem in Detroit right now. So it would make a lot of sense to see the Lions aggressively attack that side of the ball during the offseason.
Will the Lions do just that? Or could they load up on offensive talent at the right value?
Here's one way-too-early Lions 2027 mock draft to entertain fans during the team's bye week, courtesy of the PFF mock draft simulator.
Round 1, Pick 25: EDGE Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
Ideally, the Lions would use their first-round pick on a defensive back to add some young talent to their secondary. Failing that, adding another pass rusher is a great consolation prize.
Detroit did invest a second-round pick in Derrick Moore in the 2026 NFL Draft. He has been quiet so far this season, and Detroit won't have anyone but Aidan Hutchinson and Moore under contract going into next season. So it does make some sense to invest in a player like Stewart.
The young pass rusher is great at putting pressure on the quarterback. He logged five sacks and 37 pressures during his sophomore season in 2025. That is a perfect skill set to pair with Hutchinson.
However, it is tough to view Stewart as a squeaky clean prospect.
Stewart was suspended for egregious contact after throwing a punch at an Alabama player back in September. He's also missed time this season with a back injury.
For a pick like this to make sense, Stewart needs to play at a high level to finish his junior season. It's simply too risky to take him here if he doesn't show more signs of potential.
Round 2, Pick 57: DT Ahmad Moten Sr., Miami
Adding Moten on top of Stewart would make Detroit's defensive line quite scary.
Lions fans can think of Moten as a souped-up version of Skylar Gill-Howard. At least in terms of how Detroit might view him and deploy him in the future.
Moten is a disruptive three-technique who could use some polish as a tackler and run defender. Those are traits that the Lions like their interior defenders to have, but they can be coached up.
With Moten, the Lions would likely use him as a situational pass rusher only as a rookie. Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams could handle early downs with Gill-Howard and Moten rotating in alongside McNeill on passing downs.
The only uncertainty here is if Moten will be available this late in the second round.
Round 3, Pick 89: CB Evan Johnson, BYU
The Lions finally invest in another cornerback in the third round. Ideally Detroit will attack their secondary during free agency and the draft instead of trying to fix it with just one player.
Johnson is a fluid athlete who boasts some promising upside at the position. But Lions fans won't love to hear that he's struggled with missed assignments while in zone coverage while at BYU.
That is not great news, but it does explain why he is available in the third round.
Hard to argue with this pick from a process perspective.
Round 4, Pick 123: S Brauntae Johnson, Notre Dame
Tae flashed some incredible potential last season with the Fighting Irish. In fact, he logged 48 total tackles with three passes defensed and four interceptions, including one pick-six.
Johnson is a versatile safety who could do a lot of things in Detroit's secondary. His addition alongside Evan Johnson would give the Lions some nice depth to build around.
Unfortunately, he is sidelined with a foot injury that he suffered in the 2026 season opener. It remains to be seen when he'll return and how long it will take before he's playing like his old self.
If the Lions do land him in the fourth round, it will be because they take a shot on him based on his strong resume from 2025.
Round 5, Pick 163: LB Edwin Spillman, Tennessee
It is easy to see why the Lions could fall in love with a prospect like Spillman.
The Volunteers linebacker is a downhill run defender who has excellent timing while blitzing and can hold up okay in coverage. That perfectly describes what Detroit has prioritized at SAM and WILL during the Dan Campbell years.
Spillman is not the most consistent tackler and has some other areas of his game that need polishing. But it seems that there's enough here for Detroit to get excited about. Especially if Spillman starts his career just as a depth piece.
Round 6, Pick 203: CB Jay'Vion Cole, Arizona
Detroit adds yet another secondary defender in Cole. He could be the steal of this draft class in the sixth round.
Cole is a respected zone coverage corner who is also passable in man coverage. But he is poor in run defense and not the best tackle in general.
The Lions could try to coach out some of his undesirable traits to make him a reliable starter. His upside is quite high in coverage, so it is a reasonable gamble to take.
Round 6, Pick 214: RB Ja'Kobi Jackson, Ohio State
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Detroit loves Jahmyr Gibbs, but they must miss having a power back like David Montgomery to give him some rest.
That's where Jackson comes into the picture. The former Gator is absolutely thriving with the Buckeyes to start the 2026 season. He has 59 carries for 354 rushing yards and six touchdowns through six games.
It is hard to know how a power back will fare during an NFL draft, given it is not a terribly valuable position in the modern NFL. That sentiment appears to be changing, so getting him in the sixth round may be a stretch.
Still, the fit is perfect.
Round 7, Pick 241: QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
The Lions could use another young understudy to groom behind Jared Goff on the depth chart. And the value is hard to argue with in the late seventh round.
As a prospect, the shine has come off Iamaleava after showing promise at Tennessee back in 2024. However, the young quarterback is really tapping into his running ability and has an impressive frame at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds. That fits a similar profile to former Lions QB Hendon Hooker, another former Volunteer.
Round 7, Pick 252: S Faletau Satuala, BYU
The young BYU safety is a box safety who is an excellent athlete.
Detroit already has Brian Branch, who plays a similar role to Satuala. But Branch is still recovering from an Achilles injury and should not prevent the Lions from adding depth to their secondary.
Satuala excels when playing zone coverage and is not as good when manned up. If the Lions really do make this pick, it could suggest a shift in their defensive tendencies moving forward.
Either way, an excellent use of a seventh-round pick.