March 27, 2026, 1:48 p.m. ET
With the departure of Taylor Decker, the Lions are in the market for a long-term solution at OT. Isaiah World could fill that position, however a recent ACL tear creates a timeline issue that preclude the Lions from selecting him in the NFL draft.
Here is the excerpt of my medical report on World:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Isaiah World, OT (uncertain age, 22-23?) – Oregon
Projected round 3-6
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Concern level 6/10
World tore his ACL almost to the day that Jameson Williams tore his (January 10, 2022). Jamo returned to play in an NFL game on December 4, 2022. Expect about the same length of recovery for World which would essentially wipe out his rookie season. World should ready for a full-time OT position in the 2027 season.
As seen with Williams, an ACL has a good chance of full recovery with no issues long-term. This does assume the ACL tear was isolated. If there was any associated cartilage damage, then that could present long-term concerns. World’s operating room report will be key.
The other issue that will need to be verified is his age. If he’s older than expected, then there will be fewer years left in his athletic prime after he recovers from the ACL.
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