{"id":723654,"date":"2026-02-02T12:22:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T12:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/723654\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T12:22:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T12:22:03","slug":"lions-solidify-clear-areas-of-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/723654\/","title":{"rendered":"Lions Solidify Clear Areas of Need"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s time for the fifth Detroit Lions OnSI mock draft roundup<\/a> for the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

Over the last week, the Lions have prioritized solidifying the trenches at No. 17 overall.<\/a><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look now at who the draft pundits have Lions general manager Brad Holmes selecting in the first round.<\/p>\n

EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)<\/p>\n

Mesidor is currently being selected by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Draft Network (Keith Sanchez)<\/a>; NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah)<\/a><\/p>\n

As Sanchez writes, \u201cThe Detroit Lions defensively are too dependent on Aidan Hutchinson for sack production, which is a roster issue. In the past, GM Brad Holmes has always directly addressed roster issues in the draft and has done so with a high success rate. With this pick, I believe Holmes goes after Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, a power rusher who should be a great complementary piece to Hutchinson.\u201d<\/p>\n

EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn\u00a0<\/p>\n

Faulk is currently being mocked by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pro Football Network (Alec Elijah)<\/a><\/p>\n

As Elijah opines, \u201cDetroit\u2019s defense took a significant step forward when it added Aidan Hutchinson, but sustaining that momentum will require another young pass rusher capable of tilting the field. Finding a long-term running mate for Hutchinson remains one of the Lions\u2019 clearest needs, and Auburn edge defender Keldric Faulk fits that vision.<\/p>\n

Paired with Hutchinson, Faulk would give Detroit a formidable edge duo capable of pressuring quarterbacks and controlling the line of scrimmage.\u201d<\/p>\n

EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson\u00a0<\/p>\n

Parker is presently being picked by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sporting News (Vinnie Iyer)<\/a><\/p>\n

Offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, Georgia\u00a0<\/p>\n

Freeling is currently being drafted by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

CBS Sports (Blake Brockermeyer)<\/a><\/p>\n

Cornerback Avieon Terrell, Clemson\u00a0<\/p>\n

Terrell is presently being projected by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tankathon<\/a><\/p>\n

Offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, Utah\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lomu is presently being mocked by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yahoo! Sports (Nate Tice)<\/a>; Pro Football Network (T.J. Randall)<\/a><\/p>\n

As Tice opines, \u201cWhile the center position might be the most important area for the Lions\u2019 offense to improve this season, a Taylor Decker succession plan might not be too far behind. Lomu plays calm with light feet, and he has a good frame but could stand to add strength to take his game to the next level. I\u2019m bullish on Lomu and think he could end up as a good starter <\/a>on the blindside as he matures. A timeline behind Decker with Hank Fraley coaching him would be an ideal situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offensive tackle Spencer Fano, Utah\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fano is presently being projected by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pro Football Focus (Dalton Wasserman)<\/a><\/p>\n

As Wasserman writes, \u201cLeft tackle Taylor Decker could be either a cap casualty or a retirement candidate this offseason. Even if Decker returns<\/a> for another year, the Lions would benefit from adding a talent like Utah\u2019s Spencer Fano. An athletic offensive lineman capable of fitting into any scheme, Fano is also the only qualified FBS tackle to earn a top-10 PFF grade in each of the past two seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, Alabama<\/p>\n

Proctor is presently being selected by the following:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pro Football Network (Jack Aaron)<\/a><\/p>\n

As Aaron pens, \u201cIn 2025, the NFL world saw the Detroit Lions take a step back. While the playcalling was poor, resulting in the firing of offensive coordinator John Morton, the offensive line play was the weakest it has been in years. With left tackle Taylor Decker considering retirement and inconsistent interior play, increasing Jared Goff\u2019s protection should be a priority.<\/p>\n

Proctor\u2019s 6\u20197\u2033, 369-pound frame provides incredible strength at contact, amplifying his run-blocking skills. While he played tackle at Alabama, he also offers upside as a plug-and-play guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

More from Detroit Lions OnSI<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It’s time for the fifth Detroit Lions OnSI mock draft roundup for the 2026 NFL Draft. Over the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":723655,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2071],"tags":[146,113,2506,7,147,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-723654","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-detroit-lions","8":"tag-detroit","9":"tag-detroit-lions","10":"tag-detroitlions","11":"tag-football","12":"tag-lions","13":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116001016804316897","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=723654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/723655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=723654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=723654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=723654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}