Detroit

Lions

Branch suffered a torn Achilles in Week 14 of last season. It was reported by The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy back in March that Branch isn’t expected to be ready by Week 1 of this upcoming season, but it’s an encouraging sign that Holmes likes how the star safety is trending. Regarding Joseph, the fifth-year safety appeared in just six games last season due to a knee injury and suffered setbacks in his recovery, resulting in a prolonged absence. Holmes said the team’s decision not to draft a safety ultimately had more to do with their board than the health of either safety, but he seems optimistic about their long-term availability for this upcoming season.

Altmyer (6’2”/210) is a fifth-year prospect who got his start at Ole Miss before transferring to Illinois in 2023. The former four-star recruit won the job as Illinois’ starter in his first season with the team, and finished the season with a 1,877-13-10 line in nine games, with an injury cutting his season short. He rebounded in 2024, throwing for 2,717-22-6 in 13 games, and had similar production in 2025 (3,007-22-5), posting a career-high 67.4 completion percentage. Altmyer is an above-average athlete at the position and posted a 4.72 40-yard dash at the combine, but he’s also a bit undersized with only average arm talent. His high sack totals at Illinois (95 sacks in 35 games) can be partially blamed on his offensive line, which consistently graded as one of the worst pass-blocking units in the nation during his time there, but there are times he would have benefited from taking off and running rather than trying to extend the play. His inability to avoid sacks is a major concern. Like most QBs who have passed through Illinois as of late, Altymer’s production doesn’t stand out, and there are plenty of concerns about his accuracy and how it will translate to the next level. Altmyer will likely spend most of his NFL career, however long that may be, battling for spots on 53-man rosters.

At 6'2/283, West has a stocky body for an EDGE rusher or a light frame for a defensive tackle. He played primarily as a defensive end in college but does have a handful of reps at outside linebacker and tackle. Though he was credited with just five starts in 48 career games, West managed 10 sacks and 20.5 TFLs over his four seasons with the Vols. He is a speedy disruptor against the pass who could earn a rotational role in Detroit down the line.

Gill-Howard (6’0/280) is a late-blooming interior disruptor whose production arc spiked after transferring to Texas Tech, posting an 88.6 overall grade with a career-best 90.0 pass-rush grade in 2025 despite a limited 165-snap sample. Over his final two seasons he generated 41 pressures and 6 sacks, including a strong 17-hurry campaign in 2024, showcasing a penetrating skill set built on quickness rather than mass. Gill-Howard’s 54 career pressures on just 906 total snaps reflect an efficient interior rusher capable of creating disruption in rotational usage, while adding 52 run stops with a commendable 8.6% missed tackle rate. Athletically, his 5.61 RAS is dragged down by poor size metrics at 6’0”, 280 pounds with subpar length (30 ¾”), but he compensates with good explosion (30.5” vertical) and above-average short-area movement skills that show up on tape.

Law (5’11”/203) spent three years as a backup at Alabama before transferring to Kentucky for the 2025 season. The former four-star recruit wound up leading the Wildcats in receiving (53-540-3) in his lone season with the team, and also contributed on both the kick and punt return teams. Law is a sturdily built prospect who specializes in the short areas of the field. In three of his four college seasons, he had an ADOT of 3.4 or lower, with most of his production coming after the catch. Last season, 505 of his 540 yards came after the catch, with 36 of his 64 targets coming behind the line of scrimmage, per PFF. He has only three career drops on his resumé, but Law is a limited route-runner who will need to prove he can win beyond the line of scrimmage if he hopes to one day earn a consistent role on offense. His special teams prowess should give him a good chance at earning a roster spot in Detroit while buying him time to develop other areas of his game.

Abney (5’10/187) is a feisty, undersized cover man whose production and ball skills outpace his modest athletic profile (6.51 RAS, 36th% 3-cone). Across 427 coverage snaps, Abney limited opposing quarterbacks to a 35.4% completion rate (23-of-65) for 255 yards, zero touchdowns and an elite 11.2 NFL passer rating against. His 12 total ball disruptions (2 INTs, 10 PBUs) paired with an 18.5% forced incompletion rate highlight a corner who consistently plays through the hands at the catch point. Abney’s 3.9 yards per target and 0.60 yards per coverage snap underscore efficient coverage that squeezes throwing windows, particularly in off-zone where his route feel and click-and-close ability shine. He adds value in run support with 42 tackles, a strong 91.3% tackle rate and 15.0 havoc plays, though his 17.5% run-tackle involvement reflects limited size and block-shedding range.

Rolder (6’2"/238) emerged as a steady second-level producer for Michigan, posting 69 tackles with 10 havoc plays, 6.5 TFLs, and 10 run stops while finishing at a strong 90.8 percent tackle rate. His 62.3 percent run-tackle share underscores a downhill profile, consistently inserting into gaps with square pads and finishing through contact. Rolder flashes useful blitz utility, generating 10 pressures on 68 rushes (14.7 percent pressure rate) with two sacks and a quick 2.41 time-to-first-pressure, highlighting his trigger and closing burst. He wins with processing speed and range rather than overwhelming power, showing the ability to flow sideline-to-sideline and stay clean when working in space.Athletically, Rolder checks key boxes with a 9.53 RAS, pairing adequate size with above-average explosion (36-inch vertical) and strong agility testing (4.26 shuttle, 7.00 three-cone), giving him the movement profile to hold up in subpackages. He projects as a rotational WILL linebacker and core special teamer early, with a pathway to a starting role if he continues to refine block deconstruction and play strength inside.

The Lions paid pick No. 128 to move up six spots. Moore (6’4/255) profiles as a high-end disruptor after posting 16.0 havoc plays, 10.5 TFL and 10.0 sacks across 212 pass-rush reps, pairing that production with a superb 17.5 percent pressure rate. His 37 total pressures and 13 sacks created highlight a finisher’s mentality, while his 2.57 time-to-first-pressure reflects explosive get-off and early-rep wins. Moore’s 92.3 percent tackle rate and 77.1 percent run-stop share show dependable play finishing, though his 4 run stops suggest more of a penetration-based defender than a stack-and-shed anchor. He wins with burst, bend and urgency, consistently stressing tackles with speed-to-power conversion and a relentless motor that shows up in his 19.7 percent 3rd-down pressure rate. Moore flashes disruptive hand usage and closing acceleration, forcing two fumbles while regularly collapsing the pocket from wide alignments. However, his play strength can be challenged against longer tackles, and he can be displaced when forced to play through contact in the run game. Moore has eventual starting upside in an attacking front, where his explosiveness and pass-rush efficiency can be maximized.

Miller (6'7/317) enters the big leagues as a grizzled four-year starter who anchored the Tigers’ right tackle spot for the majority of his collegiate career. Somehow amassing more than 3,700 career snaps, Miller’s college days culminated with a 78.5 overall PFF grade in 2025 and an 83.5 pass-blocking mark, continuing a year-to-year climb in protection efficiency. He allowed pressure on just 1.8 percent of his 2025 pass-blocking reps while surrendering only two sacks, underscoring his consistency protecting the edge. Miller pairs production with outstanding athletic traits, posting a near-perfect 9.97 Relative Athletic Score highlighted by a 5.04s 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical, 9’5” broad jump and 32 bench reps, placing him among the most explosive linemen in the class. His combination of length (34 ¼” arms), power and movement skills allows him to mirror speed rushers in pass protection while generating displacement in the run game with strong leg drive. With elite testing numbers, multi-year starting experience and elite athleticism, Miller projects as an immediate Lions starter. His selection would seem to mean Penei Sewell mans the blindside.

The Lions have the 17th pick. Fowler notes that the Chiefs and Browns are teams that could be interested in trading back, giving the Lions or any other squad looking to move up a way into the top-10. Kansas City has the ninth pick while the Browns sit at sixth. Fowler also noted that the Cowboys are “looking at options to move up or down, potentially.” While that doesn’t actually say anything, it does ring true that Jerry Jones simply wants to make a trade, regardless of which direction he moves.