The Lions' two most pressing needs this offseason are arguably edge rusher and offensive tackle. Especially if Taylor Decker opts to retire and Al-Quadin Muhammad follows the money elsewhere, the Lions could have sizeble holes at maybe the two most critical position on the roster outside of quarterback.
What if they plugged them with their first two picks in the draft?
It helps, of course, that the Lions already have one of the best defensive ends in the NFL in Aidan Hutchinson and maybe the best offensive tackle in Penei Sewell. But the spot opposite Hutchinson has been a question mark since Hutchinson arrived in 2022 and the spot opposite Sewell could actually be Sewell's spot next season if Decker retires. Either way, the Lions have to plan for a future without Decker, who turns 33 in August.
With the 17th overall pick in a two-round mock draft by ESPN, the Lions select Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk: "This could be the time for the Lions to finally add a defensive end with the talent to draw attention from both interior linemen and offensive tackles," writes Matt Miller.
Faulk has the versatility to play inside or outside at 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, and the power he generates would keep offensive lines honest. His two sacks last season were a disappointment after a seven-sack campaign in 2024, but Faulk has fans around the league who see him as an ideal hybrid defensive lineman.
Faulk might not offer the same instant impact as Hutchinson, the former No. 2 pick who had 9.5 sacks as a rookie, but he could form a strong one-two punch with Hutchinson on the edge of Detroit's defensive line for the next several years. That would go a long way toward stabilizing the Lions' defense as a whole.
In the second round, with the 50th overall pick, the Lions address the other side of the line with Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. He was a two-year starter for the Sun Devils at right tackle, which is where he could play for the Lions should Sewell flip to the left side in the event that Decker retires.
Iheanachor is said to have huge upside. The downside is that he's viewed as more of a project, having spent his high school years playing basketball and soccer over football. The Lions already have a developmental offensive tackle on the roster in Giovanni Manu, who hasn't panned out through two seasons.
But Iheanachor's athleticism is legit, his physical traits are elite and unlike Manu, who never saw anything close to NFL talent at the University of British Columbia, Iheanachor proved himself at the highest level of college football.
"His range and play strength should translate to any run scheme," per NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein. "Iheanachor’s pass protection fundamentals need work, but his flaws should be correctable with coaching and time. He’s not ready for early snaps but the measurables, athleticism and upside are worth a swing for a team with the patience to mold him."
Of course, if he's not ready for early snaps at offensive tackle and the Lions need someone who is, Iheanachor would be a risky pick in the second round. The Lions need plug-and-play upgrades on the offensive line to turn it back into a strength and reclaim their identity as a physical, downhill rushing team.
In the same two-round mock, four offensive tackles go late in the first round or early in the second in Utah's Caleb Lomu (No. 27 overall), Clemson's Blake Miller (No. 28), Georgia's Monroe Freeling (No. 29) and Alabama's Kadyn Proctor (No. 35). Proctor, for one, is described by Zierlein as "a bona-fide people mover with bulldozing power."
It's enough to wonder if Brad Holmes, who said the Lions will be "urgent" about fortifying the offensive line this offseason, would consider a trade back up the board.