Alim McNeill still hasn’t cracked the league’s respect list.
When ESPN rolled out its latest ranking of the NFL’s top defensive tackles, the Detroit Lions big man was nowhere to be found - not in the top 10, not among the honorable mentions, and not even in the “also receiving votes” section. The survey, compiled from league executives, coaches, and scouts, included familiar names such as Leonard Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Jalen Carter, Chris Jones, Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence II, and Derrick Brown.
For Detroit, it was another reminder that McNeill remains outside the national conversation despite the contract and the talent. He signed a four-year, $97 million extension midseason in 2025, but ESPN’s voting has never put him on the board. That includes 2024, when he followed a breakout year by becoming the Lions’ first defensive tackle since Ndamukong Suh to post 5.0 sacks, and 2025 as well.
This offseason’s omission is easier to explain than some others. McNeill was coming off an ACL injury suffered in December of 2024 and was limited to 10 games last season. His production dipped with 1.0 sack, a forced fumble, three quarterback hits, and 23 pressures, all career lows since his rookie season.
Even so, the Lions clearly still view him as a centerpiece. McNeill is currently the league’s eighth-highest-paid defensive tackle, and Dan Campbell has said Mac doesn’t have to be “Superman” along Detroit’s defensive line. Campbell and Brad Holmes have already made their bet, choosing McNeill and Aidan Hutchinson as the foundation up front.
The difference now is opportunity. Instead of spending the offseason rehabbing, McNeill is set to get a full strength-training run, and that should put him in position for a much bigger year. For McNeill, 2026 looks like the season that matters most - the one where he can finally force the league to notice.
In Other News...
Lions Rookie Is Suddenly At Center Of A Huge Pass Rush Debate
Derrick Moore arrived in Detroit with the kind of profile that naturally invites scrutiny: a second-round pick expected to grow into a major part of the pass rush, and a player the Lions took to help ease the burden on Aidan Hutchinson. After a strong season at Michigan, where his production and upside made him one of the more intriguing edge prospects in the class, Moore now finds himself in a spot where every rep will be measured against how quickly he can become a real factor on the outside.
For the Lions, the timing matters as much as the talent. The defense is carrying its own set of concerns, from pass rush depth to questions in the secondary, and that puts extra weight on a rookie who is being asked to develop fast. Moore has the tools that made him appealing in the first place, but the bigger debate is whether he can turn that promise into immediate help and give Detroit the kind of edge presence it needs opposite Hutchinson. [Read more 🡒]
Jahmyr Gibbs Was Denied The Top Spot In Latest NFL Ranking
Jahmyr Gibbs has already built a rsum that few backs in the league can match, with more touchdowns from scrimmage than any player over the last three seasons and the NFL record for the most touchdowns through the first three years of a career. Even with that kind of production, Pro Football Focus still slotted the Lions playmaker at No. 2 among running backs heading into the 2026 season, a reminder that his rise has been so fast that the bar keeps moving with him.
The ranking came down to PFFs preference for another backs production profile and heavier workload, but Gibbs remains in a spot that should matter plenty in Detroit. He is expected to handle a full lead-back role, and with that kind of responsibility comes the possibility of a major payday not long after, which only adds another layer to what could be a defining stretch for one of the leagues most electric offensive weapons. [Read more 🡒]