The Detroit Lions’ 2026 rookie class is set to get to work this Saturday, July 25, when the group reports to the team’s Allen Park Performance Center.
There’s plenty of attention on the top of the class, and for good reason. Offensive tackle Blake Miller and defensive end Derrick Moore are the two names most likely to be pushed into meaningful roles early, with both expected to have to learn fast if they want to help fill needs in the trenches.
That optimism around Miller is already showing up in outside evaluation. On SI NFL Draft analyst Justin Melo ranked Detroit’s draft class 11th overall, and he pointed to Miller’s fit alongside Penei Sewell as a big reason the Lions could get back to their old self. As Melo wrote in a piece ranking rookies poised to change everything, "Drafting Blake Miller and pairing him with Penei Sewell at offensive tackle will help the Detroit Lions rediscover their identity, and they'll re-establish themselves as postseason contenders again in 2026 after a disappointing 2025 season."
Miller spent the spring soaking up as much as he could from the veterans around him. Even without pads on, he made technique a major focus during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, working on the details that matter once the real contact starts.
“You can still go out there and be fast off the ball. It doesn’t mean you’re going to try and kill people once you’re getting into the fit, but you can be fast too to fit.
You can improve your technique. Technique is, that’s a mountain you’re always climbing," said Miller.
"No one’s got perfect technique out here and everyone’s trying to move it.
"So, just continuing to hone that familiarity with the playbook. Like I said, looking at Xs and Os can only help you so much getting out there and repping it," Miller added. "Those reps are what build, for me, the best memory and then also too, you kind of learn how people are going to play things a little bit and you get that experience.”
Moore’s path looks a little different, but there’s still a lane for him. D.J.
Wonnum is expected to open the season as the starter, yet Moore could still carve out chances in obvious passing situations. Detroit also brought in multiple defensive ends this offseason, so he’ll have to battle his way up the depth chart.
Veterans are scheduled to report on Tuesday, July 28, with the first practice coming the next morning.
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Penei Sewell and Jahmyr Gibbs both stood out in those rankings, but the broader takeaway is even more striking for Detroit: a lot of the names carrying the roster are still very young. That makes the Lions easy to believe in for now, but it also leaves the real question hanging over the group as the season approaches, because talent at the top is one thing and proving that a younger core can absorb the loss of players like Alex Anzalone and Taylor Decker is another. [Read more 🡒]