Detroit Lions Medical Mock Draft: Low-risk edition 1.0
Picking among the healthiest options in the draft
With over 80 prospects analyzed so far on my NFL Draft Medical Report page, let’s take a short break to present my inaugural Medical Mock Draft. Today, I’ll do the low-risk version. Tomorrow, for all you degenerate gamblers who picked a 15 seed to make the Final Four, I’ll release the high-risk version.
You want a healthy team? It’s probably a good idea to start with healthy draft picks. While the future is not guaranteed to anyone, selecting low-risk players will improve the odds. Here is a mock of a Lions’ draft that prioritizes low medical concerns and also fills positions of need.
All of these players have a 2/10 or lower medical concern level and are realistic candidates (based on consensus opinions) to be available in their chosen round. I’ll do one selection for each round here, since who knows where the Lions are actually going to pick on draft day.
Click on each player for their full medical report. Age in parentheses is at start of 2026 season. Included is the medical concern level from 0 (no concern) to 10 (major concerns).
ROUND 1
Caleb Lomu, LT (21): clean - 0/10 medical concern
Adding an OT in the 1st round seems like a foregone conclusion at this point, unless Taylor Decker and the Lions have a change of heart. Lomu’s age was a question mark for a while but was recently discovered to be very young. The Lions run in the card to take one of the cleanest prospects in the draft at their #1 position of need.
ROUND 2
Jaishawn Barham, LB (22): few minor injuries - 1/10
A pass rusher in Round 2 would help the defense immensely - even if he’s a part-time player just on passing downs. Barham jumped off the screen the past two seasons with his dynamic playmaking ability. The Lions select Barham with the vision that he can supply the needed juice off the edge.
ROUND 3
Jalon Kilgore, S (21): multiple hamstrings - 2/10
With the Lions’ safety health in turmoil, Brad Holmes nabs a low-risk prospect for both the short and long-term. While no Lion fan wants to hear about defensive backs with hamstrings (see DJ Reed, Ennis Rakestraw), Kilgore is still on the lower side of concern and is at the ideal age.
ROUND 4
Jam Miller, RB (22): clavicle fracture, concussion, lower leg - 1/10
While the signing of Isiah Pacheco helps temporarily, the Lions plan ahead here by adding a long-term partner for Jahmyr Gibbs. Miller ran a 4.42 at the combine, so his speed will fit in nicely.
ROUND 5
Tyre West, DT/DE (23?): few minor injuries - 2/10
The Lions showed early interest in West with a Top-30 visit, and follow-through by picking him in the draft. You can’t have too many defensive linemen, and the Lions have missed on too many in recent drafts (Brodric Martin, Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike).
ROUND 6
Sam Roush, TE (23): clean, perfect reliability - 0/10
The Lions wanted to grab a TE earlier in the draft as insurance for Sam LaPorta, but are happy that a solid, healthy player like Roush falls to them here in the 6th.
ROUND 7
Eli Heidenreich, RB (23): clean - 1/10
This versatile RB has good receiving skills and ran a 4.44 at the NFL combine. The Lions plan to have Heidenreich contribute on special teams early, and even compete for snaps as a 3rd-down back.