Five 1st-Round Prospects the Lions Should Avoid + Positional Needs Recap
Charts and lists galore in preparation for the NFL Draft
While Brad Holmes says he mostly takes BPA over positional need, there is no question that need is still part of the equation. Here is the full team summary of Detroit Lions 2026 positional needs weighted with medical concerns.
2026 Lions Positional Need Graph
Edge: 7/10 (Need 5 + Medical 2)
Offensive Tackle: 7/10 (Need 5 + Medical 2)
Tight End: 6/10 (Need 2 + Medical 4)
Cornerback: 6/10 (Need 3 + Medical 3)
Safety: 6/10 (Need 1 + Medical 5)
Interior Offensive Line: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)
Running Back: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)
Defensive Tackle: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)
Linebacker: 2/10 (Need 1 + Medical 1)
Quarterback: 1/10 (Need 1 + Medical 0)
Wide Receiver: 0/10 (Need 0 + Medical 0)
Lions Draft Needs Takeaways
While OT and EDGE are the biggest needs, what might be a bit surprising is that safety, CB, and TE are only a tick behind. This means we shouldn’t be surprised if any of those five positions are taken in the 1st or 2nd round.
For comparison, here is the 2025 Lions positional need ranking:
2025 Lions Positional Need Graph
Defensive Tackle: 10/10 (Need 5 + Medical 5)
Edge: 9/10 (Need 5 + Medical 4)
Interior Offensive Line: 6/10 (Need 3 + Medical 3)
Safety: 4/10 (Need 2 + Medical 2)
Wide Receiver: 3/10 (Need 2 + Medical 1)
Linebacker 3/10 (Need 1 + Medical 2)
Offensive Tackle: 3/10 (Need 1 + Medical 2)
Running Back: 2/10 (Need 0 + Medical 2)
Quarterback: 2/10 (Need 2 + Medical 0)
Cornerback 1/10 (Need 0 + Medical 1)
Tight End: 1/10 (Need 0 + Medical 1)
And here is the comparison graph of the past 2 seasons…
2025 (red) vs 2026 (blue) Comparison of Lions Positional Needs
As you can see, the TE, CB, and OT positions have shot up in need in the past year. This is a good example of how quickly team needs can change, and it validates the BPA (best player available) drafting philosophy.
For the comprehensive breakdowns of the 2026 roster…
What top prospects should be on the Lions “Do Not Draft'“ List?
While the Lions will try to fill their needs in the draft, there are some very talented prospects at need positions who the Lions must avoid due to their injury concerns. You might wonder if these players have a big slide in the draft, should the Lions take the risk?
This is where the “Medical Catch-22” comes into play. If a player has a big slide, then that almost certainly confirms that the medical concerns are real… which means the Lions should NOT draft him.
Here are five 1st-round prospects who the Lions should avoid in the 2026 draft:
#1 Francis Mauigoa, OT - 9/10 medical concern (spinal disc)
A spinal disc issue that was symptomatic in his final college season is of major concern. Linemen hyperextend their backs when blocking, which causes repeated aggravation of the spine. Mauigoa may end up needing disc surgery in the future - a procedure that isn’t guaranteed to solve the problem.
The Lions may not want to take on another spine risk given their many back surgeries in recent years:
