Lions 1st-Round Draft Trade: Who Was the Target?
Baltimore Raven's video shows a Lions' trade offer for #14 pick
A recently released video shows that the Lions were interested in moving up in the 1st-round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Baltimore Ravens Draft Day Video
Here is the video courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens…
This video from the Ravens directly confirms that the Lions had proposed a trade in the 1st-round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Proposed Lions - Ravens Trade
Lions get: #14
Lions give up: #17, #118, 2027 3rd-rounder
Per the video, this proposal was in place before the #12 pick. The Ravens were ready to take the deal, but the Lions pulled the offer once the Ravens were on the clock.
Which player was the Lions true target?
Some have theorized that Brad Holmes pulled the offer because he was confident that one of the Lions’ desired prospects would fall to them - Blake Miller, Rueben Bain, Vega Ioane, or other.
I don’t agree with this theory as it doesn’t fit Holmes’ modus operandi - which is to target a specific player, and trade up to get him. Just look at Holmes’ history…
Brad Holmes Draft Trade-Ups
Tate Ratledge (2025) - Traded up from #60 to #57
Isaac TeSlaa (2025) - #102 to #70
Miles Frazier (2025) - #182 to #171
Terrion Arnold (2024) - #29 to #24
Giovanni Manu (2024) - Traded future 3rd-rounder to get #126
Sione Vaki (2024) - #164 to #132
Mekhi Wingo (2024) - #205 to #189
Brian Branch (2023) - #48 to #45
Brodric Martin (2023) - #122 to #96
Antoine Green (2023) - #249 to #219
Jameson Williams (2022) - #32 to #12
Derrick Barnes (2021) - #153 to #130
If Holmes’ desired target was still on the board at #14, I think he goes ahead with the trade to ensure he gets his guy. He’s moved up just a few spots in early rounds of each of the past two drafts to secure a target. If this logic holds, the Lions’ target was gone before the #14 pick.
Players who were picked before #14
#9 Spencer Fano, OT - Medical concern level 0/10, very young (21), and at the top position of need. He could have been an ideal choice for the Lions.
#10 Francis Mauigoa, OT - A symptomatic disc herniation probably ruled him out as an option for the Lions. His medical concern level was 9/10.
#11 Caleb Downs, S - Knee concerns led to a medical concern level of 7/10 which is not something the Lions would want to add to a room that already has multiple active injury issues in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
#12 Kadyn Proctor, OT - Possible shoulder concern, but otherwise clean and very young (21). His medical concern level was 3/10.
#13 Ty Simpson, QB - No chance the Lions are taking a QB in the 1st.
I think the most likely targets for the Lions were Fano or Proctor. The fact that Kadyn Proctor was selected just before the #14 pick makes it likely that he was the guy.
During the pre-draft process, many national reporters had stated the Lions were very interested in Proctor. Daniel Jeremiah had asserted: “I was told they love Proctor”. This new video from the Ravens suggests that those reports may have been accurate.
Let me know what you think of my logic…
For the medical report on who the Lions ended up with in the 1st-round…