
The Detroit Lions' offensive line did not have their best game on Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it has a lot of fans wondering if the Lions are going to go heavy on the offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft. The answer is probably not, but they will likely draft at least one offensive lineman.
Despite how they played against the Eagles, the unit has been better than you think it has. They've allowed the 22nd most sacks, the 23rd most pressures, and Pro Football Focus has them graded in the top five for run blocking. But that does not mean they won't look for their next center or maybe their next left tackle or maybe both.
In any event, the Lions have been all over the country this year scouting offensive linemen. Here's who they've had their eyes on:
The Lions were at the Alabama vs Missouri game a few weeks back, and you have to believe that they had their eyes glued to the Tide's big left tackle with Penei Sewell-like athleticism. I know everyone is going to want a center this year, but this is the guy right here. This is the dream the Lions want to come true. There's a chance he could be there for them in the mid-20s, or it could be a trade-up situation as well. Either way, this is the guy you want on this line. This is the guy the running backs want on this line, too, because like Sewell, he's going to get downfield and block.
The Lions have been to Oregon multiple times this season, and you have to believe that the Ducks' left tackle is on their radar when they're there. Right now, World is slated to go in the bottom half of the first round or the top of the second. He's in the Lions range. World is not the all-around athlete that Proctor is, but he is a mountain of a man at 6-foot-8 and 309 pounds, and he is maybe the strongest player in this entire draft. He can muscle just about anyone coming at him.
Again, Oregon has a type, and it's all about the strong player. Laolulu can muscle some guys out there. But he's also a smart player with great awareness. He's been a starter at center since his true freshman season, and with that, he's taken on all the calls and communication that a center is responsible for, and he's done it well. He's shown to be the kind of guy who can be a rookie center you trust immediately.
The reason I think Brad Holmes keeps going back to Alabama personally is because the Tide has athletes at every position—even center. While Brailsford is a little undersized, his athleticism and awareness really open up the field for him and allow him to be a heads-up blocker who can be an NFL starter right away. The impressive thing to me is that he was really good for Washington in the Big Ten, but then didn't miss a beat at Alabama in the SEC either. That tells me he's good anywhere. Brailsford is currently the top center in the draft.
Neither of these guys appears to be in the Lions' range right now. The Lions have gone out to Utah to see them, but they are currently the number one and number two tackles in this draft, and they're both expected to go in the top 15. So, unless the Lions trade up, they're gone before they get on the clock. But both are very impressive, especially in pass blocking.
The Lions saw Auburn take on Missouri this year, and Lew is one of the big attractions at Auburn right now. The Lions could net him in the second round or the top of the third if they traded up. Lew has these really strong legs and can just explode out of his set. This makes him a really good run blocker, and for the Lions, that means a lot.
Similar to Proctor in the sense that he can get downfield to the next level and help as a run blocker like Sewell. But you could get him later than Proctor. Still, the athleticism that Proctor has just makes him that more dangerous than Miller. The Lions saw Miller play against Syracuse. You have to wonder if they will go back again to see him play a better team.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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