ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- After spending months logging long nights with research and preparation for the 2026 NFL draft, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes could finally rest a little after making his first two selections on Day 1 and Day 2.
With the 17th overall pick, the Lions made Clemson OT Blake Miller the first offensive lineman selected by the organization in the first round since taking All-Pro Penei Sewell as the seventh overall pick in 2021.
And they're hoping to get similar results after bringing in what they hope will be another foundational building block to help in the trenches.
"I'll tell you what, when we think about Blake Miller, you sleep easy," Holmes said on Thursday night. "You sleep very, very good at night so that's what gets us fired up."
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The Lions would later trade up six spots on Friday to land Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore at No. 44 in the second round in exchange for sending picks 50 and 128 to the New York Jets.
Detroit was in search of a pass rusher to pair with Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson, making Moore the first University of Michigan player selected by the Lions since Hutchinson was picked second overall in 2022.
Lions fans had been begging for Holmes to take an elite edge rusher on the opposite of Hutchinson for years, and Moore is in line to be that guy.
"We've been pretty clear about what the requirements are at that position for us and he fits that," Holmes said of Moore. "He's a physical player that he can set hard edges and his pass rush greatly improved. When I look at Derrick, it's much similar like Blake Miller, in terms of been watching him for a long time."
In Miller, Detroit sees a potential starter at right tackle with size, athleticism and finishing ability for a line that struggled in 2025. The Lions were already considering switching Sewell to left tackle for the 2026 season, which could be beneficial for Miller, who took 97% of career snaps came at right tackle during his four-year college career, where he started all 54 games.
Detroit also released veteran left tackle Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow in March and added three new linemen in free agency.