Detroit Lions NFL draft positional need rankings
As the Lions head into the 2026 NFL Draft, what positions are the greatest need and are there any surprises?
Previously, I did a roster evaluation of the Lions Defensive Positional Needs and Lions Offensive Positional Needs . Here, I consolidate the Detroit Lions Full Team Positional Needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. 2026 Lions Positional Needs 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 : 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 Detroit Lions Positional Need Shifts from 2025 to 2026. TE, CB, and OT surged in need over the past year.
Look for Lions to address these positions in the draft. pic. twitter.
com/NixJJgywMy — Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) April 22, 2026 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 more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire , and give our Facebook page a like .