2026 Detroit Lions roundtable: Biggest surprise of the NFL Draft

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 25: Detroit Lions international fan of the year Betina Braga announces a pick during the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 25, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images) | Getty Images In a lot of ways, the 2026 NFL Draft was one of the least surprising Detroit Lions drafts under general manager Brad Holmes. There weren’t any massive head-scratching picks or big diversions from expectations.

But Holmes always manages to subvert expectations in some way or another. So in our final installment of our 2026 Detroit Lions draft roundtable, our staff makes their selections for the most surprising moment from Detroit’s draft. Previous 2026 draft roundtables: Pick most excited to see in training camp Favorite Lions 2026 draft pick Best value pick Least favorite Lions 2026 draft pick Pick the Lions should have made UDFA with best chance to make an impact What was the biggest surprise of the Lions’ 2026 NFL Draft?

Ryan Mathews: Derrick Moore When the Lions moved up in the second round and selected Moore, it was surprising for a couple of reasons. For one, several other edge defenders more closely matched the profile the Lions have favored under Holmes and Campbell. Also, Moore was a player most had projected to be an early third-round draft pick.

Brandon Knapp: Kendrick Law The defense needed all the help it could get, and the only three spots I guessed on offense that would be taken were offensive tackle, tight end, and running back. Wide receiver was not on that list. With other players available that could’ve been taken at tight end, running back, or on defense, the selection of Law surprised me the most.