With no Detroit Lions rookie minicamp this year, it may be a while before we’re introduced to the 2026 NFL Draft class. While the group of seven picks may participate in organized team activities (OTAs) at the end of this month, there will be a lot of other things happening at the time, capturing our attention.
So the best place and time to really see these rookies work will be training camp at the end of July. And given how many of these picks were spent in the trenches, you’re not really going to get
a sense of their potential until the pads come on in August.
So in our latest installment of our 2026 Detroit Lions draft roundtable, we discuss which picks we’re most excited to see perform in training camp. You can see our picks from this category on the 2025 Lions draft class here.
Previous 2026 installments:
Al Karsten: Blake Miller
The Lions’ draft class is loaded with competitive contributors, which should make training camp must-follow viewing, but I’ll take the layup here: Blake Miller.
Seeing him step into Drew Petzing’s offense, take control of the right tackle job from Larry Borom, and begin building chemistry with Tate Ratledge will be fascinating. Add in his ability to get out in space on perimeter blocks—and the inevitable reps against Aidan Hutchinson and Derrick Moore—and he’s easily the most compelling watch.
Erik Schlitt: Blake Miller
I always tend to gravitate toward the trenches in training camp, and the Lions investing a first-round pick on the offensive line just makes me want to dig in even more. Blake Miller vs. Derrick Moore will make for some fun battles in camp, but I also want to see how the rookie handles himself against Aidan Hutchinson, who routinely wrecks every tackle not named Penei Sewell in training camp.
John Whiticar: Derrick Moore
Even though I did not love the Moore pick, I am excited to see how he factors into this roster. If DJ Wonnum is the Lions upgrading over Marcus Davenport, then Moore could and should be an upgrade over Al-Quadin Muhammad. That likely means a passing down-orientated role to start, but if he can flex a well-rounded game, his snap count could see an uptick. This really feels like Detroit’s best attempt to find a running mate for Aidan Hutchinson.
Jeremy Reisman: Skyler Gill-Howard
I’m just going to crush on this pick a little longer. If you haven’t already, read Gill-Howard’s personal journey to the NFL here. But beyond that, Gill-Howard is a very intriguing player who could have seen his draft stock rise much higher had he not suffered an ankle injury in his one year at Texas Tech. I believe there is some true pass rush potential here, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him beat up on Detroit’s second and third-string offensive lines early in training camp.
Brandon Knapp: Keith Abney
A cornerback who is a playmaker will catch my eyes in training camp. I want to see if he could potentially start as some people had him as a Day 2 pick, so he’s supposedly got the traits to be considered one. If he could be a Amik Robertson like replacement, I think this could be the biggest steal for the team.
Ryan Mathews: Kendrick Law
The battle for WR4 and return duties will be an entertaining one after Detroit moved up and added Kendrick Law in the fifth round. Between him, Greg Dortch, and Dominic Lovett, this camp battle will be one of the most interesting storylines for the Lions in training camp. Law’s athletic profile and his willingness to mix it up as a blocker, combined with Detroit trading up to grab him, has me wondering if he has a legitimate shot at getting snaps on offense this season.
