The countdown of the Detroit Lions’ 2026 roster continues with players our staff ranked from 30 to 21. These players represent the essential depth on the team. Almost all 10 of these players are expected to play some sort of significant role, be it on special teams, subpackages, or the primary backup plan in case of injury—there are even some starters in here.
What I found particularly interesting about this portion of the list is that half of the players are newcomers. Detroit is going to rely on a lot
of new faces to be their primary depth, and their performances could be the difference between the season being a success or failure.
Here are the players we ranked from 30 to 21.
Previously:
- Players ranked 90-81
- Players ranked 80-71
- Players ranked 70-61
- Players ranked 60-51
- Players ranked 50-41
- Players ranked 40-31
30. OT Larry Borom (Highest: 29 Lowest: 41)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
The Lions really hyped up the addition of Borom in free agency as a real candidate to start at right tackle after a strong finish to last season with the Dolphins. Whether that was genuine or an effort to mask their draft intentions is unclear, but the addition of Blake Miller likely puts Borom as OT3 rather than as a starter. Still, it’s a significant upgrade over Dan Skipper.
29. CB Ennis Rakestraw (Highest 26; Lowest: 37)
It’s interesting to see Rakestraw climb in the rankings despite missing all of 2025 with an injury. Is this a sign of worse depth on the team, or did the staff simply rank him higher because expectations are higher for Rakestraw? The third-year corner has barely played in his young NFL career, but with Terrion Arnold now gone, Rakestraw is expected to compete for a starting job.
28. LB Malcolm Rodriguez (Highest: 25; Lowest: 32)
It’s the same kind of story with Rodriguez. He missed most of 2025 due to his recovery from a torn ACL, and when he returned to the field, he didn’t look like himself. Now he climbs four spots, likely because the expectations are for him to be LB3 after the departure of Alex Anzalone in free agency. Rodriguez still has to prove he can be a starting linebacker in this league, so his 2026 season will be critical.
27. RB Isiah Pacheco (Highest: 18; Lowest: 48)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
For comparison’s sake, David Montgomery came in at 11th on last year’s list, so it’s clear our staff believes Pacheco is a significant downgrade, particularly with his recent struggles with injury. However, Pacheco is still just 27 years old, and he’s only a couple years removed from a season in which he put up 935 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. If he can recapture even a fraction of that player, Detroit will have found a great, affordable replacement for D-Mo.
26. P Jack Fox (Highest: 18; Lowest: 48)
No one on this year’s countdown had a larger disparity in votes than Fox. He’s typically pretty polarizing in these polls because it’s hard to know where to put an All-Pro-level punter. On one hand, he’s, well, a punter. On the other hand, he’s arguably one of the Lions’ best players at his given position. And he’s coming off a year in which he put a career-high 28 punts inside the 20-yard line with only two touchbacks (career-low). Despite the large disparity in votes, he rather miraculously lands at the same ranking as last year.
25. S Christian Izien (Highest: 21; Lowest: 32)
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Izien is part of the cavalcade of safeties Detroit signed and re-signed to help navigate the tough injury situations surrounding Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. Unlike Chuck Clark (44 on our countdown), Izien brings youth (26 years old) and serious long-term potential to the position. Despite entering the league as an undrafted prospect, Izien has already made 45 game appearances and 15 starts in three years. Now, he’ll have a chance to take the next step in his career by competing for a starting job.
24. EDGE Derrick Moore (Highest: 20; Lowest 33)
Last year’s rankings: N/A
Like any rookie, it’s hard to know what to expect from second-round pick Derrick Moore. With the addition of DJ Wonnum, the Lions won’t overload Moore, but if the former Wolverine can impress early, it’s possible he has a massive role in Detroit’s pass rush this upcoming season. He’s coming off a 10.0 sack season in Ann Arbor, and with a decent supporting cast around him, he’s entering a fairly favorable situation.
23. DT Levi Onwuzurike (Highest: 14; Lowest: 31)
Expectations were high for Onwuzurike last year before Lions fans were blindsided with the news that his entire season would be lost to an ACL injury. This year feels like the last chance for Detroit’s former second-round pick, but it’s hard not to get excited about how he looked during his last fully healthy season. He produced 47 pressures in 2024, including seven games in which he had at least four (per PFF). With the back and ACL injuries firmly in the rear-view mirror, is it finally time for Onwuzurike to live up to his potential?
22. LB Derrick Barnes (Highest: 21; Lowest: 25)
Barnes falls out of the top-20 after a disappointing 2025 season. But in 2026, the Lions need him more than ever. He will almost certainly take over many of the roles Anzalone had last year, in addition to bringing the SAM linebacker skillset Detroit valued when giving him the 2025 extension. In my opinion, Barnes is one of the most important Lions of the 2026 season, but he’s also one of the bigger mysteries.
21. CB Roger McCreary (Highest: 16; Lowest: 29)
Last year’s rankings: N/A
McCreary is also a critically important player for the Lions this year after Arnold’s departure. Capable of playing both the slot and outside, Detroit mainly deployed him at nickel in the spring. But that could change now, and McCreary played quite well for the Rams at outside corner during the playoff run last year. Regardless of where he plays, the expectation is for McCreary to play a significant amount of ball for Detroit, and the Lions are hoping the 2022 second-round pick offers an improvement from Amik Robertson’s 2025 season.
