The NFL Draft is in the books as teams continue to fill out their rosters with undrafted free agents. The Detroit Lions came out of the draft with seven selections – five on defense, two on offense – and feel like they've added some players with a chance to be immediate contributors in the fall.

"Yeah, I do think we have some really good players on our team right now," Lions general manager Brad Holmes said at the conclusion of the draft. "I think we have a lot of really good players, but the more competition just brings even better out of those already good players.

"Even some young guys that haven't quite gotten their opportunity yet that we expect to get opportunities this season, it's going to bring out the best in them as well. I just think the competition brings out the best in everyone, so that's what we were really focusing on."

Here are my five biggest takeaways from Detroit's 2026 NFL Draft:

1. Lions filled needs

The Lions entered this draft with clear needs at tackle, edge rusher and linebacker, and those three spots just happened to be Detroit's first three picks. They also added a potential early contributor at nickel cornerback - also a need - as well as a possible returner and some defensive line depth.

First-round pick Blake Miller has a good chance to be the Week 1 starter at right tackle. Second-round pick Derrick Moore has the skillset to make an impact in the edge rotation opposite Aidan Hutchinson alongside veteran DJ Wonnum who the Lions signed in free agency.

Detroit had just five linebackers on the roster going into the draft – Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Damone Clark and Trevor Nowaske – with an open starting spot at the WILL. Fourth-round pick Jimmy Rolder adds competition to the room and helps the numbers there.

This roster has a lot of young, established, Pro Bowl talent that needed to be supplemented at some key areas to make the team better. Through the combination of free agency and the draft, the Lions accomplished that and look to have good depth at several spots.

2. OL youth movement

It was no secret coming out of a disappointing 2025 season for the Lions they had to make improvements along the offensive line. The final Pro Football Focus OL rankings for the 2025 regular season had the Lions ranked 12th among the league's 32 units. That's not bad, but average isn't the standard run game coordinator and offensive line coach Hank Fraley has established for that group. Detroit's 39 sacks allowed ranked 18th. They ranked 31st in pass block win rate.

Detroit finished the season in the top half of the league in rushing averaging at 120.1 yards per game (14th) with a 4.62 yards per carry average (7th), but this offense expects to be a Top 10 rushing team as part of their identity. They were 20th in run block win rate.

Veteran Cade Mays was their top free agent target and Miller their top draft pick. Now this is an offensive line in Detroit where the 27-year-old Mays is the elder statesman headlined by a potential tackle duo of All-Pro Penei Sewell, 25, at left tackle and Miller, 22, at right tackle. Tate Ratledge, 25, looks to be the real deal at right guard, and there's a good mix of young and veteran talent to compete at left guard.

Overall, it's a younger, deeper and more athletic front Fraley has coming into training camp than he had last season.

3. Added competition

The offseason training program began at the Meijer Performance Center last week and will lead into OTA practices staring in May and minicamp in June before the summer break and the start of training camp in July. That's when the real competition for roles and roster spots begins.

The draft additions last weekend could offer some interesting camp battles that we'll keep a close eye on.

Will it be Miller or veteran Larry Borom at right tackle? How will Detroit divvy up reps between Moore and Wonnum? Rodriguez and Clark are veterans looking to fill the open WILL linebacker role left vacant by Alex Anzalone's departure in free agency. Could Rolder throw his hat into the competition early on?

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will also be looking to fill the nickel cornerback role after Amik Robertson's departure in free agency. Veterans Roger McCreary and Christian Izien are possible fits, but don't count out rookie fifth-round pick Keith Abney II, whose physical style and skillset fit the mold for the role in Sheppard's defense. Does fifth-round pick Kendrick Law push Greg Dortch or Tom Kennedy for a return role? Law will also be eyeing a gunner role on special teams.

There's an opportunity for some of these first-year players to push veterans for important roles and in doing so make everyone better along the way.

"However high that these guys take it in terms of climbing the depth chart, I do think that they're going to have the ability to potentially make some people uncomfortable," Holmes said.

4. Day 3 value

With Rolder and Abney in the fourth and fifth rounds, Holmes said he didn't expect either player to still be on the board at that spot. It was a two-round difference in their grade for Abney, according to Holmes.

"He was just a simple one because we had him ranked a couple rounds higher than where he was, so that was a no-brainer for us," he said.

Abney played most of his snaps on the outside but watching him play, his physicality and toughness stand out. He challenges receivers. He'll have to be a little more careful about that in the NFL with the stricter rules on contact with receivers, but he's also physical in the run game and will stick his nose into the mix in run defense. Those skillsets really play inside in the NFL. He should get an opportunity to show what he can do there in Detroit.

Rolder and Law could be immediate impact players on special teams. Some of Rolder's special teams tape is elite. Law should compete as a returner and gunner.

There's also some intrigue with sixth-round pick Skyler Gill-Howard and seventh-round pick Tyre West, both defensive linemen. Detroit has a wide-open competition for the fourth defensive tackle role behind Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams and Levi Onwuzurike and an open competition for the fourth edge rusher behind Hutchinson, Wonnum and Moore. Gill-Howard and West have some intriguing skillsets, and we'll see once the pads come on in the summer if they can play their way into consideration for roster spots and roles.

5. Culture fits

We can't always predict the Lions will address current needs in the draft because Holmes is steadfast in the belief the player must be a fit before the position. This looks to be a year where player and need aligned more often than not.

Their type is easy to spot - Team captains, great teammates, unselfish, versatile, players who maximize all their talents but still have room to grow. Detroit's 2026 draft class embodies these traits.

An iron-man tackle who's never missed a game in his football career. A pass rusher who combines speed and power and can set a tough edge in the run game. An instinctive linebacker with versatility to play the run and pass. A physical, aggressive cornerback with position versatility. A speedy and quick receiver with return ability who is dangerous in space with the ball in his hands. Two position-flexible defensive linemen with high character.

Detroit's also gotten back to their core beliefs in terms of building through the trenches.

"We're all about building from the inside out, but when you get the guys that you love, and they happen to play in the trenches as well, that's just a little bit of an added bonus," Holmes said. "But we'll definitely sleep good at night."