17. Detroit Lions - Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
The Detroit Lions could use another starter on the offensive line. The future of left tackle Taylor Decker seems to be unclear, and one huge reason why the Lions have been one of the better teams in the NFL in recent years is due to the top-tier offensive line.
Lions GM Brad Holmes has also largely done a masterful job in the NFL Draft. There are so many quality players on the roster that Holmes found. Detroit should be able to bounce back in 2026. The defensive side of the ball underperformed in 2025, but a lot of that was due to the roster just not being able to stay healthy.
Health goes a long way - the defense is probably more talented than you think, and in today’s NFL, teams can more easily ‘build’ a defense through free agency. Offensively, it’s more about drafting and developing.
So the Lions do just that and take Kadyn Proctor from Alabama. If Proctor can’t work out as a tackle, he could have a future along the interior as a guard.
18. Minnesota Vikings - Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The Minnesota Vikings shocked the NFL world by firing now former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah this past Friday. It’s already quite late into the offseason to make that type of move, but the team clearly felt like a change was needed. Even with KAM out, the Vikings’ needs this offseason don’t change.
The process to fill those needs could be a lot different, though. Mansoor Delane is going to be in the running to be the first cornerback off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Vikings being able to get him this late in the first round is a huge win.
Brian Flores is back as the defensive coordinator and now might have a bit more leverage to pound the table for this defensive investment. The Vikings did kind of botch the QB position over the last two seasons, so that had to be a driving force for Adofo-Mensah to be shown the door.