17. Detroit Lions - Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
For multiple years now, the Detroit Lions have added a ton of talent into the secondary, but it's just not ever come together. The unit has battled injuries for multiple years now, so GM Brad Holmes might simply have to keep plugging away and adding talent to the unit.
Detroit takes Avieon Terrell from Clemson at pick 16 in this mock draft, and when you look at how talented the rest of the roster is, the secondary figures to be a focal point this offseason. Holmes does have a strong record in the NFL Draft and has hit on a plethora of draft picks, so there's reason to believe he could hit on another first-rounder.
Sitting at 8-6 entering Week 16, Detroit has the best scoring offense in the league but a bottom-10 scoring defense, so it's clear what the front office's to-do list is going to look like this coming offseason.
18. New York Jets - Makai Lemon, WR, USC
After grabbing Peter Woods earlier in the first round, the New York Jets now look to the offensive side of the ball and take Makai Lemon from USC. In 2025 for the Trojans, Lemon had 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games, which were career-high figures for the receiver.
With the quarterback class here in 2026 being quite thin, I could see the Jets building up the roster a much as possible before making a massive splash for a passer in the 2027 NFL Draft. It seems like there is a lot to like with their young offensive line, and with Garrett Wilson already present in the WR room, Lemon makes it even better.
As for the QB position, the Jets could swing a more modest trade for someone like Kyler Murray for a couple of seasons.