The Detroit Lions and general manager Brad Holmes like to keep those in the NFL on their toes, and in that spirit, he’s one of the managers being projected to made a flashy trade during the 2026 NFL draft.
Of course, Holmes has made large NFL draft trades before. There was that time Holmes traded down from No. 6 in 2023 to snag Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12, in a year where he also got Jack Campbell at No. 18 and Sam LaPorta at No. 34. He also traded up for Jameson Williams in 2022 and Terrion Arnold in 2024.
So, will Holmes be up to his old tricks during the 2026 NFL draft? One NFL analyst believes Holmes, indeed, will make a trade, and this time, it’ll be with Matthew Stafford‘s Los Angeles Rams, bringing back shades of their major Stafford and Jared Goff deal.
Detroit Lions Could Trade With the Los Angeles Rams to Move Up in 2026 NFL Draft
Will the Detroit Lions make a trade move in the 2026 NFL draft? Chad Reuter of the NFL’s official website thinks so.
“Since this mock is released nearly a full week before the draft begins, it won’t include last-minute information reported about prospects and teams’ potential interest in them,” he says in a Friday, April 17 mock draft.
Reuter thinks the Lions will trade up to No. 13 get a defensive lineman. This pick is complicated, because it’s a projected trade with the Los Angeles Rams but a pick originally owned by the Falcons. The move is to secure Spencer Fano, on offensive tackle out of Utah.
“Detroit sends a fifth-round pick this year, No. 157, and a third-rounder in 2027 to move up from 17 for the top player remaining on the board here,” he states in his projection. “The Lions weren’t afraid to select Penei Sewell five years ago in spite of questions about his length, so Fano’s measurables should not dissuade them from giving him a shot at right tackle, with Sewell then moving to the left side following the departure of Taylor Decker.”
What Makes Spencer Fano a Fit for the Detroit Lions in the Draft
Fano’s official NFL draft profile says that he “ideal proportional build but compensates with loose hips, quick feet and high-end athleticism.” The player also has the “tools to mirror speed rushers, wall off the top of the pocket and find a late anchor when taking the worst of a bull rush.”
His profile, in general, paints him like a player who could excel in the NFL but needs work.
Fano’s “athletic profile is designed for move-based blocking schemes where he can pull, reach and climb while beating opponents to the spot with quickness and feel for hitting landmarks on time,” the profile explains. It adds that he “gives good effort as a downhill blocker but issues with pad level and core strength lead to him being overtaken as the rep progresses.”
That’s fine and dandy, but this year’s draft class has a wide selection of strong tackles, so one has to wonder if the Lions would need to trade up to get one. They could also settle on Kadyn Proctor out of Alabama, who is heavily predicted to go to the Lions at No. 17, without the Detroit Lions having to make a trade sacrifice.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lions Projected to Make Deal With Matthew Stafford’s Rams in Draft appeared first on Heavy Sports.