In the primary shock of the 2026 NFL Draft for the Detroit Lions, the group traded up within the fifth spherical and took vast receiver Kendrick Law from Kentucky. The Lions didn’t surrender a lot, buying and selling away certainly one of their sixth-round picks (213) to maneuver up from 181 to 168. This is the primary time of the draft the place the Lions did an audible and took one thing that no one anticipated.
The focus up to now has been on the protection with their final three picks, and when it got here to the offensive facet of the ball, vast receiver wasn’t on anyone’s radar at this level within the draft. I might’ve thought tight finish would have had a much bigger want than vast receiver, however we all know that the Lions love to do finest participant obtainable generally. Was this trade-up value it, or did common supervisor Brad Holmes take one other danger on a pick the group might’ve used higher?
Advertisement
Roster influence
The Lions have some fascinating competitors exterior of the highest three vast receivers. The group signed Greg Dortch in free company to be the substitute for Kalif Raymond, and so they have a seventh-round pick from 2025, Dominic Lovett, seeking to get an opportunity to hit the sphere in 2026. Law involves compete with Dortch and Lovett to be the WR4 on this group. He’s not prone to wrangle the punt returner job from Dortch, however he has expertise returning kicks. So if he can’t win a job on offense, that could possibly be his position on the group.
Best-case right here is that Law performs WR4 and turns into the group’s fundamental kick returner, however worst case, he may get lower. The Lions won’t have room to maintain six vast receivers, so if he can’t beat out Dortch and Lovett, the apply squad can be calling his title.
College profession
Law began his faculty profession at Alabama for 3 years earlier than transferring to Kentucky. He performed in 34 video games, beginning eight at Alabama, and performed 12 video games with eight begins at Kentucky. At Alabama, he was used principally as a kick returner in 2023 earlier than seeing that position diminish in 2024, with little motion on the offensive facet. In Kentucky, he nonetheless performed some kick returner however had a much bigger influence on the offense. He completed his faculty profession with 86 catches for 883 yards and 4 touchdowns, returning 31 kicks for 710 yards.
Strengths and weaknesses
The greatest power for Law is that he has stable palms, dropping solely three catches in 4 years of enjoying. We noticed the Lions receivers wrestle with drops final season, so bringing in somebody who doesn’t have that concern is useful. He might be shifty with a 9.45 RAS, operating a 4.45 40-yard sprint on the 2026 NFL Combine.
Advertisement
Where he struggles is his route operating, as he averaged 1.84 yards per route final season. The Lions expanded the route tree of Jameson Williams, so maybe they may work with Law on giving him extra alternatives and probabilities to do injury on catches that aren’t display screen passes or fast slants. His pass-blocking abilities might use some work. He solely has 16 video games of beginning expertise over 4 years of faculty, so he’ll want extra time than others to enhance his recreation, which he won’t have in Detroit.
Overall
Overall, I believe that is the primary miss for Holmes on this draft. While you could possibly say he’s reached for the primary two picks, this was definitely the largest attain of all of them. Giving up a sixth-round pick doesn’t hassle me, however drafting a large receiver this early looks as if this yr’s version of (*5*). While it wasn’t a fourth-round pick, the group might have used a challenge participant like this within the sixth or seventh spherical.
Advertisement
I do know Holmes doesn’t draft based mostly on want, however there are different holes on this group that they may have addressed with higher expertise. The tight finish room wants somebody who’s below contract past 2026, the operating again room might use competitors at RB3, and the protection might nonetheless use some assist at a number of spots. A fifth-round pick for somebody who most probably will probably be a kick returner is a bit wealthy. If Law had higher returning stats, I might really feel higher about this, however hopefully he can show me fallacious and perhaps be WR5 this season.
Grade: C-