With Round 1 in the books, ESPN made its set of predictions for what will happen in the second and third rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
ESPN projects the Detroit Lions to draft Missouri EDGE Zion Young in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here’s what ESPN’s Matt Miller said about the projected Lions pick:
Finding a running mate opposite Aidan Hutchinson has been a priority for Detroit since he was drafted. The Lions would have one in Young, a player who projects as a strong three-down defensive end with the strength to be as good against the run as he is in pass-rush settings. – Matt Miller, ESPN
Young is ranked as ESPN’s best available EDGE going into Day 2 of the NFL draft, so based on that ranking, it would be a great get for Lions general manager Brad Holmes if Young is still on the board at No. 50 overall.
A 6-foot-5, 262-pound EDGE out of the SEC, Young totaled 42 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season with the Missouri Tigers.
Other potential EDGE options per ESPN’s best available entering Day 2 include:
The second round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins at 7 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ESPN predicts Detroit Lions’ second-round NFL draft pick
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
