The Detroit Lions made their second trade of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, April 25, moving up 13 spots in the fifth round to take Kentucky wide receiver/return man Kendrick Law.
The Lions traded their second of two fifth-round picks to the Buffalo Bills in the deal, No. 181, and a sixth-round choice (No. 213).
Law caught 53 passes for 540 yards at Kentucky last year after spending his first three college seasons at Alabama. For the Tide, Law caught 33 passes and started eight games.
“After my third year I just kind of felt like, ‘Hey, I needed to go to a kind of different system, kind of system where I could kind of be moved around a little bit more, put in different spots, create mismatches upon defenses and just create value for myself across the board,'” Law said.
The Lions return their top three receivers in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa, and signed Greg Dortch in free agency, but have roster spots up for grabs elsewhere on their receiving corps.
Law ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and served as the Wildcats’ primary kick returner last year.
“Heading into the draft I expected just to be one of the top guys just like any other receiver expect they should be took off the board,” Law said. “My expectations are high for myself. I don’t think I let myself down or anything I think I went exactly where I was supposed to go and I’m going to prove myself, that’s all it is.”
Law is the third receiver the Lions have taken in the past two drafts. Last year, the Lions traded up to draft TeSlaa in the third round and added Dominic Lovett in Round 7.
Lovett, Jackson Meeks and Tom Kennedy also will be in the mix for receiver jobs this fall.
The Lions opened Day 3 of the draft Saturday by taking Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder in the fourth round and added Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney earlier in Round 5.
The Lions filled two of their biggest needs at the top of the draft, taking Clemson right tackle Blake Miller with the 17th pick of the first round and Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore after a trade up in Round 2.
They entered Saturday with six picks: one in Round 4, two each in Rounds 5 and 6 and the sixth pick of Round 7, No. 222 overall.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions trade up for Kentucky WR Kendrick Law in Round 5 of NFL Draft
Reporting by Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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