Mock Draft Predicts Lions Will Select All-SEC Defender at Position Where Their Depth Chart is Crowded

One mock draft recently projected the team to select a cornerback.

Now a defensive tackle has entered the mix.

In a recent mock draft, Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman predicted the Lions would use the 28th pick in this year's draft to select South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.

Defensive tackle certainly isn't a need for the Lions right now.

They'll enter the year with D.J. Reader and Levi Onwuzurike returning to the starting lineup. Then at some point during the season they'll get Alim McNeill back from injury.

They also added Roy Lopez for depth this offseason.

However, the position could become a big need in 2026.

Reader, Onwuzurike, and Lopez will all have their contracts expire at the end of the 2025 season.

The fact that the Lions only re-signed Onwuzurike for one year this offseason seems to indicate they don't seem him as a long-term solution at the position.

Meanwhile Reader will turn 31 this summer.

They'll need somebody they can line up alongside McNeill beyond the coming season.

Sanders could be a good fit for that spot. He had at least four sacks in each of the last two seasons and had 93 total tackles with 17 for a loss across those seasons.

His performance earned him All-SEC Second Team honors this past year.

If the Lions don't see a player at their pick who they believe can help them this season, looking to preemptively fix a future problem seems like a pretty good idea.

Sanders could take care of that for them with the 28th pick.