The Lions Should Draft This Guy: Everything about Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis screams Lions

Everything about Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis fits what the Lions want to do at linebacker. Even if he is undersized

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) in action against the Central Michigan Chippewas during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

We’re getting closer and closer to the 2026 NFL Draft for the Detroit Lions. With that in mind, we’re starting our new series called The Lions Should Draft This Guy. We’re going to profile a bunch of players we feel the Lions would love, and talk about their positives and negatives. Follow along! Here’s who we’ve covered so far:

The Positives Of Kyle Louis

Alex Anzalone is no longer with the Lions, and they need to find his replacement. In my opinion, it does not get better than Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis when it comes to guys who fit the Lions’ mold.

He’s good in coverage for starters. He had six interceptions in two years as the starting Will linebacker for the Panthers. He can rush the passer like Anzalone could. He had 50 pressures and 10 sacks in two seasons.

He can stop the run. He had an 85 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024 and a 75 grade in 2025. Plus, he’s a great tackler who is not afraid to be violent and flick the hit stick. Just a full-on nose for the ball.

The Concerns

Louis is undersized at 5-foot-10 and 220 pounds, and that makes him not your average linebacker. There are some Miles Killebrew-type vibes where you wonder if he’s really a safety pretending to be a linebacker. That’s a fair question to ask. Even if the Lions traditionally don’t care about height, weight, and speed.

While he’s not a missed tackle machine, he’s missed 10 plus tackles in both years as a starter. I think it could be that he has a little bit of overzealousness on the field. Maybe plays with his hair a little bit too much on fire.

Lastly, there is some injury history. Nothing that’s kept him out for long periods of time, but he has missed some games, and he did have to have surgery to fix his elbow from an injury in high school.

Related Articles