The biggest risk/reward players for the Lions in the 2026 NFL Draft

The Lions have a lot more risk/reward players this year than they have in previous drafts, but there are still risks being taken

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Detroit Lions Executive Vice President & General Manager Brad Holmes speaks to the press about their season, how it ended and what’s next at the Detroit Lions headquarters and training facility in Allen Park, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The thing about risk/reward players is that the Detroit Lions have been drafting a lot of them for a long time.

Think Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal, or Hendon Hooker. Players who are coming off big injuries or have an injury history that could be deemed concerning. The idea is you get one of these guys, and if they work out, you’re a genius. The reward is bigger than the risk if it works.

This year, the Lions basically avoided that kind of player. Their first round pick, Blake Miller, never missed a game in college. Derrick Moore missed one game while at Michigan. Keith Abney missed a little bit of time in his sophomore season.

With all that said, there are still two players for the Lions who present a risk/reward scenario. Let’s talk about them.

Jimmy Rolder

The Lions took Rolder with their fourth-round pick. There is some risk here to talk about. For starters, he does have an injury history. It’s never been anything big, but some stuff that’s been nagging that you might worry could turn into bigger things.

The greater part of the risk is that, over four years at Michigan, he was a starter for just one of them. Now, he did have a really good season in that one year, and there’s definitely reason to believe he can continue to grow with the Lions, but it is a risk to take him in the fourth round. We’ll see this year if there’s a reward attached.

Skyler Gill-Howard

Now, the risk is a little bit less here, and the reward might be too, but Gill-Howard is coming off a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. He did test out pretty well in the athletic testing period. So it looks like he’s healed up and ready to play. But it’s going to be on your mind.

Gill-Howard has a chance to become a regular part of the rotation with Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams in time. Once he gets there, he brings run-stuffing ability and can rush the passer. If the Lions can get the reward, he’s worth the risk. Even if it’s low.

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