Mock drafts are always fun, especially when they're done before the next regular season has even begun. In ESPN's most recent mock draft by analyst Field Yates, the Lions go back to the Big Ten to add some linebacker depth for the future.
Yates predicts that the Lions will draft Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles in 2026 in an effort to make the decision for Alex Anzalone a bit easier if the team opts to move on. Anzalone is in his 5th year with Detroit and the final year of a 3-year contract.
While Anzalone has been a key piece in the Lions resurgence over the past several years of the Dan Campbell era, he has suffered injuries in 2 of the last 4 seasons and has recently turned 30 years old.