The NFL Combine is officially off and running, with the first player media sessions taking place in Indianapolis on Wednesday. Here are some Detroit Lions-centric observations from the group, which included defensive tackles, edge players and linebackers.
▶ On paper, defensive lineman Keldric Faulk (Auburn) fits like a glove with the Lions in the first round. He rushes with power and is stout against the run, and he won’t be 21 years old until September, offering a clear development track. But he only produced 10 sacks over three collegiate season, including two in 2025. He’s well aware of his current limitations, and he has a plan for growth: “Mastering the skills that I already have,” Faulk said when asked how he wants to improve as a pass rusher. “I’m a power rusher, truly in and out. I feel like whenever I step up on that field, of course, I’m going to have some type of finesse to me, as far as speed rushes. But I do feel like I have to master that power in order for me to elevate my game.” Faulk said what sets him apart is his ability to play every defensive line position. For the Lions, he’d make sense on the edge, opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
▶ One of the more energetic personalities on display during Wednesday’s media session was that of defensive end Zion Young (Missouri), who repeatedly called reporters “big man” and spoke on a number of things that were likely music to the Lions’ ears. Young, who began his career at Michigan State (2022-23), talked about how rushing the passer is a “privilege” earned through stopping the run, which figures to be his immediate strength at the NFL level. He talked about how he’s “very serious” in practice.
And the former Tigers captain, heavily projected to go early in the second round, explained why it was “very important” for him to play in Missouri’s bowl game rather than opt out to focus on draft preparation. “I couldn’t let my teammates down,” he said. “I got that ‘C’ on my chest for a reason. When I’m all in, I’m all in.”
▶ Asked to describe his biggest strength as a prospect, linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (LSU) pointed to his speed, which the Lions could certainly use more of on their defense next season. Perkins played both on the edge — he racked up 65 pressures and 13 sacks over his first two seasons in Baton Rouge — and off the ball, making him a potential fit for strong-side (SAM) linebacker in Detroit’s defensive scheme. “I’ve always felt I was versatile,” Perkins said. “I never put myself in a box. I’ve always felt like I could do a little bit of everything.” Perkins, projected as a mid-round selection in April’s draft, is currently ranked as the No. 117 player on the NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board.
▶ Speaking of speed and athleticism, linebacker Kyle Louis (Pitt), a converted safety, has plenty of it. He grew up watching Jabrill Peppers and modeled his style after the former Michigan standout. Lately, he’s admired the work of Seattle’s Nick Emmanwori and Houston’s Jalen Pitre. When Louis first moved to linebacker, he studied Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who has since had his career derailed by injuries but was a Pro Bowler for the Cleveland Browns in 2023.
At Pitt, the specific position Louis played was called the “star,” a hybrid role that mixes linebacker and safety responsibilities. “The star is not a position for everybody,” Louis said. “It’s not a position for pure linebackers or pure DBs. You’ve really just got to be a mix of both of it. I feel like the position was perfectly tailored for me.” We recently saw what drafting Emmanwori did for Seattle’s defense. Louis isn’t seen as the prospect Emmanwori was, but he offers a similar skill set as a mid-round addition.
Lions coach Dan Campbell on new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing
Dan Campbell says Drew Petzing “has been getting together with (Jared) Goff.”
▶ Another converted safety from this year’s linebacker class is Sonny Styles (Ohio State), who became full-time at his new position in 2024. Detroit could potentially be in the market for a starter like Styles if it parts ways with Alex Anzalone in free agency. He possesses a versatile skill set — including IQ — that defensive coordinators dream of, and his presence in coverage could certainly help ease the pain of potentially losing a player with Anzalone’s coverage ability. “I think I can do a lot for a defense from that second level,” he said.
Current projections have Styles slated as a top-15 pick, making it entirely possible he falls to Detroit in the first round, if not only because of the position he plays. Just for perspective on Styles’ hype: His player comp on NFL.com, which tends to err on the side of caution, is four-time All-Pro Fred Warner.
▶ One of the top defensive linemen from this year’s draft provided some important intel on one of the top center prospects, a critical area of need for Detroit entering the offseason. Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks said college teammate Jake Slaughter, a projected Day 2 or early Day 3 pick, is “smart as hell. … This guy, he knows the game in and out.” The Lions could, in theory, be looking at both prospects. Banks is a projected first-rounder who could be of interest to Detroit at No. 17.
“Jake Slaughter, he’s a dog, bro. We used to go at it every single day. Sometimes I’d be like, ‘Damn, you got me, Jake.’ … I’m glad I had him lined up across from me. Iron sharpens iron, and he’s a great player. A great, great player.”
▶ Defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor (Southeastern Louisiana) spent all four of his collegiate seasons at the FCS level, but it wasn’t due to a lack of FBS interest. Proctor chose to stay at Southeastern Louisiana rather than leveling up in the transfer portal, he explained. “I came in on a great freshman class. These are dudes that will be in my wedding one day. It was no doubt who I’m going to play beside my senior year,” Proctor said when asked about his choice to remain at his original school. “Your last college season, who do you want to play beside? Some new guys or the guys that you’ve built a bond with for three years? It was definitely a no-doubter.”
That’s real-life loyalty in action, someone playing for something bigger than himself. Proctor posted 43 tackles (13 for loss), nine sacks and 39 pressures during his senior season, along with 11 run stops. If the Lions are looking for a late-round interior defender to mold, Proctor could be an ideal candidate.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com, rsilva@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi, @rich_silva18
Detroit’s dining scene just got even more flavorful with the opening of Sunda New Asian, bringing modern Southeast Asian cuisine to the city.
Restaurant owner Billy Dec joins the show to share what guests can expect from the new hotspot, from bold dishes and incredible cocktails to an energetic atmosphere.
Watch the video above to see what’s cooking up at Sunda New Asian.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Detroit Lions podcast includes Purple Insider Matthew Coller to talk about NFC North offseason moves.
Nolan and Richard are joined by Purple Insider Matthew Coller to talk about NFC North offseason moves.
By this point in the offseason, it’s well documented who the Detroit Lions have added, as well as who they’ve lost.
Former Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays was the prize of free agency. He’ll replace Graham Glasgow in the middle of Detroit’s offensive line. Clemson’s Blake Miller, selected 17th overall in April’s draft, is poised to quickly take over at the tackle spot opposite Penei Sewell, stepping in for Taylor Decker. The pass rush was overhauled across from Aidan Hutchinson, with Ahmed Hassanein and Tyler Lacy being the only other edge defenders still on the roster from last season.
Today, we’ll try to take our analysis a step further, identifying a few patterns within Detroit’s offseason approach and exploring what those acquisitions, retentions and departures mean for a Lions team looking to bounce back and reemerge as a title contender in 2026.
Detroit’s offense had its own share of issues throughout 2025. But what the defense produced down the stretch with the season on the line failed to meet reasonable expectations. Opponents averaged 28.1 points and 382.1 yards per game from Weeks 12-18, a stretch that resulted in four losses. Pinning all of Detroit’s defensive woes on one factor would be foolish (and you can’t ignore the role injuries played), but an inconsistent, at best, pass rush certainly didn’t help. The Lions owned the third-slowest time to pressure (2.86 seconds) in the NFL last season, according to Next Gen Stats.
Aside from the retooling opposite Hutchinson, the Lions also seemingly put an emphasis on acquiring interior defensive linemen who can get after the passer. Levi Onwuzurike is back after his contract tolled last season — Josh Paschal, a run-defending lineman who also had his contract tolled but was released in March, wasn’t afforded the same opportunity — and the Lions spent a couple of late-round draft picks on Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard and Tennessee’s Tyre West. Both players were drafted because of the flashes they’ve shown as pass rushers, particularly Gill-Howard, whose win rate in 2025 (14.4%) ranked 10th out of the 512 FBS interior defenders who rushed the passer on at least 100 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Copying the Super Bowl champions isn’t always wise — every team’s personnel has its own set of skills — but it’s striking how much Detroit’s defense differed from that of the Seattle Seahawks, who rode their defense on the way to winning the franchise’s second title. The Lions led the league in use of base defense (three linebackers) last season, deploying those packages for 657 plays, according to Next Gen Stats. The Seahawks were last, with 66 plays. It was the opposite for use of nickel defense (five defensive backs), with the Seahawks leading the league (815) and the Lions at 32nd (355). Of course, Seattle is unique, given head coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive system and nickelback Nick Emmanwori’s immediate impact as a rookie.
The Lions won’t overhaul their entire scheme in one offseason, but it’s difficult to see their moves in totality and not come away thinking they could lean more on nickel packages in 2026. Alex Anzalone, one of the league’s better linebackers against the pass, allowed the Lions to play base defense as much as they did, as he was comfortable in coverage. He’s now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions added a number of viable options to play nickelback next season, including veterans Christian Izien Jr. and Roger McCreary, as well as fifth-round rookie Keith Abney II (Arizona State).
Assuming the starting five, from left to right, winds up being Sewell, Christian Mahogany, Mays, Tate Ratledge and Miller, Detroit’s offensive line will have an average age of 25.2 next season. That’s down from 2025 (27.8) and 2024 (29.8). In no way does the influx of youth indicate surefire success, but the Lions would certainly be set up for sustained success if each of the five projected starters reach their ceilings. The offensive line could be even younger if 2025 fifth-rounder Miles Frazier, who is 11 months younger than Mahogany, wins the starting job at left guard. Juice Scruggs, another contender at left guard, is nine months older than Mahogany. Ben Bartch, 27, is the veteran option.
Whether Mays continues ascending at center will be key to Detroit’s success in 2026. He’s only started 20 games at the position over his four seasons in the NFL, and all of those starts have come within the last two years. He showed week-to-week growth in his 12 starts in 2025, enough for the Lions to commit $25 million ($14 million guaranteed) to him over the next three years. Mays surrendered 13 pressures last season and didn’t allow sack, according to PFF.
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
How the PWHL unveiled Detroit’s team amid much fanfare
Chris Ilitch, Mary Sheffield, Jayna Hefford and Amy Scheer talk about the PWHL Detroit team on May 6, 2026.
Josh Sciba comes to the Detroit Professional Women’s Hockey League team with a tremendous recent accolade.
Named to coach the ninth franchise in the PWHL’s history on Thursday, May 28, Sciba joins the team fresh off having served as an assistant coach with the women’s team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Milano Olympics.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to become the coach of PWHL Detroit and beyond grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead the organization from the beginning,” Sciba said in a statement. “This is home and especially meaningful for me and my entire family, knowing Detroit’s rich hockey history and identity firsthand and how much the women’s hockey community has been yearning for this moment.”
The Detroit PWHL team has taken shape over the past month: From being introduced on May 6 in a gala event at Little Caesars Arena (where the team will play starting late November/early December 2026) to naming Manon Rheaume general manager on May 15.
“Josh is a highly respected coach with a knowledge of the game and experience at all levels of women’s hockey that set him apart, and his passion for teaching and individual character are qualities I value in a leader,” Rhéaume said in a release “Hockeytown is in his blood, and this is an opportunity I know he is eager to embrace with an understanding of what it means to represent this city and be part of its legacy.”
Next on the agenda is shaping the roster itself, which will happen at the June 17 expansion draft at Detroit’s Fox Theatre.
Sciba, 41 and a native of Westland, has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the PWHL’s New York Sirens and brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to the role.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
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