The Detroit Lions selected Blake Miller with the No. 17 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, turning some heads. Miller was projected to go late first round or early second round, but the Lions picked him earlier to plug the gaps left by Taylor Decker's exit.

The Clemson tackle, who will be playing alongside Lions veteran OT Penei Sewell, expressed his admiration for the experienced tackle and his desire to learn.

"There's so much stuff that he does incredibly well,” Miller said. “Just to be able to sit in the same room as him ... and pick his brain ... I can't wait.”

The new offensive tackle has been vocal about his respect for Sewell's physicality and how, despite his size, the OT is incredibly athletic, getting to the perimeters to make the blocks necessary to advance the scrimmage line. The rookie has also spoken about following Sewell's tape during his college days.

With Miller likely stepping in at right tackle, Sewell could move to the left side. That change has been talked about before, and now it looks likely with Taylor Decker's departure.

Miller's addition gives the Lions that option. The rookie brings strong experience from Clemson. He started more than 50 games and handled the right side for most of his college career.

The 22-year-old earned Freshman All-American honors in 2022. After that, he kept improving, getting third-team All-ACC in 2023 and first-team All-ACC in both 2024 and 2025. Standing at 6-foot-6¾, 317 pounds, with a school record of 3,778 offensive snaps, could become a problem for the opposition defense under Sewell's guidance.

The Lions have always leaned on strong offensive line play, and adding Miller gives them youth and stability up front. That decision also ties directly into how the Lions managed their salary cap move after drafting Miller.

Blake Miller Rookie Contract Details After Lions Draft Move

The Detroit Lions' addition of Blake Miller in the first round poses questions about contract details and what it means for the team’s salary cap plan, with Taylor Decker leaving the Lions.

Decker was expected to finish his contract, but things changed when he was asked to take a pay cut, and he refused. He was then released, which opened the spot for a cheaper rookie option.

Miller’s rookie contract is estimated at $21.8 million over four years, per Spotrac. The contract is fully guaranteed, which means he will receive the full amount regardless of performance or injury. It also includes a $12.3 million signing bonus, paid upfront as part of the deal.

His average yearly salary comes out to about $5.45 million, which is much lower than Decker's $14.9 million base salary.

Decker's departure gives the Lions more control over spending at a key position while bringing in a young player with college starting experience.

Miller’s deal also lines up with the team’s approach of adding talent without putting too much strain on the salary cap as they build for the future.

Will Blake Miller be the right support for Penei Sewell's tackle prowess? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Anjali Thakur

Edited by

Surjo Roy