The Detroit Lions had two fifth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. With their first fifth-rounder, they snagged Keith Abney II at No. 157. And at No. 168, Kendrick Law was brought in.

Now, one of those picks is getting attention, as Law opened up about his early talks with the team before draft night.

“Well, they came to Lexington, Kentucky, for my Pro Day,” Law said about his pre-draft connection with the Lions. “I had multiple Zooms and phone calls with them.”

General Manager Brad Holmes and the Lions traded picks 181 and 213 to move up for Law at No. 168. Many saw this as unexpected, but Law later made it clear that this move didn’t come out of nowhere.

The GM also revealed what made them go for Law in this draft.

“I didn’t think about him again until last fall, when his name came up,” Holmes said on Day 3 of the draft. “Then I realized, ‘Oh, this is the kid I saw at Alabama last year.’ I was excited about what he did on offense, but I didn’t know about his special teams skills. That made him stand out even more."

The former Kentucky receiver had 53 catches for 540 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Law also spoke about his game and what he can bring to Detroit.

"I’m not just a short or medium-range guy—I’m a vertical threat. They can use me down the field, in the intermediate range, or anywhere. That’s the kind of player I am," Law said.

Still, the Lions already have a packed wide receiver group, including Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. That makes it tough to predict Law’s role early, but his skill set adds depth.

While these draft picks bring attention, Detroit’s work is far from done, as the focus now shifts beyond the draft.

Brad Holmes Shifts Focus to Undrafted Free Agents After the Draft

The Detroit Lions selected seven players in the 2026 NFL Draft, but general manager Brad Holmes is already looking ahead.

The team still has roughly three open spots on its 90-man offseason roster, and filling those gaps is now the priority. Holmes made it clear that there is no break after the draft.

“No, no, absolutely not,” Holmes said on April 27, per a clip shared by the Detroit Sports Podcast. “I’m actually excited about getting going next week, and looking at it, is there any guys that are still out there? There might be some guys that got invited to mini-camps that might not get signed.”

Detroit has a strong record of finding value in undrafted players. Tight end Brock Wright, who went undrafted in 2021, was signed by the Lions eventually.

Since then, he has contributed to the receiving duties, racking up 70 receptions for 632 yards and 11 touchdowns across five years.

So, Holmes shared how the team is tracking players who might become available soon.

“You never know what’s gonna come across the waivers,” Holmes added. “We’ve already kind of identified guys already like free agents.”

The Lions have already started adding names this year. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has been signed, joining a group led by Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater.

Interestingly, Detroit will not hold a rookie mini-camp this offseason. Even without it, the front office continues to track talent and look for players who can fit into the system.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Anjali Thakur

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore