After the Detroit Lions released left tackle Taylor Decker and a decade upon his request, the team needs to urgently fill that position. One possible solution lies in the upcoming NFL draft, with the No. 17 overall pick, and a Georgia tackle being suggested.

After free agency last week, NFL analysts have been updating their mock drafts. And one such prominent analyst from NFL.com, Eric Edholm, might have a plan for the Lions’ HC Dan Campbell, suggesting a top prospect.

“Freeling could replace Taylor Decker, or the Lions could move Penei Sewell to the left side in Decker's place and ask Freeling to play right tackle. He's a bit green (18 college starts) but has a ton of natural ability. Detroit can still address the edge position in Round 2,” the analyst wrote.

Following the departure of the Lions' offensive tackle, Dan Skipper, who retired from the NFL in January, they signed the versatile T Larry Borom. Also, the franchise has an elite quality in LT Penei Sewell. 

With that, the addition of Monroe Freeling, who played through the 2025 season despite a lingering ankle injury from the Auburn game, can prove pivotal to the team. He has a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.99, making him rank at No. 2 out of 1,512 offensive tackles from 1987 to 2026.

But the 6-foot-7, 315 lbs, second-team All-SEC athlete is a risk as he's inexperienced, having started only about 17 games during his time in Georgia. But under the Lions’ defensive coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard, he could turn into a Pro-Bowler. 

“Freeling, 21, who was a teammate of Lions G Tate Ratledge in Athens, seems like the obvious choice in the draft where he's probably got the highest ceiling among all the left tackle prospects, if not a ton of experience with only 16 college starts,” USA Today’s analysts, Nate Davis and Ayrton Ostly, said.

With the NFL Draft now less than a month away, the Lions will want to carefully weigh their draft capital against their other potential options for this year.

Who Else Could the Lions Pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?

While Monroe Freeling is certainly promising, another prospect, offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, has been mentioned by CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner.

“Taylor Decker's departure leaves a glaring hole at left tackle that Caleb Lomu can fill. He may not be a high-end run blocker, but he has the tools to become a plus pass protector,” Renner said.

With Al-Quadin Muhamma signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and other pass rushers' departures, the Lions need to think fast. Reportedly, the edge rushers Zion Young and Akheem Mesidor are on their radar.

Zion Young has 46 games of experience and a record of 131 tackles and 11.5 sacks. Meanwhile, the First-Team All-ACC and Second-Team All-America, Akheem Mesidor, has a record of 63 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks in 2025.

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Written by

Monika Khatai

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote