The off-season will soon be in full swing, with the Super Bowl champion being crowned this weekend. The Detroit Lions have already lost both coordinators to head coaching opportunities, as well as many other members of the coaching staff.

Who knows how many players they lose this off-season. But the good news is, there isn’t really a significant Lions free agent outside of Carlton Davis. There is a good chance that they bring back some of their free agents, like Ifeatu Melifonwu, Derrick Barnes, or Levi Onwuzerike, just to name a few.

As far as the draft, I’m not sure there is a pressing need for the Lions this year. Obviously, last April, the cornerback position was a desperate need, and that led to them drafting corners with their first and second round selections. Detroit’s approach will likely be to add more talent/depth on defense after being ravaged by injuries on that side of the ball in 2024-25. An offensive lineman could also be an option for the Lions at some point in the draft. This is a meat and potatoes draft. It’s incredibly deep with talent in the trenches, especially defensively. The Lions need help in that area. I could definitely see them using multiple early picks on defensive lineman. One of their options is a Michigan product and a college football national champion.

Who is Kenneth Grant?

Kenneth Grant is a big, fast, and athletic defensive lineman who was a National Champion with the Wolverines at the end of the 2023 season. In 2024, Grant earned third-team All-American honors, as well as second-team All-Big Ten.

As a senior at Merrillville High School in Indiana, he totaled 38 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and blocked eight kicks (four field goal attempts, two punts and two extra-point attempts), leading Merrillville to an undefeated regular season and a 12-1 overall record.

Grant is a fantastic run defender at 6’3″, 339 pounds, but his size, speed, and athleticism make him a consistent factor in the pass rush as well. Mason Graham got most of the attention on the interior for Michigan, and rightfully so, but Grant was also a big part of Graham’s success on that terrific Wolverines defensive line.

If able to develop some pass rush finesse at the next level, Grant will be one of the best defenders from this loaded class. I think that, although his talent is still a bit raw, a team will likely draft him early in the draft.

Why is Kenneth Grant a fit for the Detroit Lions?

My top four ranked interior defensive linemen are all amongst the top prospects in the draft. Graham will obviously be long gone, but I’d like to see the Lions land one of the next big three. I’ve already written about Walter Nolen and Derrick Harmon, so be sure to check those articles out next.

The Lions had one of the best run defenses in football last year with Alim McNeil and D.J Reader on the interior. With McNeil injured and Reader playing on the final year of his contract, it would make sense to add Grant to the arsenal. I also believe he has much more upside as a pass rusher than Reader, which could mean Grant sees the field over Reader on third-downs.

Brad Holmes has shown that he likes players with unique measurables. Brodric Martin and Giovanni Manu are two examples of that. However, it’s different with Grant because, unlike the two players I just mentioned, Grant has produced at a high level in college football for one of its most iconic schools. It would be really cool if they are able to pair Grant with Aidan Hutchinson on their defensive line.