After patiently waiting through the first 16 selections in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, the Detroit Lions have chosen Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with their No. 17 overall draft pick.
A 6-foot-6, 317-pound offensive tackle, Miller is viewed as a plug-and-play option in this draft class and a potential foundational pick, especially with the departure of veteran Taylor Decker.
The first-round choice is exactly what Detroit needed to address with its lone first-round selection. Here are some of the best social media reactions from Lions fans on general manager Brad Holmes' draft choice:
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) April 24, 2026
Blake Miller played almost exclusively RT at Clemson, so this likely means Penei Sewell will flip to LT. https://t.co/FrZVGcCjmk
The Lions should've traded up for Bain or could have traded back for Miller. Brad Holmes choked!
Just spoke with @Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell. Miller distinguished himself from a big group. Love his experience w/54 starts. Steady productionWill have to earn spot on right side in battle with Borom. Penei moves to left. Hear from him on @FOX2News at 10 and The Edge at 11.
With the 17th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Blake Miller 🦁🔵Reliable, physical, and built for the trenches—Miller strengthens the line and protects the future in Detroit.Welcome to the Lions #OnePride #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Zi7V37Ki5d
Kind of reminds me of the laporta situation.Mayer was considered to be the better TE, but the lions got laporta even tho he was on the board.Look how that turned out.
Monroe Freeling OT may have been a consideration but he had higher medical concern with shoulder surgery. That could have been a deciding factor with Brad Holmes wanting to get healthy this offseason.
— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) April 24, 2026
This means Penei is moving to LT, as both Campbell and Holmes told us they wanted to do. Miller is ready to rock and roll at RT right away.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit fans react as Lions pick Clemson OT Blake Miller