With the 2026 NFL Draft kicking off on Thursday, April 23 from Pittsburgh, Pro Football Talk's lone 2026 NFL mock draft has Detroit making a move at the No. 17 overall selection that could have many Lions fans scratching their head.

Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, many draft boards and industry experts predict the Lions to address the offensive line, as the franchise looks to add depth at left tackle following the sudden release of Taylor Decker.

I don't like mock drafts. But, when in Rome. So we do one every year. Here it is. https://t.co/Dph1AaOC7H

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 21, 2026

However, PFT has the Lions going off that predicted path in their mock draft. PFT forecasts the Lions to select 6-foot, 201-pound safety Dillon Thieneman from Oregon. While safety help is a position that the Lions would like to address, given the uncertainty surrounding the recovery timeline of Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (torn Achilles), such a decision would still be eye-opening to many.

Making the situation even more shocking is the fact that PFT projects the Lions taking Thieneman over Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, who many view as one of the top offensive tackle options that could be available for the Lions in the first round.

While mock drafts are purely made to spark debate from fans and invite intrigue into the thought processes of NFL general managers, PFT's prediction for the Lions' first-rounder may be a bit too far on the wild side to take into serious consideration.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions make unexpected pick in PFT NFL mock draft