Lions Select Blake Miller With the 17th Overall Pick of NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions selected Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on Thursday night. The 22-year-old right tackle never missed a game in his four collegiate seasons with the Tigers. The 6-foot-7, 317-pounder is super competitive and is a mauler in the running game. The Lions definitely needed to address their offensive line early in this year's draft, and they have definitely done so with the selection of Miller. His presence on the O-line is great news for both quarterback Jared Goff and do-it-all running back Jahmyr Gibbs. With Penei Sewell moving to left tackle, Miller should immediately be a starter on the right side of the offensive line from the get-go in his rookie season in 2026. He's an iron man with no durability question marks, and he comes with a lot of experience. One of the few knocks on Miller is that he can often times play too upright, so that will need to be cleaned up when going against elite edge rushers.

Source: NFL.com