It appears the Detroit Lions have settled things with linebacker Alex Anzalone after the team gave him a meager raise following an offseason-long contract dispute.
What the Lions did not give Anzalone was a contract extension, which is what he was really looking for. As a result, the 30-year-old could very well be changing teams in 2026.
Knowing that, it isn't crazy to think the Lions could take a linebacker early in next year's draft, although how early they do so will likely depend on the 2025 returns from Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell.
In his most recent mock draft, Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spin Zone projects the Lions will take Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. at No. 29 overall in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Lions used a first-round pick a couple of years back on Jack Campbell out of Iowa, a player who embodied what it means to be a “hunter” at the linebacker position. Hill is another guy with those types of traits. He has the obvious: Size, speed, range, playmaking ability. But what will really endear him to a team like the Detroit Lions is that he’s got a nose for the football and is physical every single snap.
The Lions need difference makers defensively and Hill has the chance to be one of the best in this upcoming class as a former five-star prospect who has put it together at the college level.
Hill broke out big time in 2024, with the Texas linebacker tallying 113 tackles and eight sacks. He also showed he can be an asset in coverage, posting a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 70.7.
Hill is capable of lining up all over a formation. Texas has used him as a traditional inside linebacker, but the Longhorns have also lined Hill up on the edge, so he has countless ways he can impact a game.
We don't want to compare anyone to Micah Parsons, but Hill has the skill set to be that kind of versatile player at the next level. That could make him an even hotter name in draft circles in 2026, which may lead to Hill being off the board by the time the Lions are on the clock.
But if he's there at the end of Round 1, the Lions would be hard-pressed to pass on someone who could be a true difference-maker at the next level, both as an inside linebacker and edge rusher.
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