Finding a complementary EDGE rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson in 2026 was one of Detroit’s top priorities. After acquiring free agent talents D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner, Brad Holmes traded up in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Michigan Wolverine standout Derrick Moore in the second round. UDFA talents Anthony Lucas and Eric O’Neill were added soon afterward, joining 2025 NFL Draft pick Ahmed Hassanein. Of the group, who stands the best chance of being paired with Hutchinson for the starting assignment?
Ranking 2026 Lions Competing To Be Aidan Hutchinson’s Complimentary EDGE
Hutchinson elevates the play of all those around him, and whoever is tapped for the starting role is likely to benefit statistically. Guarding against Hutchinson’s elite abilities, the opposition often double-teams him, clearing a path for his partner to wreak havoc. Over the past two seasons, veterans Za’Darius Smith and Al-Quadin Muhammad took advantage of the increased opportunities while paired with Hutchinson.
Signed in late November of 2024 and starting only seven games, for the Lions, Smith recorded 12 tackles (7 solo), 4.0 sacks, and a pass defense. Last year, the combined talents of Hutchinson and Muhammad produced a league-leading 26.5 sacks. The two together seemed the perfect pairing with Muhammad recording 12.0 sacks, 32 hurries, and nine QB hits. However, Muhammad wasn’t nearly as effective in the run defense, posting a 59.3 PFF grade. With Detroit allowing an average of 114 rushing yards per game in 2025, the Lions are looking to substantially improve upon that statistic.
Lions Looking to Improve The Run Defense
One of the ways the team hopes to improve upon the run defense is by adding players with added bulk and length. A larger wingspan provides a defender with a longer tackling radius. He can create separation at the line of scrimmage and is better equipped to get his hands on elusive ball carriers.
Addressing how Holmes has acquired players who provide the added length and size, Campbell enthused, “But we have got some guys now, between Wonnum and (Payton) Turner and this pup (Anthony) Lucas, obviously (Derrick) Moore. We’ve got some length now, we’ve got some size and length and athletic ability on the perimeter…but we are big, we are long, and so you can’t wait for training camp, you just can’t wait.”
6) Payton Turner, Physically Gifted With Untapped Potential
Turner clocks in at 6”6” 275 lbs. with an impressive 84-inch wingspan. Despite missing time due to collegiate injuries, the former Houston Cougar was a first-round draft pick by New Orleans in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, Turner’s extensive NFL injury history (shoulder, rib, and turf toe) limited him to 31 games in four years with the Saints. During that time, he recorded 50 tackles, 5.0 sacks, four PBUs, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
Dan Campbell was asked about Turner at OTAs, and he said Turner’s been putting the work in. “We won’t know until we get into camp. I know this, there’s been nothing he has done that has been a disappointment to us through all of spring since we started this, the offseason program. The meetings have been good, the field work has been good, he’s moving around well, his care factor is up there, seems like he is a pretty smart guy, so you know we’re intrigued. That’s also why we brought him in; we liked him when he was coming out as a pup a long time ago, so we’ll see.”
Unfortunately, Turner’s ability to stay healthy is a big red flag. For now, he positions best as a rotational piece.
Two UDFAs Turning Heads At OTAs
5) Anthony Lucas
Kelvin Sheppard first spotted the potential of 6’5” 265 lb. Lucas at USC. Marveling that the Lions got Lucas as an undrafted player, he called him a “game wrecker” for his performance against LSU on September 1, 2024. Describing how Lucas posted three quarterback pressures and two tackles in that game, Sheppard pointed out that he accomplished that while lining up against future New England Patriots’ first-round 2025 draft pick, Will Campbell. Lucas closed out his senior campaign with 37 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 23 pressures, and one forced fumble for a 71.4 PFF grade.
Lucas has already caught the attention of Campbell, with his coach referring to him as a “young pup” during OTAs. Will he stand out enough to secure a roster spot this season?
4) Eric O’Neil
A transfer product from the FCS, O’Neill spent his final year of eligibility at Rutgers in 2025. At 6’2” and 247 lbs., he lacks the size and length of his teammates. However, a breakout senior campaign at Rutgers earned him an overall 74.5 PFF grade on 471 snaps. Recording 41 total pressures as a pass rusher with 4.0 sacks, 27 hurries, and 10 hits, he posted 26 solo tackles for a 73.8 PFF run defense grade. O’Neil’s biggest asset is his strong run defense. Like Lucas, can he do enough at training camp to secure a roster spot?
An Intriguing Developmental Talent
3) Ahmed Hassanein
6’2”. 275 lb. Hassanein was drafted as a promising developmental prospect a year ago. An Egyptian-born athlete who only began playing football after moving to the US in 2023, he racked up an impressive 22 sacks, 68 tackles (32 TFLs), and two forced fumbles in two years. During the 2025 NFL Combine, NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein noted that Hassanein plays “with a strong motor and impressive production, but a lack of NFL-ready instincts.”
Whatever technical skills Hassanein might lack, his passionate desire to prove himself worthy of his new team makes up for it. After a video surfaced of the Lions’ rookie telling his new head coach he “would die for him,” he quickly endeared himself as a Detroit fan favorite.
However, Holmes already loves what he sees in him. “Hassanein’s physicality, toughness, and motivation jumped off the tape. We acquired him because he plays with his hair on fire.”
Stating that he’s not afraid to make mistakes and just wants to learn and grow, Hassanein recognizes special teams might be his path to the Lions’ roster. Stating a year ago that he never played special teams at Boise, he declared, “I really want to grow on that. I played a lot of special teams today; at Boise, I never played special teams. Here, I want to learn special teams because I want to help the team as much as I can.”
D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore, The Top Competitors
Realistically, the competition comes down to Wonnum as the current frontrunner based on experience and Moore as the eventual starter if he performs as expected.
2) D.J. Wonnum
Former Carolina Panthers EDGE Wonnum would appear to be the frontrunner to start the season as Hutchinson’s complementary mate. Campbell has indicated that Wonnum looked good at OTAs, and he was pleased with his progress. “I like where Wonnum is at. He was coming off that injury, all that, and hasn’t missed a day with us, has been putting in the work, and so he’s doing a good job in the spring.”
Still recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him for much of the 2024 season, Wonnum’s stats in 2025 weren’t great. He earned a 54.8 overall PFF defensive grade with a pass-rush grade of 49.9 and a run defense grade of 60.4 on 688 snaps.
However, as Panthers’ teammate Derrick Brown pointed out, “DJ does the dirty work, so he forces the guys to step up in the pocket. He does things that don’t show up in the stat sheet… It’s one of those things where he sets the edge, the ball comes back. I mean, so he’s a big part of this defense but doesn’t get credit for it.”
Acknowledging at the time that his stats weren’t always reflective of his game, Wonnum stated, “I know my time is coming, whatever it is, but as long as I’m doing my job being disruptive, being effective in the game, that’s all that matters…I love seeing everybody eat.”
1) Derrick Moore
If Moore lives up to his Draft potential, he will fully justify Holmes’ decision to trade up for him in the second round. Pairing Moore with Hutchinson could establish a new standard for an NFL EDGE duo. A former Michigan grad like Hutch, the two were schooled in the same athletic program and philosophy. As a 6’4”, 255 lb. senior, Moore was named Michigan’s Defensive Player of the Year and awarded the Bo Schembechler MVP honor.
Described by Zierlein as “a bull-rush aficionado, piling up pressures and sacks,” he posted an impressive 89.9 overall PFF defensive grade with a pass-rush grade of 92.4 and a run-defense grade of 76.3. Playing 440 snaps, Moore generated 17 solo tackles, 41 total pressures, 11.0 sacks, 21 hurries, 9 hits, and forced 2 fumbles in 2025.
Moore is the total package, bringing size and length with 33 3/8 arms, physicality and athleticism, and elite production. Although he is a rookie and destined to have an NFL learning curve, this is the player the Lions envision as Hutchinson’s long term complimentary EDGE partner.
