{"id":267171,"date":"2026-03-02T14:00:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T19:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=267171"},"modified":"2026-03-02T14:27:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T19:27:46","slug":"nfl-combine-standouts-for-detroit-lions-ailing-secondary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/03\/02\/nfl-combine-standouts-for-detroit-lions-ailing-secondary\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Combine Standouts For Detroit Lions’ Ailing Secondary"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Brad Holmes’ typical draft strategy is selecting the Best Player Available (BPA) regardless of position, when the Lions are on the board. But this year, with so many positions needing help, he might have to alter his strategy. One critical area of need is Detroit’s depleted secondary. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, the NFL’s best safety duo<\/a>, are still recovering from injuries, and their return dates are uncertain. Now, with Terrion Arnold\u2019s potential legal issues<\/a> looming, the Lions’ entire starting secondary could be unavailable.<\/p>\r\n

NFL Combine Standouts For Detroit Lions’ Ailing Secondary<\/h2>\r\n

Suddenly, instead of the Lions using first or second round picks to draft a much-needed offensive lineman or a top-rated edge rusher, shoring up the secondary might be the number one priority. Here are three strong draft prospects who could meet the Lions’ needs.<\/p>\r\n

Detroit Lions Secondary Options:<\/h3>\r\n

Dillon Thieneman<\/a>, Oregon, Safety (Junior)<\/h3>\r\n

One player who boosted his stock this week at the NFL Combine is Oregon\u2019s Dillon Thieneman. Already ranked as one of the top prospects in the 2026 Draft, 6’0″, 205 lb. Thieneman turned heads at the Combine with an outstanding athletic performance.

Ranking first among all safeties, Thieneman scored an impressive 86 on his Athleticism score. He turned in an eye-popping 4.35 in the 40-yard dash while boasting a 41\u201d vertical jump and a 10.5 board jump. Thieneman\u2019s explosiveness off the line and elite skill set were on full display, as he recorded the second-best vertical jump and fourth-fastest 40-yard dash among the safeties. During his collegiate three-year career, he was credited with 306 tackles and eight interceptions. As one of the younger prospects entering the Draft, Thieneman’s accomplishments are even more impressive. \u00a0\u00a0

NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein<\/a> summed him up as, “A Savvy three-year starter with NFL size, speed and alignment versatility.\u201d Describing him as \u201can instinctive, rangy safety who can roll down into big nickel or robber positioning,” Zierlein awarded high marks for his relentless pursuit and high coverage IQ. He pointed out Thieneman\u2019s sluggish change of direction and difficulty adjusting to perimeter pursuit angles as weaknesses. However, these potential hiccups could be overcome with coaching.

CBS Sports’ Mike Renner was even more impressed<\/a> with Thieneman\u2019s Combine performance, grading him an A+. “One of the most impressive combine performances you’ll ever see from a safety. An elite athlete who looked more like a cornerback than a safety during on-field drills. He’ll be a first-round pick.”<\/p>\r\n

Why Thieneman Is A Great Selection For Detroit<\/h4>\r\n

Thieneman possesses a rare blend of superior athleticism, high football IQ, and a relentless motor. A gifted competitor who rises to the occasion when he\u2019s under pressure to perform, Thieneman could be an immediate playmaker for the Lions. An absolute gem of a pick for Detroit. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo, Safety <\/b>(Senior)<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/b>At 6\u20193\u201d tall and 201 lbs. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren<\/a> came into the Combine as a highly rated prospect. During his collegiate career, he recorded 214 career tackles, five interceptions, 13 pass breakups, and nine forced fumbles. A semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, he received invitations to the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl.<\/p>\r\n

Despite finishing with an underwhelming 13th-ranked Athleticism score at the Combine, \u00a0McNeil Warren nonetheless finished with an overall score of 81. That score ranked him 3rd among participating safeties. While McNeil-Warren doesn\u2019t have Thieneman\u2019s elite athleticism, he scored high in production and uses his rangy build and long arm span for maximum tackling effectiveness. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Zierlein highlighted his ability to \u201canticipate well in coverage,\u201d<\/a> noting that he\u2019s \u201curgent in run support and has a feel for slipping blocks\/ meeting runners early in the carry.”<\/p>\r\n

What\u2019s highly desirable about McNeil-Warren is his ability to force fumbles at an impressive rate. Gifted at punching the ball loose, NFLdraftbuzz.com<\/span><\/a> credited this \u201cto a relentless ball-disruption mentality.\u201d Pointing out that McNeil-Warren has developed a “deliberate, trained technique of attacking the ball at the catch point,” NFLdraftbuzz.com<\/a> concluded that he is a playmaker who finds the football.”\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

In addition to his fumble-forcing talent, McNeil Warren also delivered an outstanding 37-yard pick-six in a 2025 game against Western Kentucky.<\/p>\r\n

Why McNeil-Warren Could Be A Fit For Detroit<\/h4>\r\n

It was reported that the Lions met with McNeil-Warren in Indianapolis,<\/span><\/a> so clearly, he is on their radar. \u00a0His lack of athleticism is a limitation. McNeil-Warren won’t be leaping up in the end zone to snatch footballs out of thin air like Kerby Joseph. However, he could be highly effective in forcing turnovers on the ground. McNeil-Warren is projected as a first-round selection. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Lorenzo Styles<\/a>, Ohio State, Safety (Senior)<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Entering the Combine as a relative unknown, Lorenzo Styles was the\u00a0216th overall prospect according to CBS Sports<\/a>. \u00a0However, an exceptional performance at the NFL Combine should definitely raise his standing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Apparently, the spirit of brotherly competition runs strong in the Styles household. One day, after his younger brother, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles,<\/a> excelled at the Combine, Lorenzo made his own mark as a cornerback. The elder Styles shocked onlookers with a blistering 4.27 40-yard dash. His elite performance ranks as the fastest 40-yard dash by a safety in more than 20 years. To complete his exceptional day, Styles recorded a 39\u201d vertical jump, which placed fourth best among participating safeties. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Styles actually began his collegiate career as a wide receiver at Notre Dame. During the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the 6’0″ 194 lb. standout was the team’s leading receiver with eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. Despite his efforts, the Fighting Irish lost to Oklahoma State by a score of 37-35. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

During his two years at Notre Dame, he recorded 54 receptions for 684 yards with two touchdowns and another 86 yards rushing. However, at the end of the 2022 season, Style entered the transfer portal to join his brother at Ohio State.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

It was while he was at Ohio State that he made the transition from wide receiver to defensive back. During the 2023 season, he played only on special teams. <\/span>The following year, playing as a defensive back, he recorded 16 tackles and four pass deflections. Styles enters the 2026 Draft as a safety with limited playing experience. \u00a0Although he scored an impressive 80 on his Athleticism score, his Combine Production score was a disappointing \u00a057. \u00a0Zierlein noted Styles’ improvement<\/a> at playing DB; however, he signaled that his “tight hips and lack of route recognition are a double whammy.”<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why Styles Might Be A Developmental Project For Detroit<\/h4>\r\n

Styles, Jr. is not an early-round pick, and he likely won’t be a Day 1 starter. Despite his flashes of brilliant athleticism and instinctive talent, his lack of experience at safety counts against him. Styles’s lack of fundamentals categorizes him as a “developmental project” for the team that drafts him. However, his competitiveness and dogged determination to improve indicate a player who will put forth a maximum effort. If the Lions were to draft him as a later-round selection, he could become an impact player on special teams. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

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Brad Holmes’ draft strategy is selecting the Best Player Available regardless of position. However, fixing Detroit’s secondary is a priority.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5208,"featured_media":267733,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,24],"tags":[33865,33966,34248],"class_list":["post-267171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","category-lions","tag-dillon-thieneman","tag-emmanuel-mcneil-warren","tag-lorenzo-styles-jr"],"modified_by":"Sue Levine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5208"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267171"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":267779,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267171\/revisions\/267779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}