ESPN picks Detroit Lions' 2026 breakout candidate

In two weeks, the Detroit Lions' rookies will report to training camp.

From there, veterans will report just three days later and then the Lions will be off and running with their 2026 training camp from the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, Mich.

As training camp nears closer, ESPN is making some of its final predictions for the 2026 NFL season. ESPN's Ben Solak picked a breakout candidate for all 32 NFL teams.

The Lions' projected breakout candidate comes at a position of great need. Solak picked cornerback Roger McCreary as his breakout candidate in Detroit.

Tons of cornerback snaps were already up for grabs in Detroit before Terrion Arnold was cut following his arrest in Florida on felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. Now, starting jobs are available in both the slot and on the outside. The contenders for the jobs: Rock Ya-Sin, Keith Abney II, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and McCreary.

McCreary was a rookie starter, and a productive one at that, for the Titans in 2022. He can play inside and out, though his lack of length makes him better suited for slot work (and will likely always limit his on-ball production). Still, he's smart in zone coverage, physical enough to survive against the run and plenty sticky when asked to play man-to-man. Much of his game is similar to that of Amik Robertson, who thrived in Detroit before signing a solid deal in Washington this past offseason. I'm buying a McCreary bounceback. - Ben Solak, ESPN

D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin may have the early leg up for starting gigs given the fact that the pair started 11 and six games for the Lions last year, respectively.

Still, Lions head coach Dan Campbell has been vocal that he and Detroit won't hesitate to play younger or new players if it's close at a position and if the potential upside makes the Lions better. That could mean there's an opportunity for 2026 fifth-round NFL draft pick Keith Abney II.

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. was second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Injuries have limited Rakestraw to just eight games played in his NFL career thus far, but, if he can stay healthy, maybe he finally morphs into a difference-maker in the Lions' secondary.

Still, McCreary isn't a bad pick. With Terrion Arnold's release, Detroit is even more desperate for new playmakers to emerge in its defensive backfield.

McCreary arrives in the Motor City with 61 games played and 38 starts. The 26-year-old has totaled 257 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 17 passes defended, five quarterback hits, four sacks, three interceptions and one forced fumble as he enters his fifth NFL season.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ESPN picks Detroit Lions' 2026 breakout candidate