The 2026 NFL Draft is now officially in the books, and the final Tennessee Volunteer selected was defensive lineman Tyre West.
West got the nod in the seventh round from the Detroit Lions with the 222nd overall pick.
West always was an interesting player for me. He simply wasn’t used at the level that his play warranted. He was a very effective pass rusher in spots. Over the last three seasons, West totaled 50 quarterback pressures in 355 pass rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s good for a pressure rate of 14.1%, which is pretty strong. In four years, he totaled 65 combined tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles.
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West’s signature moment came against Mississippi State, when he dislodged the ball on a QB sack, and teammate Joshua Josephs picked it up and rumbled for a go-ahead touchdown.
He will be landing in a good spot, as the Lions remain a team who should be in contention in the NFC after just barely missing the playoffs last year. The Lions have an All-Pro in Aidan Hutchinson for West to watch and learn from, but there’s not much on the other side. The Lions drafted Michigan’s Derrick Moore yesterday in Round 2, and between him and DJ Wonnum, there’s not too much daunting competition to keep West from earning a roster spot come August.
Congrats, Tyre!
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