B-
Detroit Lions
The Lions did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.
by Christeca ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
There is conviction, and then there is this. The Lions took Jack Pyburn a full 67 picks ahead of where the board had him, an overdraft steep enough that it colors the whole weekend. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.
The linebacker spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. They banked enough surplus on Hurst to cover a lot of smaller sins.
They went 5 of 9 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the linebacker spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 17 they get a sticky cover corner. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A conviction pick on Derrick Moore at the 50th overall pick that the board grades a round light. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Jude Bowry in pick 118 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
The board had Ted Hurst higher than pick No. 128, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A tidy little value on Beau Stephens in the 157th pick, a step better than break-even. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Zane Durant in the Round 5 slot. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Jalen Stroman at the 205th overall pick. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Jack Pyburn well ahead of where he belonged. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Kalil Alexander at pick No. 222 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.