B-
Detroit Lions
A respectable, level-headed haul for the Lions: B-.
by jlwalker43 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
The war room fell hard for Kalil Alexander, and it showed at the 222nd pick: 65 picks ahead of a board that had other ideas.
Getting Burks where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. The safety spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
The weekend tilted hard toward the defense.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but safety.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 17 they get a lockdown presence outside. The biggest hole, addressed.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Drew Shelton in the Round 2 slot, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They will replay Logan Jones at Round 4, Pick 18 for years; that is how good the value is. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A wide receiver of that caliber at slot 128 is the definition of value, full stop. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Nyjalik Kelly this early at pick 157. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Kobe Baynes in the 181st pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A tidy little value on Aaron Graves in Round 6, Pick 24, a step better than break-even. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Jadon Canady at slot 213 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Kalil Alexander in the 222nd pick is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.