B-
Detroit Lions
No fireworks, just a tidy B- for the Lions.
by Maddmax ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
You can fall in love with a player. You are not supposed to marry him in the wrong round. The Lions did exactly that with Nyjalik Kelly in the 157th overall pick. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B-.
That safety hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. Farmer at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster.
Cornerback is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 17 they get a cornerstone up front, though they paid up to get him. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
D'Angelo Ponds at the 50th overall pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the cornerback. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Jalen Farmer is a better player than the 118th pick suggests; smart patience, rewarded. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached into another round for Max Llewellyn, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Nyjalik Kelly in the Round 5 slot, miles early. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Caleb Douglas in pick No. 176. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
No edge and no loss on Matt Gulbin in Round 5, Pick 41; it is a wash and a sensible one. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Nick Barrett in pick 222 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It adds depth where they could use a little.