ScholarlyViking'S MOCK DRAFT
  1. Home
  2. Simulator

ScholarlyViking'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 18, 2026

VIEW ALL
Mock drafts from ScholarlyViking

Spinshine

  • ScholarlyViking DRAFTING FOR THE
    Lions
Draft Selections
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (DET)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Max Iheanachor Head Shot
PICK: 50 RND: 2 (DET)
Max Iheanachor
OT Arizona State
Kyle Louis Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (DET)
Kyle Louis
LB Pittsburgh
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (DET)
Trey Zuhn III
C Texas A&M
DeMonte Capehart Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (DET)
DeMonte Capehart
DT Clemson
Ephesians Prysock Head Shot
PICK: 157 RND: 5 (DET)
Ephesians Prysock
CB Washington
Patrick Payton Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 5 (DET)
Patrick Payton
DE-EDGE LSU
Jeff Caldwell Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (DET)
Jeff Caldwell
WR Cincinnati
Robert Spears-Jennings Head Shot
PICK: 222 RND: 7 (DET)
Robert Spears-Jennings
S Oklahoma
Dasan McCullough Head Shot
PICK: 239 RND: 7 (DET)
Dasan McCullough
LB-EDGE Nebraska
Khordae Sydnor Head Shot
PICK: 241 RND: 7 (DET)
Khordae Sydnor
DL-EDGE Vanderbilt
Draft Picks Received
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (MIN)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Kyle Louis Head Shot
PICK: 82 RND: 3 (MIN)
Kyle Louis
LB Pittsburgh
Dasan McCullough Head Shot
PICK: 239 RND: 7 (CHI)
Dasan McCullough
LB-EDGE Nebraska
Khordae Sydnor Head Shot
PICK: 241 RND: 7 (CHI)
Khordae Sydnor
DL-EDGE Vanderbilt
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (CHI)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Jermod McCoy Head Shot
PICK: 17 RND: 1 (MIN)
Jermod McCoy
CB Tennessee
Kevin Coleman Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 205 RND: 6 (CHI)
Kevin Coleman Jr.
WR Missouri
Draft Grade — Lions
Overall B-
ValueC NeedB+ TradesB FutureB-
The Lions did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.

The Lions spent real capital to be 209 picks early on Khordae Sydnor, and the board is going to hold them to it. A dependable weekend that grades out a B-.

Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Caldwell. They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. The dealing nudged the ledger their way without much fuss.

Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.

Pick Analysis
Pick18 Rnd1 Olaivavega Ioane
In the 18th overall pick they get a plug-and-play piece up front. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick50 Rnd2 Max Iheanachor
A tidy little value on Max Iheanachor in pick 50, a step better than break-even. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick82 Rnd3 Kyle Louis
Kyle Louis in Round 3, Pick 18 is fair value, right on his grade. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick118 Rnd4 Trey Zuhn III
They went early on Trey Zuhn III in the 118th pick, and the value did not follow. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick128 Rnd4 DeMonte Capehart
They liked DeMonte Capehart enough to skip the value, taking him in the Round 4 slot. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Pick157 Rnd5 Ephesians Prysock
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Ephesians Prysock well ahead of where he belonged. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick181 Rnd5 Patrick Payton
A big swing on Patrick Payton at the 181st pick, well ahead of any board in the building. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick213 Rnd6 Jeff Caldwell
Jeff Caldwell at slot 213 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick222 Rnd7 Robert Spears-Jennings
They paid up for Robert Spears-Jennings at pick No. 222 when waiting would have done the job. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick239 Rnd7 Dasan McCullough
They talked themselves into Dasan McCullough at pick 239, and the board did not agree. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick241 Rnd7 Khordae Sydnor
This one needs a full-page explanation: Khordae Sydnor in No. 241, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.