HURON20'S MOCK DRAFT
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HURON20'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON JAN 8, 2026

2026 DRAFT 2

  • HURON20 DRAFTING FOR THE
    Lions
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 20 RND: 1 (DET)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (DET)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Genesis Smith Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (DET)
Genesis Smith
S Arizona
Monroe Freeling Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (DET)
Monroe Freeling
OT Georgia
Tanner Koziol Head Shot
PICK: 155 RND: 5 (DET)
Tanner Koziol
TE Houston
Davison Igbinosun Head Shot
PICK: 180 RND: 5 (DET)
Davison Igbinosun
CB Ohio State
Xavier Nwankpa Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 5 (DET)
Xavier Nwankpa
S Iowa
Gracen Halton Head Shot
PICK: 188 RND: 6 (DET)
Gracen Halton
DL Oklahoma
Sawyer Robertson Head Shot
PICK: 209 RND: 6 (DET)
Sawyer Robertson
QB Baylor
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 222 RND: 7 (DET)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Bryce Foster Head Shot
PICK: 225 RND: 7 (DET)
Bryce Foster
C Kansas
Draft Picks Received
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 20 RND: 1 (DAL)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Genesis Smith Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Genesis Smith
S Arizona
Xavier Nwankpa Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 5 (DAL)
Xavier Nwankpa
S Iowa
Bryce Foster Head Shot
PICK: 225 RND: 7 (DAL)
Bryce Foster
C Kansas
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 2 (DAL)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (DAL)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (PIT)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Jeremiyah Love Head Shot
PICK: 17 RND: 1 (DAL)
Jeremiyah Love
RB Notre Dame
John Mateer Head Shot
PICK: 50 RND: 2 (PIT)
John Mateer
QB Oklahoma
Players Gained
Head Shot
Caelen Carson
CB
Draft Grade — Lions
Overall B+
ValueB NeedB TradesA+ FutureB
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Lions a B+.

Give the war room a raise for the dealing alone. The Lions came out ahead on every exchange that mattered, and it was not close. More right than wrong, and a B+ to match.

Halton has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. The Slaughter pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch.

In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.

Pick Analysis
Pick20 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In Round 1, Pick 20 they get a sideline-to-sideline linebacker. A clean fit for the roster.
Pick53 Rnd2 Jake Slaughter
Nice patience on Jake Slaughter, who had no business lasting to pick 53. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick99 Rnd3 Genesis Smith
Genesis Smith at the 99th overall pick is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick118 Rnd4 Monroe Freeling
By-the-book stuff, Monroe Freeling at the Round 4 slot squarely in line with his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick155 Rnd5 Tanner Koziol
Tanner Koziol at pick No. 155 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick180 Rnd5 Davison Igbinosun
Good price on Davison Igbinosun in No. 180, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick181 Rnd5 Xavier Nwankpa
A reach on Xavier Nwankpa in slot 181; the board had better options right there. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick188 Rnd6 Gracen Halton
Gracen Halton at the 188th pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Pick209 Rnd6 Sawyer Robertson
They did well to land Sawyer Robertson in No. 209, just ahead of his grade. The roster fit checks out.
Pick222 Rnd7 Trey Zuhn III
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Trey Zuhn III. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick225 Rnd7 Bryce Foster
A real head-scratcher, Bryce Foster in the Round 7 slot is miles ahead of his ranking. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.